Plate X
SPECIMEN OF BRIGHT COLOURING IN PLAIDS
48. Principles of Harmony.—Though Colour Harmony is intricate, and more or less incapable of being reduced to rigid principles, yet its general qualities may be clearly defined. For instance, certain colours when amalgamated fail to produce congruous patterns; whereas other colours invariably constitute harmonious compositions.
Harmony, moreover, is only attainable when the several colours are combined in such proportionate quantities, and on such principles of shade-association, that each hue employed will conduce to the mellowness of the whole pattern. Should any colour be conspicuous, it is sufficient to detract from the harmony of the entire colouring. Balance of hues is an important essential; and it is generally a feature dependent on the proportions in which the several colours are combined. Examine, for example, the blue-green and scarlet check on Plate XI., No. 2. Red is so much more potent than green, that when these two hues are associated in the same pattern, the former requires to be used less extensively than the latter. The common rule is that those colours which are the intensest and strongest in hue should be sparingly employed. When the various shades are of equal depth, the quantities may be more uniform, being only varied to such an extent as to impart precision to the leading features of the design.
Apart from hints that may be given in harmonious colouring, and knowledge that may be acquired by study and experiment in blending hues, in order to excel in this art the designer must possess natural aptitude for the work.