Science Meets Color

Seurat was born in 1859 to a wealthy family in Paris. As a young man, he studied at one of France’s most prestigious art schools. He soon became interested in color theory, or how colors can be classified and used most effectively. He began to approach color in a technical, almost scientific way.

Most artists at the time mixed paints together to try to mimic colors in nature. But Seurat believed this created muddy colors that couldn’t properly capture natural light. He invented a technique in which he applied small dots of pure, unmixed paint next to one another to trick the eye into blending them together.

Seurat was born in 1859 in Paris. When he was a young, he attended one of the best art schools in France. He became interested in color theory, a way of organizing colors so they can be used as strongly as possible. He carefully studied how to make the most of color in his work.

Most artists at the time wanted to copy colors seen in nature. Usually, they mixed paints together to try to achieve this. But Seurat believed that mixing created muddy colors. He didn’t think mixed colors looked like natural light. Instead, the artist started using small brushstrokes of unmixed colors next to one another. This tricks the eye into blending the brushstrokes together.

During Seurat’s life, paints were made from powdered pigments. These substances were made from plants, colorful minerals, and even ground-up insects. Pigmented paint came in pure hues such as red, yellow, green, or blue. Artists mixed lighter tints by adding white or darker shades by adding black.

Seurat studied how pure hues were arranged on the color wheel, above. It shows the primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—and the secondary colors made by mixing them. Pairs of complementary colors, like blue and orange, appear across from each other. Seurat believed colors were more powerful when used side by side with their complements.

In 1881, Seurat read about experiments with spinning discs that were painted multiple colors. When the discs spun fast enough, a viewer’s eye couldn’t distinguish the sections and the colors seemed to blend. Seurat used this effect, called optical color mixing, in his paintings.
But instead of moving the image, he used many dots of pure color too small for the eye to tell apart from afar.

During Seurat’s time, paints were made from powdered pigments. People made these powders out of plants, colorful rocks, and even ground-up insects! They were made in pure colors such as red, yellow, green, or blue. Artists mixed lighter tints by adding white. They made darker shades by adding black.

Seurat learned how pure colors were arranged on the color wheel, above. Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. Mixing them makes secondary colors, shown in between. Colors that are across from each other, like blue and orange, are complementary colors. Seurat believed colors looked stronger when used along with their complementary color.

In 1881, Seurat read about scientific experiments on color. A scientist had painted flat discs different colors and then spun them around. When the discs spun fast enough, viewers couldn’t tell the colored sections apart. The colors seemed to blend together. Seurat used the same effect in his paintings. But instead of moving the image, he used many dots of pure color. The dots are too small to tell apart from afar.

Seurat painted carefully, using color and line like an engineer’s tools. He methodically applied dots of pure color to outline figures and create forms within each scene he painted. The artist thought colors and shapes were linked to moods and emotions. He used bright, warm colors to convey joy and dark, cool colors to represent sadness.

The Circus, above, illustrates Seurat’s precise techniques. Warm orange and yellow, analogous colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel, dominate the joyful painting. Seurat creates shadows by adding blue and green dots.

This painting was Seurat’s last work, which he left unfinished. In 1891, he died of an infection at the age of 31. Many people still wonder how his techniques would have evolved if he had lived to continue experimenting with color.

Seurat used color and line very precisely. He painted with dots of pure color to outline people and shapes. The artist thought colors made people feel emotions. He used bright, warm colors to express happiness and dark, cool colors to express sadness.

The Circus, above, shows Seurat’s intricate methods. Warm orange and yellow fill the joyful painting. These are analogous colors, which means they are next to each other on the color wheel. Seurat adds blue and green dots to create shadows in the painting.

This painting was the last work Seurat ever created, but he left it unfinished. In 1891, he died of an infection. He was only 31 years old. Many people still wonder how his artistic style would have grown if he had lived to experiment with color longer.