Change colors depending on the lighting. Effect of lighting on color perception

19.01.2015 19:01

Without color, we cannot imagine the world we see. A person is constantly influenced by the color environment in which he lives, affects his physiological processes and psychological state. Knowing the features of each color, you can form a certain image, evoke certain emotions, associations.

If you carefully look around you, you can see a diverse range of colors that surround us at home. However, color not only determines the artistic qualities of the premises, but also helps to create the most favorable conditions for the life and activity of a person, his health and mood.

The positive or negative feeling of being in a room is called visual climate of space and its creation should be taken seriously and creatively.

Visual climate of the home.

What influences the choice of the right color solution modern apartments?

The correct color scheme of the premises in modern apartment has extremely importance, as it gives a finished look to its interior.

Under the influence of an unsuccessful color composition, even an apartment well furnished in all respects may look unfriendly, while a skillful selection and combination of colors conceal some of the shortcomings of the home, create comfort, and improve mood.

The importance of the choice of color in the decoration and decoration of a modern apartment can be explained by the fact that, in addition to artistic and decorative qualities, color also has a number of properties of purely practical significance.

Under the influence of one color or another, we may experience a feeling of joy or sadness, sharpen or dissipate our attention, increase or decrease performance, etc.

Color can also change our impression of the size and proportion of a room.

The color scheme of the apartment depends on the following interrelated factors:

Orientation to the cardinal points and illumination of rooms,

Dimensions and proportions of rooms

Lighting (natural or artificial light)

The emotional impact of color on a person,

Room assignments.

It is important to determine which of these factors should be taken into account first of all in order to create the most comfortable conditions in the interior.

Orientation to the cardinal points, illumination of rooms and color.

Color means can compensate for the lack of warmth in the premises.

Colors are divided into warm and cold.

Warm: yellow, orange, red and their shades, as well as cream, apricot, coffee, rose yellow, green(in which yellow, but not blue shades predominate). Painted in warm colors rooms with windows that do not face sunny side appear lighter.

Cool colors: blue, cyan, lilac, purple, dominated shades of blue, light gray, silver. They are suitable for highly lit and sun-heated rooms.

It is known what a beneficial effect the sun has on a person, a prolonged lack of sunlight depresses. When choosing the color of the interior, you need to take into account the illumination of the rooms, because even with a southern orientation, they can be dark due to small windows or because the windows are closed by a neighboring house or trees standing very close to them. In such cases, the darker the room, the lighter the walls should be.

How can color visually change a space?

Dimensions and proportions of rooms and color.

Knowledge of the properties of colors and their correct use can significantly improve the impression of uncomfortable rooms - "raise" or "lower" the ceiling, "push" or "narrow" the walls. This is achieved by changing the color tone, pattern, texture, methods of using finishing materials and artificial lighting, the so-called optical illusion.

An optical illusion is a phenomenon in which the apparent qualities of objects do not correspond to reality.

FOR EXAMPLE:

plain dyed plain room seems bigger and more spacious. It clearly distinguishes all proportions.

Vertical stripes of color make the room look taller.

Horizontal stripes give the impression of a low room.

Variegation causes a feeling of disorder, unrest and reduces the room.

If the walls are dark and the ceiling is light, then the room seems higher.

Extended rooms appear shorter if the wall in front is brightly colored.

But do not forget about the color harmony in the interior:

Principles of creating color harmony

1. Choice of dominant color

2. The color of the walls primarily determines what the room will look like: yellow or cold, exciting or soothing. Walls of warm, deep colors seem closer, and cold, light colors seem to be visually distant.

3. The color scheme of the floor should be selected in accordance with the size of the room and the surrounding color schemes of the space. Too light floors create a feeling of insecurity, they are quite suitable for sanitary unit. Very dark floors in large rooms can seriously affect lighting. In large rooms, in the absence of pronounced accents, to visually reduce the surface, you can use a border painted in a different color or more. light tone and vice versa, in small rooms, in order to visually enlarge them, you need to slightly raise the floor, creating a strip on the wall. But at the same time, care must be taken, since large-sized colorful decorative elements act as obstacles that they encounter.

4. The color scheme of the ceiling depends on the height of the room and other color elements in it. Light (for example, light blue or greenish blue) ceilings visually increase the height of the room if the color of the walls is darker and warmer. And for very high ceilings Of course, more intense colors can be used.

5. Each color should be seen indoors several times. This increases the brightness of the complementary colors.

6. Color harmony is achieved if no more than three colors are used in the room

7. Decrease in color saturation should correspond to natural perception. Perception is not only an improvement in visibility, but also a sense of the surrounding space. For example, according to our natural perception of space, the floor should be dark and the ceiling light.

8. Should refuse a large number patterns.

How does room lighting affect color perception?

Lighting and color.

With a light color of the walls, ceiling and floor, the amount of reflected light increases significantly, and consequently, the overall illumination of the room. In addition, a greater or lesser uniform illumination is achieved with a matte surface, since the latter reflects light in all directions, while a glossy surface mainly reflects in one direction.

