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But as painters cannot do without either, we shall
place them among the others; and according to this order of
things, white will be first, yellow second, green third, blue
the fourth, red the fifth, and black the sixth. We shall set
down white for the representative of light, without which no
color can be seen; yellow for the earth; green for the water;
blue for the air; red for fire; and black for total darkness."
It is important to note that this list of primaries differs
from the usual theories of color taught in school in which
either red, yellow, and blue or red, green, and blue-violet are
considered the primary colors.
Hue is an inclusive term for either a primary, secondary,
or other color.
A pure tint is a hue combined with white but no black.
A shade is a hue in combination with black but no white.
Tints are therefore of light value, and shades of darker value.
Chroma, an attribute of hue, is the strength of the color
its intensity or purity, whether it is clear, strong, vigorous,
or weak and approaching neutral gray. Tints and shades of
low chroma have both white and black in their composition.
They are not pure colors. (They are the grayed colors of
some systems.) Color, then is pure-a hue; with black-a
shade; with white-a tint; and with both black and white-a
tone.
Importance of Color
Color is not the beginning and end of gardening. It is only
one means of creating fine compositions. It must be consid
ered along with other principles employed to create a success
ful artistic expression. It is not a thing apart. Color should be
used to provide accent and emphasis, balance, repetition and
rhythm, sequence, and climax. These are more helpful in the
development of a pleasing garden than all the subtle, close,
color harmonies that ever were attempted.
Simplicity of effect is always important. Because we are
unable to control the effects of sunlight and shadow, and
must always take into consideration the competition of green
in the surrounding landscape, and blue in the overarching
sky, color in the garden cannot be used the same way as in
the other arts. All the niceties of close color harmonies, the
split compliments, triads, and tetrades of flower arrangement
mean little in the immensity of out of doors. When these are
attempted in garden planting, the effect is usually only a
quaint conceit. In her one-color fidelity, Nature is like the
famous fireman who didn't care what color they painted the
fire wagon so long as it was red. Nature's color is definitely
green.
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