Local color: concept and basic shades

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The concept of local color in photo and film techniques is the average color value of several multi-colored parts of an object located close to each other. Such an effect is often used deliberately in order to reduce the color contrast of objects in the scene, the differences in color in which can distract the observer from the elements of the picture that are important for the plot.

How it occurs

During filming, the effect is reproduced using specialized attachments. When working with photographs using digital methods to achieve the effect of localization, it appears when color difference images are blurred.

The effect of local color in painting or color photography can occur due to the following reasons:

1. When there is a lack of sharpness in the corresponding area of the image or when it is lacking in the picture as a whole.
2. Due to strong light scattering, such as through a lens or haze.
3. When shooting objects far away, that is, when the image scale is small.
4. If the photo has a lack of resolution.

Old World Art

The concept itself was first encountered by Leonardo da Vinci, on the pages of his "Book of Painting". Its use can be considered dominant in many examples of the art of the Ancient East or the ancient world.

Stained-glass windows and paintings in the Middle Ages are characterized by harmony in juxtaposition of the local color and its shades. Adherents of impressionism in art, who worked without regard to the canons of the classics, did not want to use this effect while working on their paintings.

In our time, this technique with flowers is used as an experimental technique quite widely in various genres and directions of art.

Simply put

So what is a local color? In order to easily understand the essence of the term, just look at almost any children's drawing. On it you will find the yellow sun, trees with green leaves or the blue sea.

This is how the understanding of the main color of any part of the picture happens, not taking into account the shades of chiaroscuro.

So you can look at any graphic image and apply a certain color, choosing paints, to the objects of this image. A white birch trunk, an orange-colored orange lying on a plate or in a vase, all these are evidence of the local color.

It does not matter the location of the subject relative to light and shade. Thus, in bright sunlight or on a cloudy day, the color of the object will not change.

What it consists of

At allit is not necessary for a local color to contain all seven iridescent colors. Its components can be a variety of shades of colors. Any language of mankind contains words that directly indicate both the color and the object containing it. Examples include: lemon, pink, lilac, pistachio, emerald, olive and so on.

At the same time, in order to demonstrate the full perception of an object next to the local color, other tones will take place.

Applying techniques

In order to enhance the volume or emphasize the shape of an object, shadows can be applied around it using dark colors. So they did the work with ancient icons. In addition, this technique is used by many folk craftsmen.

Also, local colors can be used when working with landscapes. This unusual art style is called pointe. The execution of work with technology involves applying to the canvas only those paints that cannot be mixed with each other. They are applied in small but frequent strokes of a rectangular or round shape.

To look at such art at close range will be like a chaos of multi-colored dots. At the same time, from a distance, the picture is perceived much more holistically.

Local color and nuance

Nuance is a barely noticeable color shade, a transition. It can also be in sound or form.

In relation to painting, this term is used to explain the relationship of color with tone. The Creator does not have to approach any object withwith a brush and try to match the color so that an exact match occurs. You just need to make a selection of the shade that is in the picture, among other colors. This will be the most convincing as the object's accurate color perception.

For practice in such transitions, it is worth starting with color searches. You need to think about exactly where any particular color will be located. When performing such an exercise, it is not at all necessary to be limited to sketches, you can complete your work completely, making up the necessary tint pieces.

Use in still life

In order to understand the term in still life, you can try to look at objects in your room, or just look out the window.

Everything you see will have not only its shape, but also its color. It can be easily identified. For example, an apple is red, a plate is blue or white, curtains are green, and walls are pink or turquoise.

Local colors in still life are pure tones that have not been mixed or refracted. In the human mind, they should be associated with specific objects, as their immutable and objective properties.

Local color is the main one for any object, not taking into account various external influences. It can be either one tone or consisting of several shades.

You can see that roses are mostly red or white, with several different shades to be seen in each individual flowerlocal color. When drawing from life, one should transfer from memory some features that are characteristic of the natural color of the subject, changing it in the light, in shadow or limited shading.

By taking into account the influence of air, lighting and combination with other colors, the same local color and its shades are transformed into completely different tones.

Shadow influence

In the light of the sun, the color of objects is best seen in partial shade locations. The local color of objects is seen the worst in those places where a full shadow falls on it. It discolors and becomes lighter in bright light.

When the mastery of the theory and practice of using primary, secondary and composite colors is completed, an extremely simple transfer of the local color of the object, as well as its shades in the shadow and in the light, will become available.

The shadow cast by or on an object will always have a color that complements the color of the object itself.

For example, in the shadow of a red apple, there will certainly be green as a complement. In addition, each shadow has a tone that is slightly darker than the object, as well as a bluish tint.

Don't forget that the object's environment will also have an impact.