Color Basics and Color Models

Color Basics

• Color: a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 380-780 nanometers (nm)
• Visible spectrum: the range of colors visible to the human eye (380-780 nm)
• Color properties:
  • Hue: the actual color (e.g., red, blue, green)
  • Saturation: the purity or intensity of the color
  • Lightness: the brightness of the color

Color Models

• RGB (Red, Green, Blue) model: used for digital displays, combines red, green, and blue light to create colors
• CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) model: used for printing, combines cyan, magenta, and yellow inks to create colors
• XYZ model: a device-independent color model, uses X (red), Y (green), and Z (blue) coordinates to describe colors

Color Measurement

• Colorimetry: the science of measuring color
• Colorimeters: devices that measure color, including:
  • Spectrophotometers: measure reflectance or transmittance of light
  • Tristimulus colorimeters: measure color using RGB or XYZ coordinates
• Color measurement units:
  • CIELAB (L*a*b*): a color space that describes colors using lightness (L*) and chromaticity coordinates (a*, b*)
  • CIE XYZ: a color space that describes colors using X, Y, and Z coordinates

Color Standards and Systems

• Color standards: reference points for color measurements, such as the CIE 1931 color space
• Color systems: frameworks for organizing and communicating color information, such as the Pantone color matching system

Color Basics

• Color is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 380-780 nanometers (nm)
• The visible spectrum, which is the range of colors visible to the human eye, falls between 380-780 nm
• Colors have three main properties: hue (the actual color), saturation (the purity or intensity of the color), and lightness (the brightness of the color)

Color Models

• The RGB model combines red, green, and blue light to create colors, primarily used for digital displays
• The CMYK model combines cyan, magenta, and yellow inks to create colors, primarily used for printing
• The XYZ model is a device-independent color model that uses X (red), Y (green), and Z (blue) coordinates to describe colors

Color Measurement

• Colorimetry is the science of measuring color
• Colorimeters are devices that measure color, including spectrophotometers and tristimulus colorimeters
• Spectrophotometers measure the reflectance or transmittance of light
• Tristimulus colorimeters measure color using RGB or XYZ coordinates
• Color measurement units include CIELAB (Lab*) and CIE XYZ, which describe colors using lightness and chromaticity coordinates

Color Standards and Systems

• Color standards are reference points for color measurements, such as the CIE 1931 color space
• Color systems are frameworks for organizing and communicating color information, such as the Pantone color matching system

Understand the basics of color, including the visible spectrum, color properties, and color models such as RGB.