History of Human Art: The Original Personality Test

The human form is a work of art. Trying to categorize and define different types of human beauty has been one of humankind’s favorite pastimes. Each branch of this particular kind of science has touched on correct principles, but most have not delved enough into the sum total of who we are. The concept of Human Art: The Original Personality Test is composed of design, art, and behavioral principles that are organized into a methodology. The principles are empirical, meaning you can observe them…You can trace them consistently throughout nature, animals and most importantly, human beings.

The History of Human Art: The Original Personality Test has been observed for over 200 years. It is empirically based.

In 1876 Edwin D. Babbitt published “The Principles of Light and Color” which established that simply exposing a person to color could alter their mood. Edwin was born on February 1, 1828 inHamden, New York. He was trained in New York and abroad. Edwin Babbitt resurrected alchemical theories of the healing properties of certain colors. Babbitt’s work correlated with society, particularly the Renaissance Era, in the aspect that the social implications of color were liberalizing significantly. It was a time when commoners, or people considered lower on the societal economic scale, were taking on more color in their dress and surroundings. It was no longer considered a measurement of your gain and position as much as it was self expression as long as it was within one’s means. This was a strong statement of independence and autonomy.

Edwin Babbitt’s work, although probably viewed as beyond his time or progressive, was very important and in line with where society was heading. It led to important understandings of color and healing. The importance of his work stretched far beyond the time frame of which he might have been considering. His understanding of color and its effects are more important to our time. I don’t know if those who came across his work in the early 18th century could ever really comprehend how important his findings would be to future generations.

In the 1900s, Wilhelm Oswald and Dr. Max Luscher published works that stated you could alter one’s mood by exposing one to a line or color. Among their works is “The Luscher Color Test” published in 1947. It is a deep psychological test, developed for the use of psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians or those who are professionally trained, where accurate psychological information can be gained through one’s choices and rejection of color. Although Human Art does not administer the Luscher Color Test in its methodology, the effects and validity it lends to the empirical advancement of color and healing profoundly ring around every Human Art service.

Oswald, a physical chemist, was awarded The Nobel Peace Prize in chemistry in 1909. Up until the end of his life, he studied colors and shapes in the endeavor to find scientific standardization for color.

Even though these works were based in the hard sciences, the empirical tracking and noticeable journey and effects on a being is more fascinating in our times and is well received when coming from such credible sources. These important works accompany us on this observable journey of understanding our own relationship to color.

Starting in 1934, Faber Birren published 25 works that reaffirmed these findings and observable evidence. Birren stated, “Color may not be as directly therapeutic as men once believed, but as a psychic or psychological force in healing, it is certainly efficacious.”

Faber Birren works used in the development of Human Art: The Original Personality Test:

• “The Principles of Light & Color,”  Edited by Faber Birren 1967
• “Color Perception in Art” 1976
• “Creative Color” 1961
• “Light, Color, & Environment” 1969
• “Principles of Color” 1969
• “Color” 1963
• “Story of Color” 1941

Faber Birren’s understanding of color perception in art and design truly solidifies how we see color and how we use each color. His work brought us further on the empirical journey and inserted concrete principles and concrete representations and explanations of what we intuitively tried to navigate when it came to each individual’s experience with color. He helped pioneer understanding of how the brain perceives color. He asserts the practice and meaning of the psychology of color.  He provided a large fund of data on the biological and psychological effects of color up to his time. He is the best known and most widely read color authority of our time.

In 1970, Carole Coombs and Donna Boam, graduates of The University of Utah, published “The Silent Dialogue” which brought these works collectively together. It was created out of a firm commitment to the basic premise that every person is an attractive, unique, and intrinsically valuable human being. It was designed to increase awareness of a person’s design and further understanding of what the design communicates.

Carole Coombs and Donna Boam turned their body of work over to Brook and Rod Thornley in 2006.  Rod and Brook published, “Human Art, understanding your own personal design.”

Human Art: The Original Personality Test perpetuates the study of human composition.

Learn more about Brook and Rod Thornley →