The Primary Colors as Used and Described by Early Ariists.

Color study was based on human vision alone until Newton made the first physical analysis of liRht about 1672.

B. The Primary Frequencies of Vibration in the Radiant Energy Called Light. Young. 1773-1829; Hclmholtz, 1821-1894; Maxwell, 1831-1899. and Konig, 1832-1901,

proved these three frequencies of light vibration can produce all light colors.

C. The Primary Colors in Pigments as Taught During the 18th and 19th Centuries.

1. Green was considered a secondary color during this period.

2. The pure emerald green of Leonardo da Vinci and other early artists, however, cannot

be produced by mixing pigments.

D. The Two Pairs of Primary Color Sensations in Human Vision.

Hering. 1834-1918. based his color studies and theory on color sensations in the human brain instead of on the physical properties of light.

E. The Three Primary Frequencies of Light and the Four Primary Color Sensations

Which They Produce in the Human Brain.

1. Through studies in color blindness, Ladd Franklin in COLOR AND COLOR THE-

ORIES. 1929, showed that color vision has developed from the power to see yellow and blue only, into the ability to differentiate red and green from the yellow rays.

2. It was clearly shown that for normal human vision, the three primary color frequencies

of light produce four primary color sensations.

3. This reconcile* apparent contradictions in earlier theories and is now generally accepted.

GRAPHIC PRESENTATION

A. Maxwell Discs of Slit Paper or Cardboard.

s the idea of the spectrum band of colors invaded the field of practical use, it was made into a circle by adding the purple hues between blue and red. for which there is no spectral wave length. Scientists and artists divided this circle of hues to suit their needs, usually at regular intervals around the circle, with complementary colors opposite each other.