When there is insufficient illumination of the premises, the saturation of colors sharply decreases, and blue, blue and purple tones change less than red, orange and yellow. Therefore, in dimly lit rooms (for example, hallways, corridors), it is better to paint the walls in cold colors. During the day, such rooms, despite the lack of light, will not seem gray and boring and will retain their color value. Poorly lit rooms should not be painted white, because white surfaces in such conditions appear dull and gray.

When choosing the color of a room, it must be remembered that the color chosen in daylight changes with electric lighting, since with a change in the light source, the composition of the reflected light changes, and with it the color of the object.

Influence of neighboring colors.

The color changes depending on the proximity of the colors located. (For example, blue near yellow acquires a purple hue, near red - greenish. Grayish-white near orange becomes whiter, acquiring a bluish tint, next to greenish - pinkish, near purple - lemon yellow. Grey-brown becomes greenish near red, grayish near light yellow, reddish near green, and a delicate green tone becomes very bright near pink.)

Dark or light colors (for example, light walls - dark furniture) can make a room with smooth walls embossed, plastic. Having painted the color of furniture and walls, it can be visually disguised, which is very convenient in small rooms with narrow walls.

How psychologically color affects a person?

Color and emotions.

Each person constantly feels the influence of colors: positive, if the colors are chosen rationally, or negative.

Psychologists have found that the color of the interior has a significant impact on the psyche, emotions and well-being of a person. Certain colors and their combinations can make a person happy, sad, anxious or melancholy.

Studies conducted by domestic and foreign scientists have made it possible to determine the nature of the impact of various colors and their combinations on nervous system and human performance.

- Red color has a stimulating effect of an active, obsessive, coercive nature. At the same time, breathing and pulse change, as with any excitation. With a short exposure to red, performance increases; prolonged exposure to color leads to fatigue and reduced performance.

- Orange color causes a cheerful and joyful mood, a feeling of warmth, a desire to move, activates, under the condition of a changeable effect, it has a positive effect on performance.

- light orange color has the most favorable effect on children, improves their mood, improves physiological functions.

- Yellow color gives the impression of sunlight. Invigorates, contributes to the creation of a good mood. With intermittent exposure, it increases performance.

- Green color - neutral, soft, soothing. The long-term effect of color does not tire and causes, although not strong, but a steady rise in working capacity.

- Blue color refers to passive colors, promotes tenderness and dreaminess, lowering activity and emotional stress, weakening and slowing down vital processes, causes a feeling of coolness.

- Blue color- cold, calm, passive, under its influence, the activity of vital processes decreases, breathing and pulse are regulated. The performance decreases. When exposed to this color, there is a tendency to contemplation and reflection.

- Blue-green color restrains, soothes.

- Purple color is among the most passive. Its impact leads to the weakening and slowing down of vital processes, a decrease in activity, to the appearance of a feeling of depression with a touch of some anxiety, as if hidden excitement, repulsive. Even a short action purple reduces performance.

- Brown color - calm, restrained, evokes a feeling of warmth, contributes to the creation of a calm, mild mood.

- Black color- gloomy, heavy. Associated with night, darkness. Depresses, sharply reduces mood and performance.

- Grey colour- dull, causes apathy, boredom. Dark gray is depressing.

- White color- cold, calm, creates the impression of festivity and solemnity and at the same time modesty and simplicity. Some interior professionals prefer white color. It's hard to tell them. Indeed, white walls are a wonderful background for furniture of any color, for carpets, paintings, textiles and others. decorative elements. Rooms with white walls are bright, cozy and at the same time quite formal, but a person loves variety and, taking into account many factors influencing the choice of interior color scheme, takes a variety of color combinations.

How does the choice of color depend on the psychotype of a person?

It is also impossible to ignore the influence of a person's psychotype.

MELANCHOLIC- this is a reasonable person, secretive, he needs a clear organization of life so that there is the possibility of frequent short-term rest. Color related to him in fact - blue(acts soothingly, gives harmony, satisfaction, relaxation).

PHLEGMATIC PERSON- loves peace and stability. Music satisfies his need for harmony and wholeness. Has a balanced temperament, an introvert, often passive. Color related to him - green. It has a calming, stabilizing, balancing effect.

SANGUINE- it's fun and open man. Optimistic. Color related to him in fact - yellow. It affects the sanguine person sunny, airy, fun. Compensating - purple, also dim dark tones can somewhat muffle the fantasizing temperament of a sanguine person.

CHOLERIC- sociable, often very temperamental. Gets along great with red color, even in the most intense forms. Color feels dynamic, active, temperamental, catchy. Compensating colors are blue and green. They balance the temperament of the choleric.

How does the purpose of the rooms affect the choice of color?

Purpose of premises and color.

Common room or living room

The living room in an apartment inhabited by a family of four to six people is a place where family members spend most of the day for the purpose of relaxation and homework. Therefore, the color scheme of this room should be clear, calm, conducive to good mood and work. Depending on the orientation to the cardinal points and illumination, golden, yellow-green, gray-blue, gray-green and other warm and cold colors of low and medium saturation can be used here.

