Transforming

the
Rainbow

TRANSFORMING
THE
RAINBOW

Visual experiments using images from

Google Image Search results

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.

Transforming
the
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

ORANGE

BLURRED IMAGES LAYERED

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

GREEN

AVERAGED IMAGES LAYERED

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

BROWN

BLURRED IMAGES LAYERED

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

GREY

BLURRED IMAGES LAYERED

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