William Benson published the first color theory cube system in 1868 in London. The cube used red, blue, and green as the basic colors, with secondary colors like yellow and pink at the intersections of the edges meeting at the white tip. Benson proposed additive and subtractive color mixing and saw the cube as bridging the gap between natural light and pigment colors. However, the cube form did not fully represent brightness and could appear confusing to observers.

1. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
color theory
WILLIAM BENSON
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

2. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
About
The architect William Benson published his
cuboid system in 1868, in London
-William Benson was the first express color
theory as a CUBE.
-The basic colors used were RED, BLUE and
GREEN.
-Published a book ‘Principle of Science Of
Color’.
- Main Highlight being Additive and Subtrac-
tive quality of colors.
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

3. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
W
theory
- The cube stands on its black corner, and three
edges extend outwards to the basic colours of red, G
green and blue. From the white tip, the edges lead
to a yellow, a sea-green and a pink corner.
R
-Consisted of 13 axis: 3 connect to the mid point-
sof opposing called primary ,6 connects to the B W
midpoints of opposing edges called secondary
and 4 axes that connect opposing corners called
tertiary. G
-In 1868, Benson proposed the first of his many
colour-cubes. He considered this arrangement to R
be the ‘natural system of colours’.
B
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

4. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
COMPLETE BRIGHTNESS
explation of theory
- The cube stands on its black corner, and
three edges extend outwards to the ba-
sic colours of red, green and blue. From WHITE tip leads to com-
the white tip, the edges lead to a plimentary colors
yellow, a sea-green and a pink corner. COMPLETE DARKNESS
- Was aiming to bridge the gap between
natural light colors and pigments.
-Also Beson called the color unusual Pink
and not Violet because he said it was too
dark.
BLACK tip leads to
basic colors.
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

5. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
additive and subtractive
- Intends to show primary color at equal strenght, in overlaping circles upon Black
where they form binary compounds overlapping in pairs, and White where the three
overlap.
-The other however exhibits taking away the same three simple colors from white in 3
overlapping circles, leaving a secondary color where only one is taken away,a primary
color where 2 are taken away,and Black where all colors are removed.
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

6. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
Intermediate colors
- There are 2 ways to determine interme-
diate colors
a)Two colors maybe presented to the eye
in required proportion in rapid succession
such that the eye does not perceive the
change.
b)To place small spots of color on neutral
ground,equally illuminated at equal dis-
tance. This is done such that the whenthe
right amount of light falls on the colors, the
intermidiate color is revealed.
-Indigo for instance absorbs the red rays,
but allows some of the green with blue.
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

7. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
Primary and Secondary colors
The best Red , Blue and Green in the solar spectrum give nearest possible approach
for the three primar colors,and therefore at their complementary colors Seagreen,
Yellow and Pink, give the nearest possible approach to those binary compounds of
primaries which are known as secondary colors.
-The brightness of each of these last( in its greatest intensity)must be equal to the
sum of brightnessof their full intesities of their simple component.
EG: Seagreen produced by the rays of green and blue must be as bright as green
and blue together
= +
Seagreen as bright as geen and blue together
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

8. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
william benson’s model
White Tip presence
of light
BLACK Tip abscence
of light
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

9. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
My Representation
The cube has been opened to re-
veal the colors on all sides.
This gives a better understanding
of how the primary, secondary and
tertiary colors interact
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013

10. Prof | Michelle Hinebrook Color Theorist | Color Workshop
drawbacks
As the form to represent the theory was a cube there was one basic problem:
-It does not fully allow for the significance of brightness, and therefore places the
color hues wrongly.
-Also, Benson’s system appears to the eye of the critical observer more as a
confusion of colours.
Rajkishori Desai | Grad Comm.D Pratt Institute | Spring 2013