In sparsely populated spacious apartments and manor houses, the living room, or common room, is used relatively little - mainly for evening rest and receiving guests. Therefore, its walls can be solved in rich colors that contribute to festive mood, - cherry, blue, purple, etc. Such colors will be a good background for light furniture, paintings in gilded frames, decorative sculpture, crystal, etc.

The living room will be more elegant and neat if the color combination of the walls, ceiling and floor is chosen in accordance with the color of the furniture, carpets, curtains and other decorations.

Bedroom

An atmosphere of complete tranquility is desirable in the bedroom. It is important to choose the right color scheme for the bedroom. All kinds of tones and their combinations do not equally affect the psyche and mood of a person. In turn, people with different temperaments and inclinations prefer certain shades. But in general, calm, rather whitened colors respond to it.

Children's room. The color scheme of the children's room affects the child much more than an adult. The well-being of the child, his mood, his Creative skills. In the children's room, conditions for study, sleep and rest should be created. feature color design it is the circumstance that the age and sex of the children must be taken into account.

Preference should be given - clear orange, sunny yellow, blue, gray-green, pink. Use bright colours recommended only in the training area.

If the room is for preschool children, then in color composition should include bright, revitalizing the interior color spots. (mats on the floor, furniture upholstery, cabinet doors)

A room for the elderly should be solved in calm tones, without sharp contrasts. Elderly people stay in their rooms for a long time, and besides, they do not like sharp color contrasts. Therefore, the coloring of rooms for the elderly should contribute to calm and comfort. This can be achieved by painting the walls in soft, subdued tones.

AT office calm brown, beige, green and gray colors contribute to concentrated mental work.

Kitchen. In a modern apartment, the kitchen has ceased to be only a working room for cooking. Therefore, when decorating, you should strive to make the kitchen beautiful and comfortable, so that it would be pleasant to work in it.

For decorating the walls of the kitchen, you should always choose light, clean colors. This will help to ensure that a small kitchen area will visually look larger than it is. For example, light blue, light green, silver gray or light cream, light pink, lemon yellow, light orange and other shades of warm colors are good for finishing, depending on the orientation of the kitchen.

Starting to design the interior, be very serious and creative in choosing a color scheme. Think over everything to the smallest detail. After all, a successful color scheme of your interior can change your life for the better.


Good afternoon dear friends! Once all welcome to the site "Electrician in the House". Recently, the demand for LED products is constantly increasing. The use of innovative light sources is used in various sectors of the national economy.

New cars are equipped with LED lamps, houses, premises of enterprises and outdoor advertising stands are illuminated. They are used in spotlights, street and office lamps, as well as in many other human inventions.

concept does not even imply the amount of heat they give off, but has a completely different meaning. This is the visual effect of the perception of a light source by the human eye. As the color spectrum of light approaches the sun (yellow), the "warmth" of each lamp is determined.

You can also make an association with a candle flame, and you will immediately understand how this phenomenon is described. On the contrary, the bluish tint of light is associated with an overcast sky, a snowy night glow. This light evokes cold, pale images in us. But there is a scientific explanation for everything.

When a piece of metal is heated, it has a characteristic glow. At first, the color range is in red tones. As the temperature rises, the color spectrum gradually begins to shift towards yellow, white, bright blue and purple.

Each color of the glow of the metal corresponds to its own temperature range, which makes it possible to describe the phenomenon using well-known physical quantities. This helps to characterize the color temperature not as a randomly taken value, but as a certain heating interval until the required color spectrum is obtained.

The color spectrum of the glow of LED crystals is somewhat different. It differs from the possible colors of the glow of the metal due to a different method of its origin. But the general essence remains the same: a certain color temperature is required to obtain the selected shade. It is worth noting that this indicator has nothing to do with the amount of heat generated by the lighting fixture.

Once again, I want to note, do not confuse color temperature and physical temperature (amount of heat) that your lamp emits, they are different indicators.

Color temperature scale for LED lamps

Today's domestic market offers a huge range of light sources on LED crystals. All of them work in different temperature ranges. Usually they are chosen depending on the place of the intended installation, because each such lamp creates its own, individual look. The same room can be significantly transformed by changing only the color of the lighting in it.

For optimal application each LED light source, you should decide in advance which color is most convenient for you. The concept of color temperature is not specifically related to LED lamps, it cannot be tied to a specific source, it depends only on the spectral composition of the selected radiation. Each lighting device has always had a color temperature, just when standard incandescent lamps were released, their glow was only “warm” yellow (the emission spectrum was standard).

With the advent of fluorescent and halogen lighting sources, white "cold" light came into use. LED lamps are characterized by an even wider color gamut, due to which independent choice optimal lighting became more complicated, and all its shades began to be determined by the material from which the semiconductor was made.

Relationship between color temperature and lighting

A clear knowledge of the tabular values ​​\u200b\u200bof this characteristic helps to understand what color will be discussed further. Each of us differs in his color perception, therefore, only a few can visually determine the coldness or warmth of the light flux.

The average indicators of a group of products operating in a given spectrum are taken as a basis, and the final choice of LED lamps takes into account the specific conditions of their operation (installation site, illuminated space, purpose, etc.).

