Top Left (from left to right)
Pearl • Willow • Aluminium.
Top Right (from right to left)
Chicory grey • Limestone • Dolphin
Bottom Left (upwards)
Taupe • Artichoke grey • Aubergine
Bottom Right (upwards)
Peuter • Slate • Shark Grey.
Description
This is an array from black to white with tinted greys, warm and cold, and light and dark.
Psycho-factor
A black area which is clearly defined against light makes a strong impact especially as a focal area. It can be very intense and, if required, carry a lot of meaning. The same applies to white, contrasted by a dark background, has a dramatic effect. The greys to the left of the vertical are warm and were described in the 1920s as ‘sympathetic’ colours. The greys to the right of the vertical are cold and have a cool and refreshing effect.
Aesthetic effects
Carefully composed these greys, in composition, can create extremely harmonious effects. The colours of the top half of the diagram together can create a nacrous or mother-of-pearl quality in ones own composition. The colours of the lower half of the diagram may give shadows and colourific effect.
Examples
Interiors
This whole array of colours is capable of producing an extremely reticent and reserved effect suitable for interiors which are required to express formality and moderation. They could be the colours of officialdom at its most dignified and prestigious.
Products
Such colours as these can sometimes make products appear more expensive than they actually are. They can give elegance and appear select and have a cool dignity. Very acceptable in scientific contexts and instruments. |
