In the last two blogs, I have focused on the Bi Colors, which compose the second line in the Full Spectrum Palette. Now, I would like to consider the third line of Hues. The Hues, as defined by Robert Henri, are those colors that come closest to the neutral but still maintain the color character of their root notes. B Hue is as close to a neutral as blue can get while still retaining its blueness. The Hue is the color that is one interval removed from the neutral.
Most artists derive their neutral tones by combining complementary colors. The complementary combinations can shift towards one complement or the other, depending on the needs of the image. My neutral can appear more blue or more towards orange using the B-O complementary pair. Henri’s Hues also depend on a set of complements plus a dominant color. These Hues are more subtle and more accurately formulated when using a balanced Full Spectrum Palette. They are easily built from the secondary colors of O-G-V of the balanced palette. I stress this idea of the balanced palette because if one begins in harmony, one ends in harmony. In this blog, I assume you have already created 12 evenly spaced intervals along the full color spectrum [top line of the Full Spectrum Palette]. Both the Hues and the Bi colors are derived from these mixtures.
If I wish to create a Y Hue, I will look for the secondary colors that lie on either side of my Y at full intensity [top line]. I have the O on one side and the G on the other side. The combination of the O + G = Y Hue. Both O and G contain Y. But they also contain the complements of R-G and O-B. Let’s examine this idea. The R is derived from the O set against the G; Or one can look at it in another way. The B is derived from the G set against the O. What is key is that the dominant color within the Y Hue is yellow. This Y is subtly neutralized by a complementary pair, so that the Y Hue remains within the Y scale, just above the neutral. Also note that the complements within the Hue are not evenly balanced. There is less R interacting with the G. The R is 50% of the O mixture set against the G at 100%. But this specific interaction creates a balanced Y Hue dominated by Y.
What I like about the Full Spectrum Palette is that I don’t need to find the right balance to achieve a Y Hue. It just comes out as it should by mixing my secondary colors of O and G. The Y Hue should appear visually as raw sienna or yellow ochre, but slightly more intense than these earth tones. I use this tone extensively in both my flesh tones and my landscape paintings- any place you find yourself dipping into something like yellow ochre. But this Y Hue is perfectly integrated into your palette already, and there is no need to super-add another color such as yellow ochre.
I am fond of the landscapes of Emile Gruppe, who was a student of John Carlson. I noticed that Gruppe often used the secondary colors of O-G-V as the basic scheme of his palette design. You see it again and again, these colors combined to form subtle variations of the primary colors. Also, when all three secondaries are combined, he achieves an extensive variation in his neutrals. Gruppe, obviously, had a balanced palette and easily achieved his semi-neutrals and Hues from this innate harmony. He then adds his blues, allowing them to sparkle amid these O-G-V’s.
Note that the B Hue is derived from the secondaries G + V, and the R Hue is derived from O + V. You can read more on the process of building the Hues in my book, The Color Investigations of Robert Henri, Vol. 1 & 2 [Vol. 1, p. 46; Vol. 2, Image 7-6, 7-7]. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the mixing process.