Today, all light sources, depending on their range of glow, are classified into three main groups:

  1. - warm white light– work in the temperature range from 2700K to 3200K. The spectrum of white warm light emitted by them is very similar to the glow of an ordinary incandescent lamp. Lamps with such color temperature recommended for use in living quarters.
  2. - daylight white light(Normal white) - in the range from 3500K to 5000K. Their glow is visually associated with the sunlight in the morning. This is a neutral range luminous flux that can be used in residential technical rooms(hallway, bathroom, toilet), offices, classrooms, production shops etc.
  3. - cold white light(day white) - in the range from 5000K to 7000K. Reminds me of bright daylight. They illuminate hospital buildings, technical laboratories, parks, alleys, parking lots, billboards, etc.
Color temperature of LED lamps table
Colorful temperature light type Where applicable
2700 K light "warm white", "reddish white", warm part of the spectrum Characteristic for conventional lamps incandescent, but also found in LED lamps. Used in cozy home interior promotes rest and relaxation.
3000 K light "warm white", "yellow-white", warm part of the spectrum Happens in some halogen lamps, also found in LED. Slightly colder than the previous one, but also recommended for housing stock.
3500 K daylight white light, white part of the spectrum Created by fluorescent tubes and some modifications of LED lamps. Suitable for apartments, offices, public spaces.
4000 K light "cold white", cold part of the spectrum An indispensable attribute of high-tech style, but suppresses with its deathly pallor. It is used in hospitals, and in underground facilities.
5000 K - 6000 K light "daylight" "white-blue", daytime part of the spectrum The perfect imitation of a day for workers and industrial premises, greenhouses, greenhouses, terrariums, etc.
6500 K light "cold daylight" "white-lilac", cold part of the spectrum Suitable for street lighting, warehouses, lighting of industrial facilities.

It is clear from the above characteristics that low color temperature red dominates and blue is absent. When the temperature increases, green and blue colors appear, and red disappears.

Where can I find out about this option?

On the packaging of each lighting lamp, manufacturers indicate its technical characteristics. Among all other characteristics, such as power, voltage, mains frequency, it must be indicated (this applies not only to LED lamps). You should definitely pay attention to this main factor before buying a lamp.

By the way, this characteristic is displayed not only on the packaging, but also on the lamp itself. Here is one example, a 7W LED lamp with a temperature of 4000K. It is installed in my house, in the kitchen, it shines with pleasant daylight.

And here is another example of the designation on the LED spotlight for plasterboard ceilings, temperature 2800 Kelvin. Lamps with this color temperature emit a warm light similar to an incandescent lamp and were installed in the bedroom at one of the objects.

Which lamps to choose for the office

AT normative document SP 52.13330.2011 "Natural and artificial lighting" recommends the use of various sources radiation depending on their type, power, construction and characteristics of the luminous flux. It is prescribed to equip the premises of the housing stock with small and low-temperature "warm" light fixtures, and in the non-residential stock, install larger lamps of normal "white" light.

It has been proven that white lighting is optimal for the working process, since the part of the blue spectrum contained in it has a beneficial effect on a person, helps him to concentrate, accelerates the reaction and the working processes of the body. It is good to choose radiation sources from 3500K to 5600K, with white or neutral light, with a slightly bluish tint. Such lighting will make it possible to increase efficiency to the maximum mark.

Both fluorescent and LED lamps are suitable, although the latter will give significant energy savings.

On the contrary, it would be a big mistake to install cold white light fixtures with a range close to 6500K in such a place. This will lead to rapid fatigue of workers, complaints about headache and a sharp decline in performance.

Which lamps are suitable for the home

In apartments and private houses, white light is not recommended. It is not necessary to place the same lamps everywhere, it is better to use individual recommendations on lighting equipment in such premises. You can install white neutral lights in the kitchen, bathroom and hallway. Their temperature can vary from 4000K to 5000K.

But for the bedroom, nursery and rooms where you relax, it is preferable to use warm tones of the light spectrum. Here best solution there will be a warm white light closer from 2700K to 3200. It will relieve daytime tension, create coziness and allow you to relax.

It is convenient and effective to use normal white light in the reading area and work area, as well as to illuminate mirrors in front of which makeup is applied. This way you will achieve maximum color contrast and convenience for the actions performed.

It is better to equip a child's desk lamp with temperature 3200-3500K. It will not create excessive fatigue for the eyes, and proximity to the white spectrum will help you get ready and tune in to work. For all LED lamps working temperature indicated on the package.

That's all dear friends. If you liked the article, I would be grateful if you share it on social networks.

