Color Field painting is a style of abstract painting that emerged in New York City during the 1940s/1950s. Inspired by European modernism and closely related to Abstract Expressionism, many of its proponents were among the pioneering Abstract Expressionists. Color Field art is characterized primarily by fields of flat, solid color. The movement places less emphasis on gesture, brushstrokes and action, in favour of an overall consistency of color and/or color combination. During the late 1950s and 1960s Color Field painters emerged using formats of stripes, targets, simple geometric patterns and references to landscape imagery and to nature.
Color Test: The Lüscher color test is a psychological test invented by Dr. Max Lüscher in Basel, Switzerland. Max Lüscher believed that sensory perception of color is objective and universally shared by all, but that color preferences are subjective, and that this distinction allows subjective states to be objectively measured by using test colors.
Lüscher believed that because color selections are guided in an unconscious manner, they reveal the person as they really are, not they perceive themselves or would like to be perceived.
The results of the Lüscher-Color-Diagnostic contain indications pertaining to personal assessment and special, professional recommendations as to how psychological stress and the resulting physical symptoms can be avoided. It also offers additional information for verbal and homeopathic therapy.
Proponents of the test claim this method allows a rapid and deep personality analysis from only this color ranking information.
Luscher Color Test: http://www.luscher-color.com/
The Lüscher-Color-Diagnostic® measures a person's psychophysical state, his or her ability to withstand stress, to perform, and to communicate. It uncovers the cause of psychological stress, which can lead to physical symptoms. Using 5015 precise definitions, the selections from among these pre-determined test colors measure the state of 23 personality traits, some of which lie outside the realm of the conscious.
Because the color selections are guided in an unconscious manner, they reveal the person as he or she really is, and not as he or she perceives him- or herself, or as he or she would like to be perceived, which occurs when questions are asked directly or by questionnaires.
The results of the Lüscher-Color-Diagnostic® (ca 5 pages) contains indications pertaining to personal assessment and special, professional recommendations as to how psychological stress and the resulting physical symptoms can be avoided. It also offers additional information for verbal and homeopathic therapy.
Prof. Dr. Max Lüscher is the Head of the Institute of Psycho-medical Diagnostics in Lucerne (Switzerland). He studied clinical psychiatry, philosophy, and psychology in Basel. He has held a professorship in Amsterdam, teaching positions at the Universities of Paris and Rom, at Yale University in the USA, in South America, at universities in Western and Eastern Europe, and in Australia. The Lüscher Color Diagnostic has been in clinical use since 1947, and has been translated into 27 languages. His chief work is : "The Law of Harmony within Us" (ECON pocket book, 6th edition).
The artists associated with the Color Field movement during the 1960s were moving away from gesture and angst in favor of clear surfaces and gestalt. "Gestalt" in this sense is the effect of color combination on the viewer. When one stands before a color field composed of color combination which resonates with one emotionally, is a personal gestalt actualized, thus the pleasure, being attracted to it. Who has not walked into a gallery, with art all on the walls, not walked first for the piece with colors most attractive? Or colors, their combination seems interesting/appealing.
I may add to this diary, but I had promised to write my first diary here on this subject. Wanting to post political ones, I had to post this. Maybe I'll just cut/paste this for more complete explanation of theory of art--didn't even go into Arnheim, and how to create a balance of space, form, and color, to the point someone hands you cash for it.