COLOR

Color is the perceptual characteristic of light described by a color name.

Specifically, color is light, and light is composed of many colorsthose
we see are the colors of the visual spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, and violet.
Objects absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others back to the viewer.
We perceive these wavelengths as color.
DEFINITIONS
Who would believe that so small a space could contain all the
images of the universe.
Leonardo da Vinci (referring to the eye.)

Color is seen by the human eye because of the two light receptors -
rods and cones - located in the retina of the eye.
Rods and cones vary in sensitivity to different colors and light, and they
convey the color of light to our brain.
There are about 125 million rods (named for their shape). They are
very sensitive to light but are mostly color blind.
The color detectors in the eye are the cones. There are about 7 million
of these in three forms concentrated in the center of vision.
Individual cones can only sense one of three narrowly defined
frequencies of light: red, green and blue.
The response from these three "primary" colors is sorted in our brain to
give us the perception of color. One or more of these color receptors
malfunctions in a color blind person.
THE EYE
Hue:
The traditional color name of a specific wavelength of light is a hue.
Another description is: spectral color. All of the colors of the spectrum
are hues.
The color wheel (right) diagrams the relationship between hues (around
the outside) and saturation (center to outside).
Value:
Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a color.

Intensity (The Degree of purity or saturation)
Saturation is concerned with the intensity,
Saturation is a measure of a color's pureness and brilliance (strength).
This is determined by the quantity of the dominant hue.
A saturated color is high in intensity -- it is bright.
A color that is dull is unsaturated or low in intensity.
Intensity is the brightness or dullness of a hue.
One may lower the intensity by adding white or black.
THREE DIMENSIONS OF COLOR
The first parrot on the left is at 100% saturation, all colors are
brilliant.
The middle parrot has a saturation of 50%; the colors are very
dull.
The third parrot has no saturation, creating a black and white
image.
The triangle diagrams the
relationship between value
(vertically) and saturation
(horizontally).
The color wheel can be divided into
ranges that are visually active or
passive. Active colors will appear
to advance when placed against
passive hues. Passive colors
appear to recede when positioned
against active hues.
Advancing hues are most often thought to have less visual
weight than the receding hues.
Most often warm, saturated, light value hues are "active" and
visually advance.
Cool, low saturated, dark value hues are "passive" and visually
recede.
Tints or hues with a low saturation appear lighter than shades
or highly saturated colors.
Some colors remain visually neutral or indifferent.
Primary Colors: Colors at their
basic essence; those colors that
cannot be created by mixing
others.
Secondary Colors: Those colors
achieved by a mixture of two
primaries
Tertiary Colors: Those colors
achieved by a mixture of primary
and secondary hues.
TYPES OF COLORS
Complementary Colors: Those
colors located opposite each other on
a color wheel.

Complementary colors make a
strange pair. They are opposite, yet
they require each other. They incite
each other to maximum vividness
when together; and exterminate each
other when mixed.
Johannes Itten
Analogous Colors: Those colors
located close together on a color
wheel.

Analogous colors are positioned in
such a way as to mimic the process
that occurs when blending hues..
The colors that are positioned opposite one
another are complementary colors
There are two theories that explain how colors work and interact.


The light, or additive theory deals with radiated and filtered
light.

The pigment, or subtractive theory deals with how white light
is absorbed and reflected off of colored surfaces.
COLOR THEORIES
LIGHT THEORY:

1. Light theory starts with black -- the absence of light, and
ends with white; as more color is added, the result is lighter
and tends to white.
2. When all of the frequencies of visible light are radiated
together the result is white (sun) light.
3. This is an RGB color system (Red, Green and Blue).
4. The primary colors mix to make secondary colors: red and
green make yellow, red and blue make magenta and green
and blue make cyan.
5. All three together add up to make white light. That is why
the theory is called additive.
6. Percentages of red, green, & blue light are used to
generate color on computer monitors, they are RGB
monitors.
7. A rainbow form from light diffracted through a prism.

PIGMENT THEORY:
1. Pigments behave almost the opposite of light.
2. With pigments a black surface absorbs most of the light, making it
look black..
3. A white surface reflects most of the (white) light making it look
white.
4. This is also called the subtractive color theory.
5. Subtractive color mixing means that one begins with white and
ends with black; as one adds color, the result gets darker and
tends to black.
6. A colored pigment, green for instance, absorbs most of the
frequencies of light that are not green, reflecting only the green
light frequency.
7. A light color results from lots of white light and only a little color
reflected.
8. A dark color is the result of very little light and color reflected.
9. This is a CMYK color system (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and (K)
Black). These are the secondary colors of the light theory.
10. The CMYK color system is the color system used for printing.