The visible color depends on the nature of the lighting. Artificial evening light ( electric lamps) is yellow-orange compared to daylight, it is dominated by the yellow-red part of the spectrum. Naturally, under such illumination, all surfaces reflect yellow-orange radiation to a greater extent than under daylight, therefore, all colors acquire a yellowish tint. At evening artificial lighting reds, oranges and yellows lighten; blue-green, blue, blue, purple darken; the lightness of yellow-green does not change; red colors become more saturated; orange blush; blue ones turn green; blue lose saturation; dark blue become indistinguishable from black; purple blush; yellow colors appear pale. In the red light of the rising or setting sun, all colors turn red, reds become more saturated, greens become very dark, losing saturation. The rule of changing colors under colored lighting: colors of the same color tone with lighting increase in saturation, colors of the opposite tone become achromatic (lose saturation and turn black), all other colors acquire a tint of lighting, while colors that are related in tone to lighting brighten, and those approaching the opposite tone - darken. The change in color also depends on the intensity of the light. In bright light, all colors are whitened, and in blinding brightness, colors turn yellow. In bright light, the number of color shades on light surfaces decreases, in low light - on dark surfaces, as well as in shadows. At dusk, with a gradual weakening of the light, the color tones cease to differ: first red, then orange, yellow. Blue colors are distinguished longer than others. At the same time, the lightness relationships between colors also change. Happy most light colors we see yellow, and at dusk - blue, which gradually become indistinguishable from white. In the morning, at dawn, as the light intensifies, the color tones gradually begin to differ in reverse order: earlier - blue, later - red. 2.6. Changing colors in the distance. Aerial and light perspective.

For objects located at a close distance from the drawing, their size, nature of the form, volume, material, texture, details, chiaroscuro, color and other qualities are clearly visible. As the object moves away, these qualities gradually begin to undergo changes or become indistinguishable at all, which is a consequence of the action of aerial and light perspective.

Air is a gaseous material medium, which contains many impurities - dust, moisture vapor, soot, etc. All this prevents the passage of light, scatters and changes its color. Depending on the thickness of the air, its temperature, humidity, the nature and amount of foreign impurities present in it, the color and light environment of the atmosphere is different. As a result, the distance to objects, the state of the atmosphere have a significant impact on the own color of objects. The color of an object at a distance looks more neutral than near. Items from light color when removed, they darken, and dark ones brighten. The general tone of a mass of objects, such as trees, is much lighter in the distance than that of similar objects located near the observer. In the distance, objects, especially those with a dark color, appear bluish, purple. As the distance changes, not only the own color of objects changes. An increasing layer of air blurs their outlines and contrasts of chiaroscuro. Objects begin to take on a blurry character. At a great distance, the volume, relief, details, material of the object become invisible. In the distance, the object looks generalized, soft, in the form of a small flat spot. Rain, fog, snowfall change the visible characteristics of objects located even at a short distance from the viewer.

Table 3. Laws of aerial perspective

perception of objects in space

depiction of objects on the sketch.

remote

remote

detailed

generalized

detailed

generalized

indefinite in form

with sharp edges

with soft contours

contrast in lightness

muted, close in lightness (light objects appear darker, and dark objects appear lighter)

contrasting in lightness, with pronounced gradations of chiaroscuro

without gradations of chiaroscuro; Light objects are shaded and dark objects are lightened.

volumetric, three-dimensional with clearly distinguishable signs of height, width and depth of space

planar

three-dimensional with signs of the illusion of depth of space

planar without signs of depth of space

without signs of air haze, intense in color

with air haze

rich in color

faded, slightly saturated in color with a characteristic shade of air haze

multicolor

one-color or in a narrow range of colors.

varied in colors and color combinations

monochrome or close within the overall color tone.

Hello dear visitors of our school! In today's lesson, I want to talk with you about one of the most interesting phenomena in interior design, which is of great importance for the correct choice of interior color scheme (while it causes a lot of difficulties), namely the effect of lighting on color.

You may already know that the lighting of a room greatly affects its color (the example above illustrates this perfectly). And such a change, in fact, depends on many factors: starting from the time of day and ending with the orientation of the room to the side of the world. And this is another reason why it is very difficult for beginners to choose the right main color for the rooms of an apartment or house. Let me remind you that main color is the color that occupies the large area rooms, as a rule, this is the color of the walls, since the walls in the room have the largest area. And we are talking, first of all, about the effect of lighting on the main color of the room.

At the same time, some people have a lot of questions about technical aspects colors, for example: why a color reacts differently in different environments, how different aspects of light and environment affect it, and even how some chemical substances affect color.

And this is not to mention the psychological perception of color. I recently consulted with my client on right choice apartment colors. She confessed to me that she hated the shade of the walls in one room of her house so much that she was determined to move out. That's how powerful an effect color can have on a person, and that's why we (architects and designers) sometimes lose sleep due to doubt about choosing the right one.

But I digress a little, let's continue our lesson. Before I learned to "see" various shades in complex neutral colors, I was obsessed with learning different physical phenomena factors such as exposure, light setting, various diffuse reflections such as ocean water bouncing off the sky taking on its own hue, or how many green trees outside the window cause the color tone of the room to change. And it was such a time when I was completely obsessed with trying to understand the whole metaphysics of light and its influence. Do you need all this for a full-fledged interior design, you ask? Of course not. Of course, some points must always be remembered, but it is quite possible to do without them.

An experienced architect, interior designer or decorator is able to see the future shade on the walls even on a small sample of paint that various color fans provide us with, thanks to some specific knowledge. But for novice designers, and even more so for ordinary homeowners, this will not be possible.

