Stranica 165 [165]
COLOURS IN RIPPLED WATER 99
the water reflect the higher part of the sky, which
being darker, marks a distinction between the water
and the lighter sky immediately above it. But should
the disposition of clouds happens to be such that the
lowest part of the sky is darker than that above, then
the distant water will in all probability appear lighter
than the dark clouds beyond.
Beautiful results are produced by the harmonious
blending of colours in rippled water, as each face of
the ripple catches a different tone. When seen from
a little distance, these tints are completely mingled in
the eye, giving the sensation of anew colour. Thus,
the reflexion of barren red rocks in rippling water,
which reflects also the blue sky, gives a purple formed
by the mixture of these two colours. The lovely tints
seen in rippled water at sunset are probably due in
some degree to this combination of lights from differ¬
ently coloured portions of the sky (see page 106).
Near at hand, where the ripples can be seen individu¬
ally, more than one reflected colour may be distin¬
guished in each, and in addition to this at times the
local colour on its nearer side. Thus it is sometimes
possible to make out three, or even four, distinct
colours on each little wave. The combination of white
cliffs under a slope of green grass with a blue sky
above gives a simple instance of three definite tones.
The perpetual motion of the water, though so rapid
as to make it very difficult to discern clearly the
different tones, is yet not rapid enough to make them
appear to be blended into one colour, so that the
effect has to be imitated—at least in the foreground
. of a picture—by small patches of colour. It is hardly