Sunday, August 14, 2016

Translucent and Opaque - Terms for Art....What do they really mean?

Hello All:  I watch a ton of Art videos and I hear more and more artists talk about color theory using the terms Translucent and Opaque....okay, I get mixed from one person to another so being the mixed media artist researcher that I am....I had to look it up.

According to the Grammarist (2016):  Transparent, translucent and opaque are adjectives that describe the amount of light that is able to pass through an object. 
   
The skin tone has light highlights - Translucent
                              and hair is Opaque


Translucent is an adjective that describes material through which one may see an object, but may not be able to discern the details. Translucent may also be described as semitransparent. Sautéed onions are translucent. Related words are translucence, translucency and translucently.
Opaque is an adjective that describes material that one may not see through, it is not transparent. A brick is opaque. Related words are opaquely and opaqueness.
In the Art world, Translucent and Opaque colors means:
  • Opaque - Light does not pass through- (the color hides what is under the color
  • Translucent - Some light passes, but is diffused in different directions - (can see under the color

So Translucent and Opaque color have do with how much light transmits through the color or not.
                                                 Lights strikes!

Example of Color that are Translucent and Opaque:


Now, doesn't Translucent and Opaque make sense?

References:
http://grammarist.com/usage/transparent-translucent-and-opaque/
http://www.learn4yourlife.com/transparent-versus-translucent.html
http://www.clear-path.com/colorhueswedgewood.html

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