So how to work with shades correctly in order to learn how to accurately select them. In fact, choosing the right shade of the interior, taking into account different types Lighting is the pinnacle of interior design, but that doesn't mean you should give up. There are at least two ways in which you can learn to choose shades more correctly, and everything else will be added from constant practice. So:

First. It is necessary to know the basic physical patterns of perception and color change under the influence of light.

Second. Use large paint samples (paints), which allow you to see firsthand the color changes under the influence of various lighting, which is called in real time.

So, let's find out the main patterns of color changes under the influence of lighting, and those who know them, let them just refresh their knowledge.

How different sources of natural light affect paint color and what happens to it:

  • Morning sunlight is a cold light that adds coolness and shifts to richer color pigments.
  • The strongest midday light - very bright direct sunlight, washes out colors, brightens and whitens them.
  • Evening sunlight - mixed light, cancels both warm and cold colors, the colors become "duller" and more neutral.
  • Artificial light at night - warm light, absorbs heat, shifting it to cool pigments.
The influence of natural light on colors depending on the direction of the world:
  • North - adds blue and dulls other colors;
  • East - adds green;
  • West - adds orange;
  • South - adds yellow-white and washes out color.

When I first learned about this, I immediately tried to remember it and always tried to keep this information with me so that I could use it at the right time. And if all you have when choosing a color for yourself or your clients is small samples of paint in a color fan, then this information will also be very useful for you. This knowledge makes it somewhat easier to try to predict how a color will look after exposure to natural or artificial light, although, of course, you will not be able to see exactly (one hundred percent) what happens to it from small samples of the color fan.

Another thing is when you work with large paint samples (paintings), which, including me, have been taught to see color change under the influence of lighting, and which I am telling you about today. To this day, picking a color influenced by the lighting in a room from a large sample of paint is the best way to figure out what paint to use to make it look greener, yellower, bluer, pinker, more orange or purple, right on the spot. It is enough just to choose a similar shade a little warmer or colder, depending on what is required and immediately see its change under the influence of light.

If you ask any successful architect or designer today what is more important to them, understanding how lighting affects color, or having a collection of large paint samples. The answer will be unequivocal: “The ever-growing collection of large samples allows you to ignore and not even care about all the things you need to know about color and light. All this is true only in theory, but in practice the following happens, you put a large sample of paint in the right place and it (the color) either “works” in this room or it doesn’t.

At the same time, any paint samples must be “tried on” exactly on the surface for which they are intended. This means that if you choose a color for the walls, then the samples must be attached exactly to the wall, and not laid out on a table or floor and trying to see the changes in the color of the wall on them.

Of course, I do not dissuade you from completely abandoning the study of the theory of the effect of light on color, at least this has not prevented any of the designers yet. But the best way to find out which shade of paint will be right in a particular room, it is best to do a regular test painting of a large size.

So you, starting from this day, apply the acquired knowledge in practice and your interiors will certainly become even better than now. Also tell us, dear readers of the site, what allows you to choose the right color for the interior today. That's all. See you soon.

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The dignity and value of painting is determined by the richness of the subtle color shades conveyed in it, or, in the French manner, “valiers”. One of the main signs of professional painting is the ability to keep the gamut, the local color of each object, but at the same time richly show the unity and struggle of warm and cold shades, a nuanced change in color depending on lighting conditions (more about which can be found on the website in the article ""), the distance to the viewer ("") and the colors of the surrounding objects.

Unlike drawing, where in addition to composition and construction, which are also inherent in painting, the main task is to keep the work in tone, that is, to correctly convey the light relations between different tones of black, gray and white, in painting there are two such tasks - tone plus color. At the same time, it should be noted that the basis of painting should always be the local color tone of the depicted object, and not the richness of shades, nuances or valor. The object's own coloring is never changed by the environment beyond recognition in nature and, as a result, should not change in realistic painting. Whatever shades the distance to the observer, lighting and surrounding objects give nature, we always feel its true color. Thus, in painting, local color and tone can be likened to the basis, and the play of shades, transitions of warmth and coldness, reflection of reflexes in this sense is likened to a superstructure or decoration that helps to reveal space, emphasize connection with the environment and enrich the work with pictorial qualities. Both are important.

All visible changes in local color appear due to the influence of a) thickness air gap, b) lighting and c) coloristic environment. The size of the air gap dictates the rules of aerial perspective or the patterns of change in color tone due to an increase in the light-air space between the observer and the object. The time of day and the weather, with their characteristic color conditions of lighting, largely determine the gamut* and color** of the painting. The color (or coloristic) environment, by which we will understand here the variety of colors of objects in the surrounding world, is no less important than aerial perspective or lighting for understanding the creation of coloristic richness in painting. In a particular case, the colors of the environment dictate how to enrich a separately depicted object in a picturesque way, and in a global sense they create a rich interconnected color harmony in a painting.

