Eye color

“ When the light is very bright less is needed in the eye. Thus in brilliant artificial light at night one’s pupil is small. On the other hand, when the light is waning, as in the dusk or semi-darkness, the pupil is enlarged by the iris contracting down to a narrow ring under the outer circumference of the cornea.
WHAT DETERMINES THE
COLOR OF THE EYE The color of the eye depends on the position and amount of pigment cells in the iris. In the dark brown eye there is an abundance of pigment scattered through the substance of the iris as well as in the front layers nearest the surface. ”

“ When the eye has been fatigued by looking intently for a few seconds at a red spot on a white wall and is then slightly turned to the wall, a faint tint of a bluish green is seen, and this is called the accidental color of the red, and is supposed to be identical with its complementary color. If with the disks we determine a color which with a given color will produce by rotation a neutral gray, we have the complementary color more accurately than by any other means at present known in the use of pigmentary colors. ”

“ Some colors are more agreeable than others, but these differ with different eyes, and with the nature of the color to which the eyes have been previously exposed. A bluish green relieves the eye when over-excited with red, and a mild red is agreeable after the protracted action of intense green; and in general, the complementary colors are most agreeable in succession. Again, it is well known, that no kind of light is painful, unless excessively vivid; we are pleased with a mild radiance in objects of every hue, from the whiteness of the moon to the crimson of the setting sun. ”

“ Color Blindness. The nerve fibers of the eye which carry the sensation of color to the brain are particularly sensitive to the primary colors—red, green, blue. Indeed, all color sensations are produced by the stimulation of three sets of nerves which are sensitive to the primary colors. If one sees purple, it is because the optic nerves sensitive to red and blue (purple equals red plus blue) have carried their separate messages to the brain, and the blending of the two distinct messages in the brain has given the sensation of purple. ”

“ To determine the hue of a pigment from the analysis of the light it reflects is a problem in physiological optics, the solution of which varies with the character of the observer's eye. The three primary color-curves of the eye must be determined, and the total intensity of each wave-length of the spectrum of the pigment must be divided in the proportions indicated by the color-curves into three components—red, green, and violet. ”

“ As the color of light depends merely on the wave-length, we can now understand how the eye sees the constellations in their true configurations and colors; and, as reflected light has the same effect on the eye as that coming directly from self-luminous points, it is plain that the eye must see the form and color of all luminous objects, each individual point of each object forming its own focus on one of these sensitive rods of the retina. ”

“ The Color Wheel and Maxwell Disks.
We, however, have another means for measuring color effect which just in this emergency seems providential. It is a fact well known to every boy that if he rapidly whirls a lighted stick [Pg 19] the fire at the end produces the effect of a circle of light, which phenomenon is explained by a quality of the eye called retention of vision, by which the impression made by the point of light remains on the retina of the eye during an entire rotation. ”

“ Thus, by these methods, using the truth of color in the sense of following the nature of retinal functioning, Monet and his followers raised the color scale many degrees in brightness. Now we have seen that the eye loves light, warmth, strong color-effects, related to each other in the way that the eye must see them. ”

“ People who are less refined admire deeper tones; yet want absolute harmony, while coarse individuals are satisfied with bright gaudy colors. Color is a sensation produced on the retina of the eye, by the action of one or more of the elements of light. Exact proportion by parts are not given in the following in order to let you be the judge of the exact shade. Follow the simple rule of using a little more of the dark colors of each color combination if a deeper shade is wanted and vice versa for a lighter one. ”

“ But all bodies, whatever their original color, that is, whatever part of the white ray they send to the eye, after absorbing the rest, may be made to appear of any color, by viewing them under the influence of variously colored light; which proves that their color exists not in themselves, but in the light which falls upon them, and on which their substance acts in some unknown way. ”

“ Indeed it is possible, tho the process is decidedly difficult, to take an ox’s eye from the butcher’s shop, keep it in the dark, let it look quickly at something bright, and then by treating it with the proper chemicals, actually to fix on the retina, as on a camera plate or film, the last object which the eye saw. There is a dark pigment in the retina, called the visual purple, which changes color in the light, and so forms the image. ”

“ Consider, then, how we get impressions of color from objects. The sun emits waves of light varying in length by infinitesimal gradations between the extreme red and the extreme violet of the solar spectrum. As far as our purpose is concerned, we may disregard the ultra-violet and ultra-red rays, which are without perceptible effect upon the retina. These luminous or visible rays, acting together, produce in the eye the impression of white ”

“ The way to get color sensations of maximum saturation is first to stare at one color, so as to fatigue or adapt the eye for that color, and then to turn the eye upon the complementary color, which, under these conditions, appears fuller and richer than anything otherwise obtainable. ”

“ Touch the under lip with Rose Madder enough so as it may look natural. The white of the eye in youth is nearly blue, in old age it becomes yellow, in middle age it is white. You must vary your tints to correspond.
The iris must be laid in with transparent color, then shaded, then finished with Chinese White. The pupil is touched with a dark color and the speck of white laid on last. Use the same color for black or brown as used for the hair, viz.: Light Red 62and Chinese White, and neutral or Purple tint and White for the latter. ”

“ The skin rested, as did the brain, so that it seemed probable that central activity, thought, will, or whatever name is given, has some effect in the change of color. The probability is that, as they become pale, the pigment does not leave the skin, but that it is collected in spheres too small to affect our retina, which will be impressed by the same quantity of pigment when more extended. ”

