# Nature’s Palette

## Overview
In the chapter “Nature’s Palette,” students explore the science and artistic use of colour. Through observation, hands-on activities, and historical insights, the chapter teaches how colour is perceived, how to create new hues through mixing, how to make tints, tones, and shades, and how these are used in artistic practices including miniature painting.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. What Makes Colour Visible?
- **Light and Colour**: Colours are visible only when there is light. The appearance of a colour changes depending on the light source.
- **Dim Light**: Colours appear dull or dark.
- **Excessive Light**: Colours appear faded or white.
- **No Light**: Everything appears black.
- **Art Application**: Artists use tints, shades, and tones to show light effects in visual art.

### 2. The Colour Spectrum and Vision Impairments
- **Visible Spectrum**: Range of colours humans can see lies between infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) light.
- **Colour Blindness**: Some people perceive colours differently (e.g., red may appear brown or may confuse blue and green).
- **Inclusion in Art**: Many artists with vision impairments adapt creatively and excel in visual arts.

### 3. Colour Wheel and Colour Mixing

#### A. Primary Colours
- Red, Yellow, Blue
- Cannot be made by mixing other colours.

#### B. Secondary Colours
- Formed by mixing two primary colours:
- Red + Yellow = Orange
- Red + Blue = Violet
- Blue + Yellow = Green

#### C. Tertiary Colours
- Formed by mixing a primary with its adjacent secondary colour.
- Example:
- Green (secondary) + Yellow (primary) = Yellow-Green
- Green + Blue = Blue-Green
- **Activity**: Extend the colour wheel and make tertiary shades using various media like watercolours or crayons.

### 4. Creating Colour Variations

#### A. Tints and Shades
- **Tints**: Created by adding white to a colour.
- **Shades**: Created by adding black to a colour.
- Activity requires making at least four gradations of each.

#### B. Tones
- **Tones**: Created by adding grey (black + white) to a colour.
- Goal is to make four tonal gradations of chosen colours.
- **Tip**: Wash brushes and change water often while mixing to get accurate results.

Here is **Part 2** of the markdown summary for the chapter **"Nature’s Palette"**:

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### 5. Plant Study and Colour Application

#### A. Drawing a Plant
- Choose a stem, leaf, or flower to observe.
- Draw quick sketches from two angles, then one detailed drawing.
- Focus on space, shape, and detail.

#### B. Colouring the Study
- Use any colouring medium: crayons, pencils, pastels, watercolours.
- Match tints, tones, and shades using your colour wheel.
- Add light, shadow, and depth to your artwork.

- **Self-Assessment Prompts**:
- How many sketches were made?
- What went well?
- What challenges were faced and what can improve?

### 6. Colours in Miniature Paintings

#### A. Surfaces and Materials
- Paintings have been done on rock, clay, leaf, paper, glass, wood, and metal.
- Natural pigments fade with light and moisture.

#### B. Historical Timeline
- Indian art history includes:
- **Cave Paintings**, **Harappan Pottery**, **Ajanta Murals**, **Miniature Traditions**

#### C. What is a Miniature?
- Small-sized artworks with fine detail.
- Early miniatures were done on palm leaves, later on paper (from 12th century CE).
- Themes: mythology, religion, nature, portraits, royal court life.

#### D. Sources of Traditional Colours

| Colour | Source |
|--------|--------|
| Bright Red | Sindhoor (vermillion) |
| Earthy Red | Geru (red clay) |
| Yellow | Yellow stone / Cow urine |
| Green | Malachite (copper carbonate) |
| Blue | Lapis lazuli / Indigo |
| Black | Carbon |
| White | Khariya (white clay) |

- Colours were bound with gum from the Babul tree.
- Word 'miniature' comes from 'minium', a red pigment.

#### E. Brushes and Detailing
- Brushes made from animal hair (camel, goat, rat, squirrel, mongoose).
- Gold and silver were hammered into thin sheets (gold/silver leaf) for accents.

### 7. Decoding a Miniature Painting

**Example**: 18th-century Rajasthani painting of Tansen, Swami Haridas, and Emperor Akbar in a green landscape.

- **Activities for Observation**:
- Describe the scene and identify season or time.
- Observe mood and emotion through colours.
- Use colour wheel to analyse green shades.
- Spot placement of trees, cloud patterns, and finer details.

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## New Terms and Simple Definitions

| Term | Definition |
|----------------|------------|
| Tint | A lighter version of a colour (by adding white) |
| Shade | A darker version of a colour (by adding black) |
| Tone | A version of a colour mixed with grey |
| Tertiary Colour| A colour made by mixing a primary and a secondary colour |
| Spectrum | The full range of colours visible in light |
| Pigment | A substance used to give colour to paints or inks |
| Miniature | A small detailed painting often done on paper or palm leaves |
| Gold Leaf | Very thin sheet of gold used in art |
| Malachite | A green mineral used as pigment |
| Lapis Lazuli | A blue stone used as pigment |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)

1. **What are the three primary colours?**
**Answer**: Red, Blue, Yellow
*Explanation*: These colours cannot be made by mixing others.

2. **What do you mix with a colour to make a tint?**
**Answer**: White
*Explanation*: Adding white lightens a colour.

3. **Where did miniature paintings first appear in India?**
**Answer**: On palm leaves
*Explanation*: Before paper, artists painted on natural surfaces like leaves.

### Medium (2)

4. **How are tones of colours made?**
**Answer**: By adding grey (black + white) to a colour
*Explanation*: This softens the colour and creates variations.

5. **Name two natural sources of pigment used in miniature paintings.**
**Answer**: Geru (red clay) and Lapis Lazuli
*Explanation*: Artists used minerals and plants to create colours.

### Difficult (3)

6. **Why do colours look different in dim light and bright light?**
**Answer**: Because the way our eyes perceive colours depends on the intensity of light.
*Explanation*: Colours appear darker in dim light and faded in bright light.

7. **Explain the process of creating a colour wheel using only primary colours.**
**Answer**: Mix primary colours to create secondary, then mix secondary with adjacent primary to get tertiary colours.
*Explanation*: This helps understand relationships between colours.

8. **Why do artists need to wash brushes between mixing colours?**
**Answer**: To avoid mixing unwanted colours and maintain clarity in tints, tones, and shades.
*Explanation*: Dirty water or brushes can alter the result.

### Very Difficult (2)

9. **Discuss how miniature painting reflects both technical skill and historical tradition.**
**Answer**: It uses natural pigments, fine brushes, and reflects cultural themes, showing deep understanding of materials and heritage.
*Explanation*: Every element, from brush material to colour source, connects to tradition.

10. **How can colour blindness affect an artist, and what solutions help them succeed?**
**Answer**: Colour-blind artists may confuse colours but can use labels, tools, or work in black and white, or find personal techniques to adapt.
*Explanation*: Creativity and technology allow inclusive artistic expression.