1.) Color is the refraction and absorption of light off a surface; objects do not inherently possess color, rather they refract the light waves of whatever color they are and absorb the rest. For example, a red shirt isn't red itself, it merely absorbs the light waves of the other colors in the spectrum, refracting the red light waves, so we see it a being red. All colors have three properties; hue, value, and intensity. Hue is the actual name of the color, according to the categories of the color wheel. Value is the color's lightness or darkness. Colors are often recognizable in a full range of values, and each hue has a normal value; the value at which we expect to find that hue. A good example from the text is the idea that yellow is a "light" color, while violet is a "dark" color. Intensity, also known as saturation, is the purity of a color; purer colors have a higher intensity, while duller colors have a lower intensity. Colors no doubt have an emotional effect on us, but finding universal principles for these effects is difficult; emotional response is influences by culture and is deeply personal. A good example of the cultural context behind colors is the American association of red and green with Christmas. We know the color blue has calming effects on people, and red is said to inspire appetite; but the English language links "blue" with sadness while Indian culture links blue to the god Vishnu, highlighting the differences between interpretations of color and their meanings.
2.) The most fascinating thing about color theory to me has always been that color is a function of light; it isn't an inherent feature of an object. Since I see things oddly compared to "normal" people, I have always struggled to understand color and light. Let me be clear, I'm not color blind. I see colors, and I see them almost normally through my good eye. However, when I wear my eye patch, I don't see them the same way. It is as if I'm concentrating so hard on actually seeing the object itself, that the colors become secondary almost. Color is not as important a visual cue for me as most people; for example I probably would have known they were mashed potatoes even though they were green. The change in saturation and value of colors between my good eye and bad eye only further my fascination with the theory; "Why would it change?", "Is it a result of the physical eye or mental processing?", "Am I seeing the refraction differently" are just some of the questions I have struggled to answer. I don't have an answer, it just is the way it is for me, but it continues to be a fascinating theory for me.
3.) The biggest impact in the Color video was the way the female artist struggles with her painting as it evolves and progresses. My husband is an artist, and I have watched him toil for hours over one small detail or section, only to watch him erase everything and start over. I never got it; it really all looks great to me and I think he's just picky. However, watching that woman as she painted gave me a new perspective. It isn't about the blades of grass being perfect, or the line of the horizon being flawless; its about the emotions that the image inspires. With the painter in the video, it was all about getting the right colors to express the right feelings, and about her getting her feelings out onto the canvas.
4.) The greatest impact in the Feelings video was the change in Goya's paintings. I have always been a fan of his artwork (though I was not aware he went deaf), and his use of stark contrasting images and dark space have always made his paintings seem somehow larger and more looming. The overpowering black space in his paintings has always brought to mind heavy feelings; really giving the images a sort of moral emptiness. I have always found Goya's use of color and form to be very powerful in evoking feelings of despair, loneliness, and hopelessness; all very appropriate feelings considering the times he was living in.
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