Transformingthe

Rainbow

Visual experiments using images fromGoogle Image Search results

TRANSFORMINGTHE

RAINBOW

Eleanor Maclure

Introduction

The visual experiments presented here are an extension of the processes used to create the images in the book, Searching for the Rainbow. This methodology involved taking the first thirty results from a Google Image search, for each of the eleven basic colour terms in English. In order to discover how the dominant colours were affected, the images were analysed using Colourphon, a Gaussian blur was applied in Photoshop and finally the RGB values of the pixels in each file were averaged to create a solid block of colour.

The images contained in this book were created from the results of those processes. For each of the basic colour terms, all of the images have been layered and given transparency to demonstrate the combined effect of the colours in each image. It allows us to see how the colour used as the search term is distributed throughout the images.

A combined sample of the averaged images has been taken, creating a cumulative, average colour. It represents a method for interpreting colour terms, that has been mediated by Google and Photoshop. In addition to this, images have been created for each of the colour terms by taking a vertical, one pixel wide section through the layered images. This has been stretched across a wider area to give a greater visual impression of the layering and to portray the colour composition of the image in a different way.

Collectively, the experiments represent a conclusion to this line of investigation. While having created some striking and appealing imagery, the method of applying additional digital processes to the images presents a limited opportunity for further insight. However, the use of Google Image search, and other search engines, as research tools has great potential, which could go beyond the scope of colour naming.

Transformingthe

Rainbow

Pink

PINK ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

PINK VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

PINK COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

PINK BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

PINK AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

PINK AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Red

RED ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

RED VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

RED COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

RED BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

RED AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

RED AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Orange

ORANGE ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

ORANGE VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

ORANGE COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

BLURRED IMAGES – LAYEREDORANGE

ORANGE AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

ORANGE AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Yellow

YELLOW ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

YELLOW VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

YELLOW COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

YELLOW BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

YELLOW AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

YELLOW AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Green

GREEN ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

GREEN VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

GREEN COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

GREEN BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYEREDGREEN

GREEN AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Blue

BLUE ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

BLUE VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

BLUE COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

BLUE BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

BLUE AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

BLUE AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Purple

PURPLE ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

PURPLE VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

PURPLE COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

PURPLE BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

PURPLE AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

PURPLE AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Brown

BROWN ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

BROWN VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

BROWN COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

BLURRED IMAGES – LAYEREDBROWN

BROWN AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

BROWN AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Black

BLACK ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

BLACK VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

BLACK COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

BLACK BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

BLACK AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

BLACK AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

Grey

GREY ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

GREY VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

GREY COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

BLURRED IMAGES – LAYEREDGREY

GREY AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

GREY AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR

White

WHITE ORIGINAL IMAGES – LAYERED

WHITE VERTICAL SLICE – STRETCHED

WHITE COLOURPHON IMAGES – LAYERED

WHITE BLURRED IMAGES – LAYERED

WHITE AVERAGED IMAGES – LAYERED

WHITE AVERAGED IMAGES – CUMULATIVE COLOUR