region, gender, and personal preferences. ì Color is elusive; its meaning is 2ed to specific experien2al contexts. ì It has op2cal proper2es that change. ì Color is physical and also lives in the digital realm.
ì Electromagne2c field (EMF) made up of mainly invisible wavelengths ì Radio Waves/Infrared Radia2on/VLS/ Ultraviolet/X-‐Ray/Cosmic Ray ì Visible Light Spectrum (“rainbow” of light) – narrow range of wavelengths within EMF; each color hue has its own wavelength (measured in nanometers: nm) Visible Light Spectrum 800 nm 400 nm Radio Waves Infrared Radia2on Ultraviolet X-‐Ray Cosmic Ray
is vibra2ng wavelengths emiUed from the surface of objects ì Red ball reflects red wavelengths; absorbs all others ì Blue ball reflects blue wavelengths; absorbs all others ì Color seen is the color (wavelengths) reflected off object
rays illuminate objects and reflect them to the back of the eye ì Re2na lined with photoreceptor neurons ì Specifically recep2ve at specific 2mes; either in dark or bright condi2ons ì Rods – Only detect lightness/darkness (gray/tones); respond to dim light; 120 million ì Cones – Only detect color (color/hues); respond to bright light; 6 million ì 3 types of cones; 3 types of color sensi2vi2es (RGB) ì Red-‐orange cones s2mulated; sense Red (570 nm) ì Green cones s2mulated; sense Green (535 nm) ì Blue-‐violet cones s2mulated; sense Blue (425 nm) Light
remaining colors (CMY) ì Green + Blue-‐violet cones s2mulated; sense Cyan ì Red-‐orange + Blue-‐violet cones s2mulated; sense Magenta ì Red-‐orange + Green cones s2mulated; sense Yellow ì Different propor2ons of (RGB) s2muli produce several million varia2ons ì Equal propor2ons of (RGB) s2muli produce neutral gray; which at its brightest is white ì Light informa2on is transferred through the op2c nerve; processed in brain Light Re2na Rods Cones
vision is based on the opposi2on of these colors ì Visual nerves register color in terms of the aUributes of color: ì Green or Red — but never both (no Reddish-‐greens) ì Blue or Yellow — but never both (no Bluish-‐yellows ) ì Brightness ì Less varia2on in vividness is perceived in dark or light colors ì Maximum range of color satura:on is perceived in middle-‐toned colors Light Re2na Rods Cones
ì Temperature/Depth Percep/on ì Our minds assign a sensory (& imaginary) warmness or coolness to various colors. ì HoUer/warmer colors appear to move towards us. ì Cooler/colder colors appear to move away from us. "Cool" Colors (Recede): Green/Blue/Violet Warm Cool
(RGB Model/Light/Emissive) ì Used in screen/theater/human vision: TV, Computer, Film, Video, Photography, Stage Ligh2ng and Photoreceptors ì Mixing primary colors of light (Red, Green, Blue) to create any color within visible spectrum ì Mixing all three (RGB), equally, produces “white” ì Absence of Light/Color = Black RED GREEN BLUE R + G + B = “White”
(RGB Model/Light/Emissive) ì Mixing 2 primary colors of light (Red + Green, Green + Blue, Red + Blue) creates very pure secondary colors: Yellow, Cyan, Magenta ì R + G = Y (complement of B) ì G + B = C (complement of R) ì R + B = M (complement of G) RED GREEN BLUE R + G + B = “White”
Model/Pigment/Reflec:ve) ì Used in modern color prin2ng (ink) ì Mixing purest primary colors of pigment (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow) to create other colors ì Each pigment absorbs more light than it reflects; mixing can only produce a darker color ì Mixing all 3 primary colors (CMY) produces a nearly black color ì Absence of Ink/Color = White (Paper) CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW C + M + Y = “Black”
Model/Pigment/Reflec:ve) ì Mixing 2 primary colors of ink (Cyan + Magenta, Yellow + Cyan, Magenta + Yellow) creates less pure secondary colors: Blue, Green, Red ì C + M = B (complement of Y) ì Y + C = G (complement of M) ì M + Y = R (complement of C) CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW C + M + Y = “Black”
(RYB Model/Pigment/Reflec:ve) ì Used in tradi2onal art/pain2ng: limited in range of producible colors ì Mixing “art” primary colors of pigment (Red/Yellow/Blue) to create other colors ì Each pigment absorbs more light than it reflects; mixing can only produce a darker color ì Cyan and Magenta (other primaries) cannot be built from RYB alone, white must be added ì Absence of Ink/Color = White (Canvas) RED YELLOW BLUE R + Y + B = “Black”
(RYB Model/Pigment/Reflec:ve) ì Mixing 2 primary colors of paint (Red + Yellow, Yellow + Blue, Blue + Red) creates even duller secondary colors: Orange, Green, Violet ì R + Y = O (complement of B) ì Y + B = G (complement of R) ì B + R = V (complement of Y) RED YELLOW BLUE R + Y + B = “Black”
