Physik der Farbe [Physics of Colour]
Eine praktische Farbenlehre für Architektur, Design und Handwerk
Not just a colour ...
Ulrich Binder provides a brave new theory of colour: away from tonal
values, primary colours and mixing ratios, he focusses on the topic of colour
by looking at its qualities and how the material is perceived.
Anyone who has painted or varnished knows that there are additional
characteristics beyond the “objective” colour values, which are not to be found
in the literature, but are significant for the way the colour is experienced:
How smooth is the colour, does its shine remain after it has been painted on?
Is it easy to stir or to mix? Can you add several layers or does the colour
remain slick or even become bitty?
Physik der Farbe [Physics of Colour] looks at colour from the
perspective of its tactility – at what you can feel between thumb and forefinger,
what is transferred from paintbrush to canvas.
The book does not use new terminology, but sharpens everyday language
used to describe colour, as this points to experiences had and journeys made
with the material.
In addition to chromaticity, there is always a consistency, a degree of
gloss, a rigidity or permeability that can be felt. There is also a surface
coverage or texture under the layer of colour which “forces” itself to be
perceived by the viewer – colour rarely acts alone.
The publication is divided into three parts: “Appearance of Colour”
focusses on its characteristics of being shiny, matt, raw, fine, smooth, dark
or light; “Visual Haptics” draws attention to colour phenomena such as warmth,
distance, density, time, gravitation; the final section focusses on practical
application, on which options of applying paint exist: with a brush, rolled on,
combed, sprayed, with a knife, glazed, etc...
About the author:
Attended Lucerne School of Arts and Crafts.
Studied art in Prague, Paris and Bern.
Starting in 1991, he taught at the School of Design in Zurich; later, he lectured at Zurich University of the Arts.
Academic member of staff at the Institute for
Theory at ZHdK since 2003.
Writer and publisher of different publications on photography, art and architecture.
Landscape painter.
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