Film school grad here, and I can promise I learned more from you about bastard amber gels than I did at UCLA-- that's why I look forward to your Color Stories!
I love the idea of a color that can't be saturated. Are there others in this class (a "hue that requires transparency")? What happens if you push amber to the brink, and attempt to saturate it, what do you get?
I think you're onto something with "the tamed flame" in terms of capturing amber's allure. Is that why humans are drawn to all sorts of similar objects and objets d'art? From an evolutionary perspective, I always wonder what possesses us to gawk at the beauty of fireworks-- doesn't seem to serve a purpose. If anything, it seems like a bad idea. And then you show up with a book called "The Aesthetic Brain," and I will bet you dollars to donuts the answer is in there, so I'm begging you please tell me when you get to that part : )
All right, I've been thinking about other "hues that require transparency," and I've got some candidates:
1) Cotton candy. I'm sure there are renditions of this color in car paint or nail polish that attempt to capture the color, but the swatches I'm finding online are washed-out imitations that fail to capture the iridescent, glassy, shimmer of the real thing. Cotton candy needs air, light and translucence. Pink derivatives look cheap.
2) Enamel white. Fake teeth are too white, too opaque. The white of enamel requires light to pass through, even if it's barely perceptible. Seems to impart blues, grays? It's another kind of hue that can't be reproduced in a matte, and can't be saturated. I think, anyway...
Yes! You're exactly right about both! I think enamel white shows the talents and limits of porcelain. Very fine porcelain lets light pass through it, at least a little. That's part of why people used to adore it - there was a quality of otherwordliness. But true ivory has a warmth that I think comes from a little bit of yellow light.
I also think all jewel tones are best when they resemble the jewel. Meaning, they have a sense of light passing through them. I think that's why they work so well in velvet. The texture scatters the light more.
Yes! I'm loving this thread, and now I can't stop thinking about/seeing colours that use the dimension of air and luminosity, like the blue-green hue of lake water. "Lake blue" is transparent -- it glows with light.
Katy this is such a fascinating and beautifully written piece! I learned a lot. The cinematic history of this color is indeed key to a lost look we rarely see in film now.
Count me as one of those folks who loves to wear amber jewelry...gold, butterscotch, and green...
Thank you!!! I keep thinking about how many minor arts (like lighting!) have been pushed aside and forgotten. I know that's just how it goes with technology, but I really respect it when people bother to do things by hand.
I think I've mentioned it to you before but there is a great hour long documentary film called GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOR that is delightful and I know you'd love it. I used to show it in the class I taught on Color in Cinema.
Also: Looks like that screenshot was from a piece of writing on Technicolor by Richard Haines?
Fascinating! You expand my world of color in countless ways. Color-crazy consultant in search of the space between black & white - https://colorcom.com and http://colormatters.com
Film school grad here, and I can promise I learned more from you about bastard amber gels than I did at UCLA-- that's why I look forward to your Color Stories!
I love the idea of a color that can't be saturated. Are there others in this class (a "hue that requires transparency")? What happens if you push amber to the brink, and attempt to saturate it, what do you get?
I think you're onto something with "the tamed flame" in terms of capturing amber's allure. Is that why humans are drawn to all sorts of similar objects and objets d'art? From an evolutionary perspective, I always wonder what possesses us to gawk at the beauty of fireworks-- doesn't seem to serve a purpose. If anything, it seems like a bad idea. And then you show up with a book called "The Aesthetic Brain," and I will bet you dollars to donuts the answer is in there, so I'm begging you please tell me when you get to that part : )
Exquisite writing, thanks Katy!
PS. Favorite scent? Bastard ambergris
All right, I've been thinking about other "hues that require transparency," and I've got some candidates:
1) Cotton candy. I'm sure there are renditions of this color in car paint or nail polish that attempt to capture the color, but the swatches I'm finding online are washed-out imitations that fail to capture the iridescent, glassy, shimmer of the real thing. Cotton candy needs air, light and translucence. Pink derivatives look cheap.
2) Enamel white. Fake teeth are too white, too opaque. The white of enamel requires light to pass through, even if it's barely perceptible. Seems to impart blues, grays? It's another kind of hue that can't be reproduced in a matte, and can't be saturated. I think, anyway...
Yes! You're exactly right about both! I think enamel white shows the talents and limits of porcelain. Very fine porcelain lets light pass through it, at least a little. That's part of why people used to adore it - there was a quality of otherwordliness. But true ivory has a warmth that I think comes from a little bit of yellow light.
I also think all jewel tones are best when they resemble the jewel. Meaning, they have a sense of light passing through them. I think that's why they work so well in velvet. The texture scatters the light more.
Yes! I'm loving this thread, and now I can't stop thinking about/seeing colours that use the dimension of air and luminosity, like the blue-green hue of lake water. "Lake blue" is transparent -- it glows with light.
So beautifully written, thank you.
You made me want to dig through my meager jewelry box to find the chain with one yellowish amber stone in, that I got from my parents as a kid. 💫
Wear it today at golden hour and let the whole world be yellow-tinged!
Katy this is such a fascinating and beautifully written piece! I learned a lot. The cinematic history of this color is indeed key to a lost look we rarely see in film now.
Count me as one of those folks who loves to wear amber jewelry...gold, butterscotch, and green...
Thank you!!! I keep thinking about how many minor arts (like lighting!) have been pushed aside and forgotten. I know that's just how it goes with technology, but I really respect it when people bother to do things by hand.
I think I've mentioned it to you before but there is a great hour long documentary film called GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOR that is delightful and I know you'd love it. I used to show it in the class I taught on Color in Cinema.
Also: Looks like that screenshot was from a piece of writing on Technicolor by Richard Haines?
Oh and you can get the documentary most likely on Youtube but it's also in the extras for the DVD of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938).
as someone who loves film and art, this was an incredible and interesting read!! thank you
Absolutely adore this article and concept. Gorgeous
This is the STUFF. I never clicked anything so quickly. Thank you <3
Fascinating! You expand my world of color in countless ways. Color-crazy consultant in search of the space between black & white - https://colorcom.com and http://colormatters.com