Staying Neutral
March 7, 2014 § 3 Comments
Experience teaches us that limitation is the essence of creativity. Like a single flute playing in an echo chamber, the sounded notes of a few colors, a few shapes or lines set up visual resonances within the bounding space of the rectangle, multiplying complexity in unforeseen ways through their endless permutations. Using color in a limited way is a great way to explore this phenomenon. Here are some examples of works that choose to proscribe the range of color intensity, exploring the neutral zone that lies in the center of the color circle. Because of the relativity of color, the rainbow continues to assert itself but in a lowered intensity key. Color appears, not through pigmentation, but through optical relationships. Absence becomes presence.
Fabulous collection of images. Gurney has a great section in his Color and Light book on limiter gamuts worth looking in to. I just finished a gamut exercise with my students based on using neutral within a standard hue scheme.
Check out Bernard Dunstan and Joan Eardly.
Thanks, Chris. Will look into these. Dunstan has been a favorite for years.
Great selection of paintings!