Theory about the perspective of colors

Experimenter: Dr. Edgar Amilcar Madrid Morales Preliminary Observation This experimenter, at the age of 45, after having started to wear glasses to see, began to observe that the various colors seemed to be seen at a different distance ones from the others. The first time, he noticed on a painting that the black color was seen near, while the blue one, farther away; but, putting together both black and blue, the blue color seemed to be closer than black. If one observes the colors blue, brown and yellow together, yellow is seen close, and the other two farther. On a separate painting, the colors were seen in this order: Black, purple, white, light blue, brown and red. Moreover, some colors were seen on three different distances: White and transparent, blue and white, orange and black. In a different try out, colors were seen on this order: Blue and green, purple, white, pink, yellow, red. It were all these happenings that impulsed this experimenter to observe carefully all combinations of colors. The first observations varied ones from others; and the first time this phenomenon was noticed, he thought that it could be caused by the thickness of the ink used for printing, for it was a color printed page of a newspaper, on which, evidently, one color had been printed over another. This fact could make the black color to be seen near and the blue farther. The black letters had been printed over a blue background. This fact seemed to strengthen the thickness of ink hypothesis. Afterwards, he found a painting on which the blue color was seen near and black farther. However, it was proved that the black color was not real, but a shadow projected by the blue, which was pasted on cellophane paper. The hypothesis of thickness of ink was weakening. After continuing with the observation of colors, he looked carefully at a color photography, and it showed the same phenomenon: The various colors were seen on different distances. This discarded definitely the hypothesis of thickness of ink. Later on, some different reactions were noticed, in reference to the optical distance of colors, for which reason, it was decided to experiment the phenomenon, focusing the following hypothesis: The thickness of ink placed over another ink causes the colors to be seen nearer or farther one from another. This hypothesis has already been demonstrated false, because the same phenomenon happens also with photography, on which no ink is used. The different intensity of light reflection from each color causes the eye to see the colors on different focal planes. This was not investigated plainly, because of lack of photometric equipment needed. Yet, a simple look over the perspective of colors suggests it to be false, for lighter colors are not always seen at similar distances; the same with the dark ones. Each color possesses the property of projecting itself on a different focal plain on the eye’s retina. This is one of the two hypothesis with high probability of truth. The focal distance of each color is relative to the colors which are by it. This is the second hypothesis which is highly probable. The experimentation presented hereafter strengthens the idea that the last two hypothesis are true put together. Experimentation Already with all those perturbing ideas in mind, some experiments were made, in order to reinforce the observations described above. It was taken a stencil paper, which had been previously perforated with a long text, and whose letters looked more or less black, over the white background of the stencil. Then, some red correcting fluid was spread over a few words. Immediately, the black letters which were in the red area of the correcting fluid, went farther to sight, while those which were in the white area of the stencil, remained near. Besides that, some red letters were observed being over different background colors; the red ones which were over an almost white background, were seen near and the red letters over a dark color were seen farther, in relation to the background color. Then, if over the black letters it is painted a transparent blue background, the blue background is seen farther and the black letters closer. It was experimented also with a legal document: The black notary stamps and the rubber stamp, also black, were seen far away, while the yellow tax stamp and white background of paper were seen near. Another and more interesting experiment was observing a light blue sign, over three different background colors: Brown, white and yellow. The result was that the blue letters over the brown background, were seen near; the blue letters over the white background, were seen farther; and the blue letters over a yellow background, were seen both far an near at the same time. This experiment reinforces the hypothesis of relativity, without contradicting that of focal plains. Following these experiments, it was observed that the different distances for different colors, was not simply 7a fact of being far and near, but there is a different distance for each color. For that reason, the last experiment made was that of putting in order many colors, according to their visual distance. The result was arranging them from the farthest through the nearest, such as it is illustrated on the pyramid of colors perspective, presented at the beginning, been ordered this way: Red, light purple, pink, salmon, gray, yellow, orange, brown, white, light green, dark green, violet or purple, light blue, dark blue and black. Theoretical Conclusions There exists an optic perspective that puts all colors on a specific order, from the farthest to the nearest, arranging them on this order: Red, light purple, pink, salmon, gray, yellow, orange, brown, white, light green, dark green, violet or purple, light blue, dark blue and black. The arrangement of the optic perspective of colors is modified, on a relative manner, to the various colors which are coupled to them, modifying their normal visual distance.