BOOK ONE OF COLOR MANAGEMENT

Color fundamentals and

Color perception
 Chapter 1

Introduction
What is color?
We live in a world rich in sensory experiences – sight,
smell, taste, touch – which we are continuously sampling.
Our visual system is an amazing tool. Using our ability to
detect both subtle and large color differences, we process
and discriminate millions of different colors. It is the basis
for learning the shape, size and arrangement of objects
in our world and we rely on it to successfully navigate our
environment.
Our perception of color is not created at the moment
of vision. Our experience of color is created through
the exchange of information between the eye and the
brain. The brain receives the sensory input from the
receptors in the eye, and processes that information by
applying a highly complex classification system. This is an
instantaneous and ongoing process.

Color vs. Appearance

The experience we call color influences and is, in turn,
influenced by other aspects of objects in our world.
Texture, gloss, opacity – the look and feel of a surface
– along with illumination all contribute to the color we
perceive. However, we tend to separate those appearance
attributes as being independent of the materials that color
an object. For example, one may change the appearance
of a plastic cup by embossing a texture into its smooth
surface. In some lighting conditions, the change can
dramatically change the cups’ color. That mechanism is
very different from creating a color change by changing Red in different
the recipe of dyes or pigments used to make the plastic surroundings
cup.
The eye/brain combination is far superior to any
instrument/computer interface for integrating all of
the visual information it receives. Instrumental color
evaluation systems do not yet have the ability to accurately
process color and appearance properties. However, they
can precisely analyze the color of an object and have
become invaluable tools in the specification, production
and inspection of commercial products.

Red in different light

01 Datacolor | Color and color measurement

 Light – eye – brain

The colors of objects We also know that our color vision acuity depends upon
The objects in our world obtain their color by absorbing the overall illumination level. In full daylight, the cones
various rays and reflecting others (depending on the and the rods work together and produce a detailed
material). Water, for example, absorbs long-wavelength picture of the scene we are viewing – both color and
light much better than short-wavelength light. The red part lightness levels. As the light fades only the rods receive
of the sunlight is therefore already absorbed after a just a sufficient stimulation, and the perception of color
few metres under water. Going deeper, the orange, yellow becomes increasingly limited. As the overall lighting level
and green colored parts disappear one after another. The decreases we can only see shadows and shapes, but we
blue light, on the other hand, is absorbed the least and no longer see color.
reflected the most, so consequently it is reflected to the Understanding the physics of color vision made it possible
surface – and that is why our seas are blue. Nature's rich to develop a method for measuring the response of the
color spectrum is therefore nothing other than differently eye to color stimulus.
absorbed and reflected components of our sunlight.
When we see color, we are basically seeing colored
light that previously took a detour over the surface of an
object. Eye and brain - a good team
Therefore, color is not simply there. It is generated only
at the moment of vision. Our perception of color is
composed from the cooperation between the eyes and
The Visual System the brain. The brain receives and processes the impulses
Our eyes contain two types of cells, or photoreceptors, of light and lightness according to a highly complex
which are responsible for our experience of color. They classification system, better than any computer in the
are located in the retina. world. Every moment, our vision is continuously processed
„„ Rods are sensitive to overall lightness intensity, and and interpreted anew, and so we can perceive colors.
they do not detect color. If rods were the only type
of receptors present in our retina, we would live in a
black-and-white world.
„„ Cones are responsible for our color vision. There are
three different types of cones. Each type is sensitive to
a different wavelength range, which corresponds to
red, green and blue.

Chapter 01 | Introduction 02
03 Datacolor | Color and color measurement
Chapter 2

Form of appearance and color

The first product claim
Our eyes provide sensory signals about objects in our
environment and their properties, such as color, gloss,
shape, texture, and transparency. However, this is
not a direct translation of data in and awareness out.
Before creating conscious perception, the brain samples
and processes those sensory signals. The observer’s
experiences with similar objects, similar scenes,
and lighting influence our mind’s interpretations.
Mood, age, and physical condition affect
our judgments. Psychological/neurological
processes transform sensory data into experience and
subjective evaluation. Indeed, color is a
psycho-physical phenomenon with perceptions of
color extending beyond the recognition of objects to
their favorability – whether they are pleasing or
distasteful, desirable or repulsive or of high or low
quality.

