Color Theory – A History About Color

In a world filled with color, it is impossible not to think about color! Over the centuries, artists used color to evoke feelings or symbolize something.

Color is also used to make statements to the audience. Colors make the picture look more unique and striking. Some artists use colors with using their instinct, while some need a little help in understanding the color theory.

The color theory is a guide to color mixing and the impact of the color combinations. Just as artists have used color, many have tried to explain color.

The first person to write about the principles of color was Leone Battista Alberti. He was a polymath from the Renaissance period. The other polymath from that period who wrote about color and art was Leonardo da Vinci.

During the 18th century, it was only then when the world began to catch up with the geniuses from long ago. Sir Isaac Newton wrote Opticks, which was all about the theory of color. 

In that work, he elaborated on the nature of primary colors. In a rotating disk, he arranged the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violate. When one would spin the disk, one would only see the color white and none of those other colors.

Over the years, scientists and artists created their own color wheels. Some, not looking like a wheel but boxes or diagrams. Gautier created a picture that tried to rebut Newton’s theory.

Richard Waller wrote the “Table of Physiological Colors of Both Mixt and Simple”. In this work, he wrote about the colors of natural bodies. He created a grid which contained 119 colors. These colors progressed from light to dark.

Schaffer made nine rules about colors. According to Schaffer, the principal colors should be red, white, yellow, blue, black, green and brown. By mixing at least two principal colors, other colors can be created.

He made mixtures of red with reds, yellow with yellow and so on. He regarded these principal colors as separate from other colors, which were created by mixture.

Mayer had a different color theory. Unlike Newton who had a color wheel, Mayer had a Color Triangle. There are thirteen compartments on each side of his triangle. On each extreme angle contains the pure color.

An artist’s manual written by C.B. contained a color theory that boosted Newton’s theory. There are two circles involved. The first circle contained crimson, scarlet, orange, yellow, green, blue and violate.

While the second circle has golden yellow, red, purple, yellow green and sea green.

Goethe wrote a book, which discussed about complementary colors and it was the first systematic study of the effects of color. It focused on the physiological effects of color.

His book is entitled “Theory of Colors”. Others who dabbled on theories and the color wheel were Munsell, Ogden Rood, Albret Munsell, Wilhelm Ostwald, Wassily Kandinsky, Faber Birren, Josef Albers, Johannes Itten. 
In this digital age, colors are taken to the next level. Imaging systems increase in capacity and people readily have more colors at hand than ever before. The principles behind colors remain constant as ever.