Illumination is an art. It can be seen in the photographs of Ansel Adams, the cinematography of Haskell Wexler, and the paintings of Caravaggio. Take away illumination and there is no color, no shadow, no contrast and no art, no science, no plant life, just a big fat empty void. Light fills the void and is the foundation of life and culture. Light is a huge deal. Yet most people treat light like a forgotten mistress. The giant solar orb rises and they can see just fine. The sun goes down and the streetlights come on. The house lights could be candles, incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights, moon light or the glow of a computer screen. The natural lighting of the sun, fluorescent lighting, and the glare of a bulb all illuminate, but they are not the same. Light has a color temperature. Artists, cinematographers and interior decorators are very aware of the color temperature of lights. They use them to great affect. Understanding color temperature is a key tool for any artist or designer.

Color temperature is discussed in terms of warm and cool. The hottest temperatures run in the reddish hues, the coldest in the bluish hue. Most people on the street associate heat with color, thinking the hottest light source should create the warmest colors. The opposite is occurs. The sun has blue tones and a flame has red tones. A flame is perhaps the easiest way to visualize the difference in shades. The hottest part of the flame is the part closet to the burning surface. This part of the flame is usually blue. The edge of the flame is yellow, orange and sometimes even a bit red. Color Temperature can also be witnessed in the daily passage of the sun. In the cooler hours of the day, the rising or setting sun is red, while the midday sun shines down hot and blue. Our eyes view sunlight as white and that is the challenge in photography, cinematography and design.

The human eye works like one of the finest filters ever created. In any given situation, the eye and the brain work together to produce the interpretation of color tone. A space painted white lit by incandescent bulbs will appear white. During the day the same wall still seems to be white. The ocular nerves and the brain adjust. This is demonstrated when taking a photograph with the camera adjusted to the wrong color temperature. If it is white balanced for daylight and the room is illuminated by tungsten light it will appear very yellow. If it is white balanced for electric lights and shot when lit by daylight the picture will appear very blue.

Interior designers, photographers, filmmakers and painters all consider color temperature. The paint on the wall whatever color it is, will change tone with various lights. A good designer will always check a color of paint in tandem with the source of light. Colors help create ambiance. Even when the untrained eye thinks it is looking at white, the body responds to different color tones.

Knowing color temperature is a helpful tool for anyone interested in art or home design.

Popularity: unranked [?]

StumbleUpon It!

Technorati Tags: ,