It is known from physics that all objects in the surrounding world are sources of their own or reflected light. A beam of light carries waves of all seven colors of the rainbow. Falling on an object from a beam of light, only waves of the same color as the color of the object are reflected, the rest of the waves are absorbed by the object. Objects that reflect the light falling on them modify the local coloration of neighboring objects with their reflected color. Neighboring objects also affect nearby objects with their reflected color. From this mutual influence of objects on each other, new color combinations arise, the impression of volume and space is enhanced, the objects receive a coloristic relationship with the entire environment. So all objects, or rather the colors of objects perceived by us, are also determined by reflected rays - reflexes that objects send to each other.

“Reflex (from lat. reflexus - facing, turned back, reflected) in painting (less often in graphics), a reflection of color and light on any object , which occurs when a reflection falls on this object from surrounding objects(neighboring objects, sky, etc.) ". In a general sense, a reflex is the influence of the environment on an object.

The number and strength of reflexes depend both on the material texture of the surface of the depicted objects (matte, transparent, glossy), and on the brightness of nearby objects. For example, if you put a yellow lemon next to a glossy jug on the shady side, then a very noticeable reflex will appear on the dark surface of the jug. yellow shade. Glossy, shiny surfaces give strong reflections and have many colored highlights and reflexes. Rough and matte surfaces scatter rays and have softer and smoother transitions of light gradations.

As a rule, it is customary to define a reflex as an integral part of one's own shadow, where the influence of the environment on the object is easiest to notice. This applies especially to graphic drawing. However, here are some very important reflections of the great French colorist E. Delacroix. He wrote: “The more I think about color, the more I am convinced that a semitone colored by a reflex is the principle that should dominate, because it is he who gives the right tone - the tone that forms the valères that are so important in the subject and give it a genuine liveliness".

Based on the above statement, it can be recommended to paint with the reflected color not only the reflex in the shadow, but also the penumbra from the light side.

Now we apply all the theoretical knowledge of color science and get the following recommendations in painting an object:

- the bottom of the depicted objects is always under the influence of the podium and is painted by the rays of color and light reflected from it;

- the top of the depicted object is influenced by the color of the sky or the ceiling and, in general, what is higher than the object of attention;

- the color of the sides from the side of its own shadow will be colored by a reflex, as an integral part of its own shadow, and from the side of the light it will be colored by the penumbra color reflected from the environment;

- in its own shadow, a color additional (or contrasting) to the main local color of the depicted object will appear according to the law of simultaneous contrast;

- the falling shadow will be painted with the color of the object from which it falls and will acquire a cold or warm shade, depending on the warmth and coldness of the lighting. Also, its color will be affected by the color of the object on which the shadow falls;

- in the highlights and fractures of the form, the coloring corresponding to the color of the lighting is always noticeable. For example, a highlight in a still life in daylight reflects the outline of a window and has the color of the sky outside the window. The glare from the soffit will have the color of the lamp, etc.

At the same time, not only the object is under the control of the environment, but it also affects the color of the environment.

To more accurately explain the principles of the influence of colors of nearby objects, let's analyze the train of thought using the example of a training task, paying attention to Figure 1.

Rice. 1. A.S. Chuvashov. Educational still life. 2002 Paper, watercolor. A-3.

At the time of completing the training task, the production was illuminated by diffused warm light, therefore, scattered, as if fading shadows will acquire cold shades. For Objects painted in warm colors, such as red drapery, an apple, a jar and a vase, in the light their color will become brighter and louder, more saturated, and in the shade their color will fade and acquire an achromatic hue, that is, they will lose saturation. On the contrary, the color of the illuminated part of the background cold blue drapery will lose its beauty of saturation and gain it in its own and falling shadows of the folds. The principle is simple: warm plus warm or cold plus cold add up and give saturation, while cold plus warm is subtracted and, as it were, nullifies each other, gives color movement into achromatic. Glare on objects reflects the color of the sky in the window. The bottom of each item in the still life is dominated by the color of the drapery on the podium. The glossy vase reflects well the pink drapery on which it stands, along with the apple. The apple from below acquires pink shade colors of the podium, and in the penumbra on top reflects the shade of the background blue drapery. The matte ceramic lid does not reflect specific objects, but reflections from them. The penumbra on the lid from the side of the light and the reflex at the bottom of the lid also get a pink tint from the background drapery. To the left, a reflection from the background blue drapery appears in the shadow. Also cold shadows, which are usually painted with bluish-blue paints on an ocher-yellow jar and a brown vase according to the laws mechanical mixing colors will give the painter greenish hues. An apple in the shade will tend towards greenish hues. Drop shadows take on the color of the object from which they fall. The buffy falling shadow from the lid on the blue drapery also tends towards the green side. The drop shadow from the pink drapery takes on a purple hue on the blue background fabric. Own shadows on the folds of the blue drapery are also highlighted with a pink reflex. The jug and the vase will highlight the reflex in their own shadow on the pink drapery brown shades. The falling shadow from a glossy vase is written as an admixture to the main pink color of the drapery in cool brown shades.

