The Use of repetition is recognised as one of the first principles
Gold & of “decorative design” (see p. 181).

Colours in Proportions of Colours.—In Harmonious Illumina-

Initial tion, Blue verу commonly is the predominating

Letters & colour; but no exact proportions can be laid down,
Simple for the combined colour effect depends so much on
Illumination the arrangement of the colours.

Effects of Neighbouring Colours.1—When blue and
red are in juxtaposition, the blue appears bluer and
greener; the red appears brighter and more scarlet.
With Red and Green, the Red appears more crim¬
son, and the green, greener and bluer. A greenish
blue will appear plain blue beside a pure green; a
blue with a purplish tinge will appear more purple.
Experiments might profitably be made with simple
arrangements of Red, Blue, Green, Black, White,
and Gold in combinations of two or more.

Tempering Colours with White.—Forms such as
flower petals, &c., may be painted in Blue or Red,
paled with White, and then be shaded with the
pure colour; this gives considerable richness, and
the effect may be heightened by very careful white
line work (q.v.). Green leaves, &c., may be made
very pale and then touched with Yellow—this gives
a brilliant effect.

Black Outlines.—The effect of these is to make a
bright colour appear brighter and richer, to define,
and, to a certain extent, harmonise, neighbouring
colours and shapes, and to keep the design flat (see

1 In “white light” three rays (known as the "Primary
Colour-Sensations ") have been distinguished—Red, Green, and
Blue ; any two of these are complementary to the remaining
colour, and appear to be induced optically in its neighbourhood.

(Yellow light is combined of Red and Green rays, and this
may partly explain the particular fitness of Blue and Gold
Illumination.)

148

p. 152). For one or more of these reasons, all
coloured forms—patterns, charges, &c. in a com¬
pound colour scheme have an outline—strong or
delicate, according to the strength or delicacy of
the work (see pp. 154, 187, 168, 153, 131)-

White Lining.—A black outline is often separated
from the colour by a fine white line (see fig. 129).
White lines also are used to harmonise colours, one
or more commonly being painted (or “penned )
upon the colours. This tends to make the colours
appear paler and lighter—brightening them if they
are dark. Care must be taken not to overdo the
white lining, or it will make the colours chalky and
cold. White is also used in groups of dots, and in
fine patterns on backgrounds (see pp. 179, 416).

Gold is even more effective than white or black
for harmonising colours. It is commonly Burnished
in bars or frames (p. 417), in spots (pp. 417, I53)>
or in large masses (p. 157)- Matt Gold (see below).

MATT GOLD

Matt gold, or “shell gold”—the pure gold powder
(as supplied by a gold-beater) with a very little gum,
or white of egg, is best—is generally painted upon
colour. It was much used in old miniatures for
“hatching” and lighting landscapes, houses, cos¬
tumes, &c. ; and stars, rays of light, and outlines of
clouds were painted in delicate gold lines upon the
blue of the skies. Such gold lining has a very mellow¬
ing and pleasant effect upon colour, but it can easily
be overdone. Matt gold may be used besides, for
letters, ornament, and patterns painted upon colour.
Such forms have either no outline, or a very faint
one: their effect depends upon their lightness, and
they are not made to appear solid.

149

The Use of
Gold &
Colours in
Initial
Letters &
Simple
Illumination