COLOUR BASICS

Presented by: Mark Israel Ventura

HOW DO WE SEE COLOR?
100 m
Radio
Waves
1 mm

Infra Red

750 nm
Visible
Light
390 nm

Ultra violet

10 nm

X rays
0.01 nm

Gamma
rods – Intensity of light rays 0.0001 nm
cones – Color of light Wave length
X
X
 GREY ILLUSION

RGB 127,127,127
 Your eyes will deceive you

8% of men are colorblind

That is why we use equipment and software

to manage colors accurate and consistent
Consistent Colour
 COLOR MODEL
RGB CMYK
0,255,0
255,255,255 255,0,0 255,255,255

0,255,255

255,0,255 255,255,0 255,255,0

0,0,255 255,0,0
0,0,255 0,255,0

255,0,255
0,255,255

Additive (combines towards white) Subtractive (dillutes towards black)

Lower values = Darker colors Higher values = Darker colors
 COLOR MODEL
RGB CMYK

Camera Printer + Ink + Paper

Scanner Press + Ink + Paper
Display
 CIE L*a*b* COLOR MODEL
is the most commonly used device
independent (scientific) colour model in the
graphic arts industry.
Every color can be measured in LAB
components
White
L*

Green Red
-a* +a*

Black
What is color gamut?

• The entire range of colors available on

a particular device such as a monitor
or printer.
Color Management
What is colour management?

• Standardizing how colour is reproduced in

different stages of the workflow from
camera to proofing and printing

• At the same time colour management

ensures that full potential of the materials
and processes in question is utilized.
 ICC Color Management
RGB (International Colour Consortium)

ICC Profile Photoshop,

RGB-LAB Lightroom,
Apperture, etc.

RGB LAB
Color Engine
ICC Profile
RGB-LAB

CMYK

ICC Profile
CMYK-LAB
 ICC Color Management
RGB (International Colour Consortium)

ICC color engine

Input Profile
RGB-LAB

RGB

Display Profile
RGB-LAB

CMYK
Output Profile
CMYK-LAB
ICC colour profiles provide elaborate
descriptions of the colour characteristics of
a wide range of devices; they are used as
a standard for colour management.

The success of colour management

depends on having accurate profiles.

sRGB is intended as a standard device-

independent colour space for monitors.
It is used on the World Wide Web.
Color Schemes
Color Wheel