So, at first glance, correctly transmitted reflexes help to convey a three-dimensional form. However, their main function is to create a color relationship between objects in a single light and color-air environment, they allow you to connect objects with each other and with the environment. They seem to fit the object into the environment with objects of various colors. This multi-colored environment here is called the coloristic environment. Streams of strong and weak, large and small reflections intersect and, as it were, penetrate, envelop everything around, creating a special color environment, a common color system. Such a general color structure of the picture, where all colorful combinations strive for a single, integral, harmoniously smoothed life truthfulness, is called color in painting *. The overall color structure of the picture and its gamut**, as it were, sum up the particular color richness of several depicted objects as a denominator, in other words, creates the necessary unity of diversity.

All the multi-colored variety of depicted objects with their different warmth and coldness and darkness in the picture should work to identify the compositional center and create an atmosphere corresponding to the idea. A cool dark color tone of the environment enhances the light warm tones of the depicted object, and a dark warm tone enhances the cold light shades. It must be remembered that different "black" colors also have warm and cold shades. If the painter needs a cold black color, he adds blue paints to the mixture, if a warm tone, then red ones. In general, cold shades emit warm ones and vice versa, and on an equal scale of such color spots, they cause the effect of vibration or fabulous shimmer. The artist is concerned with creating or maintaining warm (from 100% warm colors, to a ratio of 75% warm colors to 25% cool colors), cold (from 100% cool colors, to a ratio of 75% cool colors to 25% warm colors), and contrast gamma (50% warm and 50% cold colors).

It is important to notice all these phenomena described in theory when solving practical problems of depicting the surrounding world in each of its particular cases, and preferably under the experienced guidance of a mentor. But, at the same time, in order to write correctly and expressively the world the painter first of all needs to rely on theoretical knowledge obtained from various sciences: chemistry, physics, biology, physiology, psychology and many others. For when the master tries to recreate the realities of life on the pictorial plane, he must truthfully display all the patterns by which this world lives. Most likely, the viewer will not see nature at that single moment of the season, day, state of nature and with the event that the artist displays in his work. Most often, a picture is generally a creative combination of the listed realities. However, in evaluating the plausibility of the depicted, the viewer will always rely on his life experience and knowledge gained in the process of lifelong education. Perhaps only secondarily should one rely on the developed or natural abilities of the eye and color perception. Depicting this or that object, in any case, we must think about the local color of the depicted object, the color of the main light source - our own or reflected - and neighboring objects. Each reflex, each shade has its own explanation. According to the author's personal observations of reputable artists, it can be argued that a competent painter at work only checks the accuracy of his theoretical reasoning in nature. Approximate reasoning can be as follows: if we know which side the light source is located on, therefore, we know how the light will spread in shape and where the falling shadows will fall. We can immediately determine which day: cloudy or sunny. We know the time of day: morning, afternoon, evening. These data determine the master of warm or cold light, and, consequently, the warmth and coldness of the falling shadow. Further, knowledge will always tell you how the local color of the object will change, based on the local color of the object and the shade of lighting. It remains to add to this the influence of nearby objects that cast rays of light colored in their own color. If in nature the master visually finds a correspondence to his conclusions of reasoning, then it is possible to fix with confidence the meaningful and seen in his pictorial work. It remains to keep the scale and color. Theoretical knowledge will facilitate the work and save the artist from visual deceptions caused by a) fatigue of the eye muscle that adjusts the lens; b) a separate, fragmentary examination of nature outside the context of the environment and the distance to the viewer's eye. And the last. It is necessary to avoid any kind of canons, because in nature there are a variety of unusual light conditions, the most unexpected color combinations.

Rice. 2. A.S. Chuvashov. Complex still life. 2002 Paper, watercolor. A-2.

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* Gamma (from Greek γαμμα - the third letter of the Greek alphabet) is a term widely used in art history, denoting a certain sequence of c.-l. homogeneous phenomena, objects, for example, paints (“colorful G.”), colors (“color G.”). . In the visual arts, gamma is the name of the patterns of repetition of shades of the same color that prevail in a given work and determine the nature of its color system or a series of harmonically interconnected shades of color (with one dominant) used to create artwork. For example, the red scale of the work can combine the colors of burgundy, cherry, pomegranate, ruby, raspberry, lafite, amaranth, cyclamen, cardinal, crimson, scarlet, strawberry, strawberry, lingonberry, red currant, cumac, tomato, mountain ash, coral, pink, flamingo etc. Blue gamma - hydrangea colors, dusky blue, sapphire blue, forget-me-not color, ashy, ash blue, sky blue, and so on. At the same time, this term can be accompanied by the usual color definitions of warm, hot, cold, bright, faded, light. But more often they say the Musatov blue-green gamut, the Vrubel gamut, etc., according to the colors that prevail in the work of artists.

**“Colour (from Latin color - color) is a general aesthetic assessment of the color qualities of a work of art, the nature of the relationship of all the color elements of the work, its color structure. The color is warm and cold, light and dark.

Literature

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  2. Drawing, painting, composition. Reader. M., 1989, p. 101.
  3. Russian humanitarian encyclopedic Dictionary: In 3 volumes - M .: Humanit. ed. Center VLADOS: Philol. fak. St. Petersburg. state un-ta, 2002. T. 1: A-Zh. - 688 p.: ill.
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