Practical Training in Color Theory by Systematic Mixing of Colors

In a systematic color mixing course one learns to comprehend the conformity of the Theory of Color to natural laws, gains elementary knowledge, and finds proof regarding the accuracy of Kueppers' Theory of Color.

That course provides as teaching material matching opaque painter's colors and Kueppers Color Mixing Course (in form of an exercise book or sheets).

Matching opaque painter's colors

It goes without saying, for a systematic color mixing course one cannot use just any type of color material. Generally, painter's colors in tubes are neither matching in type of chromaticity or opacity nor in their coloring power. For that reason, Harald Kueppers developed together with the company Schmincke (manufacturer of colors for artist painters) a set of 8 well matching gouaches (Tempera) (see Teaching Material) which have been launched in 1981 celebrating Schminke's centenary. Since then they are used by many colleges/universities and schools as teaching material.

The 8 painter's colors in " Küppers Grundfarbensatz " (Kueppers' Set of Basic Colors) are well matched as far as technically possible. They have a maximum of opacity. That means the background is fully masked and cannot show through, i.e. has no effect at all. Therefore, the background color may be any. They have also been matched in their coloring power as much as possible.

But the most important is that the types of chromaticity (hues) of the 6 chromatic Basic Colors match exactly. Mixing the respective pairs of chromatic compensation colors (complementary colors) the actual result is always one and the same Neutral Gray identical to that obtained from the achromatic Basic Colors Black and White. Further, a special pigment Black has been developed which merely darkens (blackens) the mixture because artist painter's colors containing carbon black give the mixture a dirty or unattractive appearance.

Kueppers' Color Mixing Course

In addition to the 8 Matching Basic Colors an exercise book is provided containing a systematic color mixing course as well as various exercise sheets (see Teaching Material).

The students experience by own doing the difference between translucent and opaque painter's colors. They learn how to produce new types of chromaticity (hues) by mixing two vicinal chromatic Basic Colors and new types of achromaticity (gray shades) by mixing the two achromatic Basic Colors. They will get acquainted with the order systems of all types of chromaticity on the hexagon and all types of achromaticity on a straight line. Finally, one chromatic type will be mixed with selected chromatic types to produce a Triangle of Identical Chromaticity. To a certain extent reciprocal to it is the mixing of one achromatic type with selected chromatic types to obtain a Hexagon of Identical Achromaticity. Further will be explained why the order of the diversity of colors cannot be represented on a plane and why the rhombohedron is the logical color space. At the end of the course creative exercises will be carried out.

The multicolored envelop gives a brief introduction into the discoveries of the new Theory of Color.

Naturally, systematic coloring in and working through the exercise book takes time which is not always available during the course itself. For that reason various exercise sheets are available.

back to top