“ This superiority of the dark hue is due partly to the fact that a brown eye is commonly more lustrous than a light eye, and partly to the law of contrast; for a light-coloured iris obviously does not present such a vivid contrast to the white of the eye as a brown iris, and is therefore apt to seem vague, watery, and superficial in expression. The light blue or gray eye appears shallow. All its beauty seems to be on the surface, whereas the “soul-deep eyes of darkest night” appear unfathomable through their bewitching glamour. ”

“ Those eyes which are called black are only dark-hazle, which may be easily seen upon close inspection, and only appear black from the contrast with the white of the eye; in all those which have a blue shade that colour becomes the most predominant. ”

“ There are some eyes that are remarkable for being almost destitute of colour, and appear to be constituted in an abnormal manner. The iris is tinted with shades of blue and grey of so light a hue that it appears quite 19white in some places. The shades of hazel in such eyes are so light that they are hardly distinguishable from grey and white, in spite even of the contrast of colour.
For our part, we think that the beauty of the eye consists not so much in its colour, or even in its harmony with the rest of the face, but in its expression. ”

“ There is something more expressive in the white of certain eyes than in the iris. The white of my mother's eyes was a crystalline blue-white. It caught the light and glistened. It seemed to respond more sensitively, to have more "seeing" in it than was in the pale blue iris. The contrast of heavy dark lashes may have lent the eye that almost startling look when the fringe of shadow [Pg 21] lifted suddenly, and the eyeball answered to the light. ”

“ If this sentiment could be made universal, there would be fifty per cent more Beauty in the world after a single generation.
In the centre of the white sclerotic is the membrane which gives the eyes their characteristic variations of colour,—the iris or rainbow curtain. If we look at an eye from a distance of a few paces, it seems to have some one definite colour, as brown or blue. But on closer examination we see that there are always several hues in each iris. The colour of the iris is due to the presence of small pigment granules in its interior layer. ”

“ The black eye certainly labours under one disadvantage, which is, that, from the iris and pupil being of the same colour, the contraction and dilatation of the latter is not seen, by which the eye is abridged of half its powers. ”

“ These so-called black eyes are by far the most numerous in the world, belonging not only to brown-black, brown, and yellow races, but even prevailing among the darker varieties of the white race, such as Greeks and Spaniards. In races with the darker skin and black hair, the darkest eyes generally prevail, while a fair complexion is usually accompanied by the lighter tints of iris, especially blue. ”

“ The posterior surface of the iris is covered with a thick layer of pigment cells to prevent the entrance of light except through the central opening or pupil, and its anterior surface also has pigment cells that give it its color, though the difference in the color of people’s eyes is due rather to the amount of pigment present than to its color, a small amount of pigment being present in blue eyes and a large amount in brown and black eyes. ”

“ In the case of simultaneous contrast, the changes are due mainly to fluctuations of the judgment of the observer, but little to the fatigue of the retinal nerves. We carry in ourselves no standard by which we can measure the saturation of color or its exact place in the chromatic circle; hence, if we have no undoubted external standard at hand with which to compare our colors, we are easily deceived. A slip of paper, of a pale but very decided blue-green hue, was placed on a sheet of paper of the same general tint, but somewhat darker and more intense or saturated in hue. ”

“ It is true that the vivacity and fire which play so important a part in giving character to the eye, are more perceptible in dark eyes than in those whose tints are lighter; black eyes, therefore, have greater force of expression, while in blue eyes there is more softness and delicacy. In the former we see a brilliant fire, which sparkles uniformly on account of the iris, which is of the same colour throughout, giving in all parts the same reflection ”

“ COLOUR To say of any one that he has gray, blue, brown, or black eyes, is vague and incorrect from a strictly scientific point of view, inasmuch as there are no really gray or black eyes, and, as a matter of fact, every eye, if closely examined, shows at least five or six different colours. ”

“ It is also well worthy of remark that the brightest colours are often used in broad masses, and when so, are always arranged chromatically, in the sequence of the rainbow’s hues, and are hence never displeasing to the eye. The hues, though bright, are subdued by the imperfect light: the countenances of the images are all calm, and their expression solemn. Whichever way you turn, the eye is met by some beautiful specimen of colouring or carving, or some object of veneration. ”

“ The absence of the black pigment, which has the important office of absorbing superfluous portions of light, renders the eye preternaturally sensible of this stimulus. Strong lights affect the organ painfully; even the glare of open day produces a partial blindness, and the admission of light is [178] intolerable. These evils are balanced in some measure by superior power of vision in dusk, or imperfect darkness. ”

“ Colors have their greatest importance for us in so far as they are properties of bodies and can serve as signs for the recognition of bodies.... We have become accustomed, in forming a judgment in regard to the colors of bodies, to eliminate the varying brightness and [Pg 18] color of the illumination. We have sufficient opportunity to investigate the same colors of objects in full sunshine, in the blue light of the clear sky, in the weak white light of a cloudy day, in the reddish-yellow light of the sinking sun or of the candle. ”

“ Thus red and greenish-blue, yellow and blue, orange and blue-violet are complementary. We may express this all important fact by stating that for every spectral hue there is another which when mixed with it on the retina in approximately equal quantities produces the sensation of white. When other than equal proportions of complementary hues are chosen, colors are produced which are of hues intermediate between those of the complementaries and which are mixed with varying degrees of white. ”

“ I do not propose to discuss the whole question of the color of the eyes, down to albinism; I would simply observe that, as seen through them, the world wears a very different aspect for different individuals—a circumstance which, however, has nothing to do with asymmetry. Some eyes see only complementary colors, e. g., red instead of green; others see no color at all, every thing appearing to them like a copperplate engraving.
But color, too, has its caprices, as shown in the hair. ”