Color

Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue, and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light (distribution of light power versus wavelength) interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors. Color categories and physical specifications of color are also associated with objects, materials, light sources, etc., based on their physical properties such as light absorption, reflection, or emission spectra. By defining a color space, colors can be identified numerically by their coordinates. Because perception of color stems from the varying spectral sensitivity of different types of cone cells in the retina to different parts of the spectrum, colors may be defined and quantified by the degree to which they stimulate these cells. These physical or physiological quantifications of color, however, do not fully explain the psychophysical perception of color appearance.

Three Properties of Color

HUE When we speak about color, there are three basic properties, or traits, that we can refer to. One is the name of the color as it is labeled on the color wheel. This property of color is referred to as hue. Common hues include red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

VALUE Another property of color is value. Value refers to the darkness and lightness of a color. If a color is very light, we say it is a high-value color. When a color is very dark, we say that its value is low.

INTENSITY
Two colors can be the same hue and the same value, yet be two different colors. How can this be? Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a color. Look at the two colors of blue here. They are about the same value and they are both the hue of blue.

HIGH INTENSITY
Theoretically, the highest intensity that a color can be is its hue as shown on the color wheel.

LOW INTENSITY
The dullest a color can be is gray.

COLOR BASICS

PRIMARY COLORS

Red, yellow, and blue are primary colors. They are the three pigment colors that cannot be made by mixing any other colors. These three colors are mixed to create all other colors and can be combined with white or black to create tints (lighter tones) and shades (darker hues) of these colors

SECONDARY COLORS
Orange, green, and purple are secondary colors. They are created by mixing two of the three primary colors together.

TERTIARY COLORS

Tertiary colors are formed by mixing two secondary colors. For instance, combining green and orange make a wheat color, while orange and violet make brick. Tertiary colors are sophisticated and add wonderful variety to a color scheme.