ì Mixing Primary colors of light (RGB) creates Secondary colors (CMY)... ì Those Secondary colors are the Primary colors of the Subtrac2ve System Red Green Blue Magenta Yellow Cyan "ROYGBV” (Mnemonic device to remember 6 Main Colors)
Pigments A classic, 2D, 12-‐color model used to diagram basic color harmonies and builds. ì Primary Colors = Red, Yellow, Blue ì Primaries cannot be created from other colors. ì Color paleMe traits = basic, bold and elemental. Can express nostalgia or childlike innocence. ì Secondary Colors = Orange, Green, Violet ì Made from mixtures of the primaries. ì Color paleMe traits = yield a less bold rela2onship than the primary group. Less hue contrast between them because they are mixtures. P P P S S S "ROYGBV” (Mnemonic device to remember 6 Main Colors)
when combined, create the Secondaries (Orange, Green, Violet) ì Red + Yellow = Orange ì Yellow + Blue = Green ì Red + Blue = Violet Violet (Secondary) + = + = + = Blue (Primary) Yellow (Primary) Red (Primary) Green (Secondary) Orange (Secondary)
a color; property associated to par2cular wavelength (red, yellow, blue, green, etc.) ì Contras:ng Hue; different colors ì Constant Hue; different colors, same hue (red family) ì Chroma – “Purity” property of a color; presence of hue in a pigment vs. presence/absence of white, black or gray. Different from satura2on. ì High Chroma colors – Vivid; no white, black or gray present ì Low Chroma colors – White, black or gray; no hue present
property associated with appearance under certain ligh2ng condi2ons. Weak/Pale vs. Strong/Pure. ì Range Used – Pure color (100%) to Gray (0%) ì Contras2ng Satura2on (same hue) ì Constant Satura2on (same intensity, different colors) ì Pure Hues – fully saturated colors; high intensity ì Grayer Hues – desaturated colors; low intensity ì Lightness – “Brightness/Luminance/Value” – property changed by adding either white or black. ì Range Used – Dark (0%) to Fully Illuminated (100%) ì Tint – White added to a color ì Tone – Gray added to a color; midtones ì Shade – Black added to a color
of colors in the visible spectrum. ì Can be a variant of a color model. Adobe RGB, Apple RGB, and sRGB are examples of different color spaces based on the same color model. ì Gamut – full range of colors that can be recreated within a color space. ì Each device (computer monitor, scanner, desktop printer, prin2ng press, digital camera) operates within a different color space and each has a different gamut. ì Out-‐of-‐gamut color – a color that cannot be produced on a device, because it’s considered to be outside the color space of that par2cular device. A] Visual Spectrum B] RGB Gamut C] CMYK Gamut
digital device operates within a different color space and each has a unique gamut ì Designs must account for gamut limita:ons of targeted use, output and visual delivery methods ì Uncorrected out-‐of-‐gamut colors in a design are clipped (lost) in final produc2on A] Visual Spectrum B] RGB + CMYK Gamut Overlay C] Device Gamuts (RGB or CMYK)
ì Addi2ve; based on light and vision ì More colors (16.7 million) in RGB than in CMYK ì Larger gamut than CMYK ì Colors generally vibrant ì Blues and Bright Greens look beUer ì First choice for design workflow ì Mul2-‐use designs: web, video, screen ì Photoshop, Image edi2ng/composi2ng ì More FX and color correc2on available ì Maintain na2ve (editable) files in RGB; convert to CMYK as close to the prin2ng stage as possible ì CMYK Color Space ì Subtrac2ve; for inks, dyes, paints ì Less colors (10 million?) can be created in CMYK than in RGB ì Narrower gamut than RGB ì Colors generally flaUer/duller ì Some Reds and Burgundies look beUer ì Conversion from RGB later in workflow ì Print-‐specific designs ì Limited color correc2on available ì Files (converted to CMYK from RGB) are generally flaUened and exported for use
space for Scanners, Digital Cameras, Monitors and Inkjet Printers ì Used by ar2sts, photographers and designers ì Mixing colors (light) increases brightness ì CMYK ì Limited color space for Color Prin2ng (“4C Process”) ì Process Primaries (CMY) are combined on press, with Black (K) to enhance value ì Mixing colors (ink) decreases brightness
and Screen ì Brighter, more vivid colors ì For ini2al color-‐correc2ons, retouching, and archiving editable originals ì Smaller files because of less channels (pixel data) ì CMYK ì For Color Prin2ng ì Duller, flaUer colors ì For final color-‐correc2ons and archiving print-‐ready images ì Larger files because of more channels (pixel data)