From the additive color experiments we did in class I was able to understand more fully the idea of how different colored light from the electromagnetic spectrum creates color, from science classes I had learned this concept but did not fully grasp its relationships to art. Learning the primaries and secondaries of this theory (through the experiments with the spotlights) and how those relate to process printing and digital art forms was also very interesting. One thing I wondered about this was why the subtractive process primaries (cyan, yellow, magenta) are used in photography and computer printing and the traditional subtractive primaries (r,y,b) are used for paints, inks, and dyes. What is it about these primaries that allows them to mix to make the many perceptible colors better than one another in the different types of media? Is it simply that the process primaries are used with media that has its basis in digital systems (I guess this is confusing to me since they will still be printed using inks, and wouldn't it make sense that they could use the subtractive primaries then, when no longer in a digital form)?
The in class exercises with subtractive color (pigment) theory definitely made me realize how difficult mixing paint is, since I have never done it before. I thought it was very interesting that different sets of primaries can result in more 'clear' secondaries sometimes but more dull ones other times. This made me think of Miranda's question about her black turning yellow greenish when shading it, maybe different sets of primaries can affect the way that a black produced with them will mix with other colors later on. I was also wondering if the power points were posted anywhere? I had a question about something on one of the slides but I can't quite remember it...
Great questions, Ximenna.
ReplyDeleteTo address your question about cyan, magenta, yellow, and black of process printing: The traditional subtractive primary colors of red, yellow, and blue predate modern scientific theory, which has shown that CMY are the correct colors to use when printing with pigment. The cyan, magenta, and yellow primary colors associated with CMYK printing are sometimes known as "process blue", "process red", and "process yellow". If you look at a painter's palette you would not necessarily find just one red, yellow and blue. It is likely that you would also find cyan, magenta, and yellow. Any artist, whether working with printmaking, painting or any other media would most likely use certain primaries depending on the desired effect. (Like us with the acrylic paints.)
I will post the Powerpoints to Blackboard.