Visual exploration 2, Colour story, Week 1 (22/01/2024)

In the first week into the module of visual exploration 2: colour story, we began to explore two different chosen colours and collate research about the history, utilization, components and visual language of these colours. When beginning to collate this research, we were given an example format to base the structure of our research on in this first week. This structure is based of Rudyard Kipling's (1865-1936) poem; The elephant's child, 1902 (as shown below).

I Keep six honest serving-men:

       (They taught me all I knew)

     Their names are What and Where and When

       And How and Why and Who.

     I send them over land and sea,

       I send them east and west;

     But after they have worked for me,

       I give them all a rest.

From this poem we were given six broad questions; what, why, when, how who and where. 

What?

-Venetian red

Why?

- Warm vibrant tone

- Maintained colour overtime

When?

- 14th to 17th century

- Italian renaissance

How?

- Iron oxide red earth was dried, refined and ground to make a pigment (smaller scale)

- Synthetic venetian red is made by thermally decomposing iron salts at an extremely high temperature to convert iron into hematite 

Who?

- Discovered by pre-historic cultures (e.g. ancient aboriginal cultures viewed this red as sacred)

- The old masters (16th century, renaissance)

- Lascaux cave paintings (France)

- British army red (mid 17th century, "redcoats")

Where?

- Veneto region of Italy

What?

- Black

Why?

- Strong and long-lasting

- Highlights over colours

- Easy to create

When?

- 2000 bc to modern day

How?

- Charcoal; different woods/animal products produced different tones

- Vine black (Ancient Rome used burnt grapevine branches, 15th century)

- Ivory black (burnt ivory, charcoal powder and oil)

- Mars black (synthetic iron oxides)

- India ink (created in 4th century BC, a mix of bone char, tar, pitch and other ingredients)

Who?

- Estimated 4000 BC

-Ancient Egypt (3200 BC) used ink for writing and recording

- China (Neolithic period) used black inks for writing and dyes

- Ancient Greeks used black pigment within painting technique for decorative pottery (700BC)

Where?

- New forest bronze age (2000-700 BC)