History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.s3.t3.11

v1.c20.s3.t3.11

White, yellow, red, black and blue, these are the five primary colours and these in different combinations in different proportions produce hundreds of intermediate tones¹⁵. This work gives formulae for different colour compositions also. Blue and yellow when mixed produce green colour. It may be pale with a greater medium of white or deeper with blue. There are three distinct shades of each colour by mixing white in less, equal or greater proportions. Green colour can be obtained by mixing yellow and blue. It may be retained as pure green or it may be made pale green by adding white. The green colour may be made deeper by aggravating blue. Thus, by enhancing or lessening of the colours mixed, many subtle varieties of any colour could be created. Beautiful tints are produced by mixing in calculated proportions different colours. As an example it is said that red lākṣā tint mixed with white like the lodhra flower becomes red like the lotus, a colour extremely charming. Some of the tints produced with one predominant tone are given like yellowish green of durva grass, light wood apple green, green like green pulse, blue like blue lily, and so on.