Rock Art
Rock Art
Tips to Record the Color of Rock Art Motifs
July Roe's tips for recording the color of rock art motifs Recording the color of art pigments is an important part of recording rock art. When you draw a motif or a panel of motifs, make sure you note the range of ochre colors on the pencil drawing. Analysing the color of motifs can help you identify whether the same pigment has been used throughout, suggesting that the art was produced in a single episode, and can also be used to check the spatial distribution of distinctive colors. Remember that the consistency of pigment color is often uneven, so 'washy' sections will appear lighter than thicker sections.
Getting a repeatable reading is sometimes questionable because of this, but it may be necessary.
• Pigments are often poorly mixed, so each motif may need two or more color readings.
• Identifying colors is a difficult task and many people do not have an eye for it, so there can be many different readings for the same motif. For this reason, try to limit the number of people recording colour so that you can maintain some control over the colour recognition process.
• Colors will look different in different lights, so readings may be different at different times of day. For this reason, you should always note the time of day you made your reading and write this on the drawing.
• Recording the color of rock art motifs is usually done through the use of Munsell color charts, although some rock art researchers have used PANTONE® colour swatches.
The advantage of PANTONE® swatches is that the color can be reproduced easily on your computer (although with scanning this has lost its value), and they are easy to use as you can hold the swatches right up to the pigment. Unfortunately they are also expensive to buy and the colors are often too pure and do not really match the natural earthy tones of rock art pigments very well. Munsell color charts, on the other hand, have a much better range and grading of colours, but their format makes them difficult to use because the swatches are small and always surrounded by a distracting white border.
On balance, though, unless Munsell bring out their charts in the same format as PANTONE® swatches, they are still the best way to document the colour of rock art motifs.
About the Author
Dan has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. Come visit his latest website over at http://liposuctionbeforeandaftershow.info which helps people find the best Liposuction Before and After and information they are looking for Liposuction and Cosmetic Surgery.
![]() |
![]() MICHAEL GODARD 480 Paintings GIGANTIC Collection from the ROCK STAR of Art US $495,000.00
|
![]() Rock Alternative Metal Punk Music Concert Poster Flyer Art Gallery Collection US $45,000.00
|
![]() ART BY KURT COBAIN RARE ORIGINAL DRAWING of Guitars Nirvana Indie Rock Grunge US $45,000.00
|
![]() Frank Howell Standing Rock Ceremonial Custom framed Original Art Lithograph OBO US $8,000.00
|
![]() Frank Howell Standing Rock Ceremonial Original Lithograph Signed Art MAKE OFFER US $7,500.00
|
![]() FRENCH ART DECO HUGE SCULPTURE PANTHER ON ROCK SIGNED BY ARTIST FOUNDRY MARK US $4,999.00
|
![]() LEROY NEIMAN MYSTIC ROCK GOLF COURSE PETE DYE LIMITED FINE ART GOLFING SPORTS US $2,750.00
|
![]() ALAN LEACH FINE ART PAINTING HAYSTACK ROCK AT PACIFIC CITY US $1,650.00
|
![]() Huge 5 FT Framed Visions of America Cathedral Rock Repro Canvas Art Print LE COA US $1,546.95
|
![]() Nautical Ocean Seascape Rock Tide Oil Painting French Signed Art Exotic Framed US $1,488.00 |
![]() ROCK GARDEN Art 32X40 IMPRESSIONIST Oil Ptg BY AWARD WINNER KENDALL KESSLER US $1,200.00
|
![]() FRENCH ART DECO SCULPTURE PANTHER ON ROCK signed CARTIER 1940s US $1,200.00
|
![]() Signed KAVAVOW KING Iqaluit Inuit Art Serpentine Sculpture Seal Mounted on Rock US $999.99
|
![]() MUSIC Painting Original Chinese Contemporary Art by CGUEDEZ Rock Jazz Guitar US $999.00
|
![]() Princeville Kauai Black Rock Surf 24x30 Original Oil Canvas Hawaii Art US $995.00
|
![]() ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING ART ROCK N ROLL US $800.00
|
![]() Original Vintage Concert Poster Fleetwood Mac Gunther Kieser Folk Rock 1970s Art US $800.00
|
![]() MUSIC Art Original GUITAR Painting by CGUEDEZRockSweet Emotion Modern Painting US $799.00
|
![]() Original Folk Art Painting INDEPENDENCE ROCK Oregon Trail July 4 1849 US $624.00
|
![]() Rock Nymph original art by Renee Lichtman US $600.00
|
![]() VINTAGE NUDE WOMAN CHLORITE MINERAL ROCK STONE WALL ART US $600.00
|
![]() VINTAGE PAINTING CHLORITE MINERAL ROCK STONE WALL ART US $600.00
|
![]() Great Conversation Piece of Alaskan Art Agate Crystal Rock Train Miners Gold US $599.00
|
![]() Keefer Red Rock Canyon SIGNED NUMBERED ART Collagraph triptych 3pc OBO US $500.00
|
![]() Vintage Wax Mold Toad Frog Bullfrog Paddock Jumper Log Rock Figure Sculpture Art US $500.00
|
![]() Red Rock Crossing III by Ann McLeod Southwestern Art US $475.00
|


US $495,000.00
