The Importance of Product Appearance

The psychological component of perception
receives great attention in the design and
manufacture of commercial products. Manufacturers
know that observers connect a product’s appearance to
a specific purpose, and life span. If the product looks
good, potential buyers will judge the
performance, purpose, and durability of the product
To ensure consistent product color, manufacturers adopt
positively as well.
objective, technical specifications f or e valuating t heir
In addition to evaluating overall appeal, buyers products. Precise color specifications h ave b ecome a n
often use color consistency to evaluate the quality integral tool for the design, manufacture and
of a product. Whether it is packs of coffee, inspection of virtually all commercial products. These
chocolate, shirts or cars, consumers have come specifications are derived from the principles of
to expect branded products on display to look the colorimetry. The discussions that follow will
same. In a group, the item that differs in appearance provide detail about fundamental principles of color
is judged as inferior, old, or defective. Consistent science that are central to the specification and
appearance increases buyer confidence in evaluation of colored products. They include
expectations of consistent performance and value. considerations about the practical application of these
Given the choice, buyers select the product principles in commercial coloring applications.
perceived as superior and familiar. The demand for
color consistency extends from the product to its
packaging and merchandising, and inconsistent color
is a powerful de-motivator regarding product
selection.

Chapter 02 | Form of appearance and color 04

Chapter 3

The natural classification of

colors
What is color?
Description of sensory perception
As very young children we detect and identify a wide variety talk about them, we lack the ability to precisely describe a
of colors. Many children develop the ability to name colors color. If you ask 10 people about the color of an object,
shortly after they have learned to speak. However, while you will typically receive 10 different descriptions.
we live with a large palette of colors and we frequently

Chroma

Hue
Lightness

The three factors

for the natural
classification of
colors

05 Datacolor | Color and color measurement

How Are colors Defined and Organized? Chroma describes the purity of a color. It is associated
Scientists have run a variety of independent tests to with the color intensity. A high chroma color produces an
determine if humans share an innate system for classifying intense color, while low chroma color is perceived as a
colors. Each of these experiments provided the subject muted color. The words brighter and duller are commonly
with a large sample of colors. The samples were similar associated with this attribute.
in texture, but covered a wide range of colors. Despite the Chroma is independent of hue, and is represented on the
sample set used, a common set of organizing characteristics color wheel by its location along the radius of the color
have appeared repeatedly in these experiments. All of the wheel. As the chroma of the color increases, the location
samples were organized by the observers based on 3 of the color moves toward the edges of the color wheel.
fundamental properties:
Lightness locates the color along an overall lightness/
„„ The dominant color (hue) darkness continuum, with white at the top and black at
„„ The intensity of the color (chroma) the bottom. It is a description of how much overall light
„„ The lightness of the color (lightness) is coming from the object. The lightness attribute is
independent of the hue and the chroma.
The shade of the color (hue) describes what we This three dimensional system for organizing and
commonly refer to as color. Although a perceived color is classifying colors has become integrated into color
composed of multiple colors, it is typically concentrated space models, color difference equations and color
within a particular range of the visible spectrum. This is tolerancing systems in wide use today.
the dominant color, violet, blue, green, yellow, orange,
red, purple, etc. The basic hues in the visible spectrum
are graphically represented via a circle, referred to as the
color wheel.
The Color is characterised by the 3
factors in visual perception: hue (red),
chroma/Colorfulness (vibrant) and
lightness (light)

Chapter 03 | The natural classification of colors 06

Chapter 4

Classification system based on

physical samples
Chromaticity diagrams and color atlases
Chromaticity diagrams are an aid to visualising a color. color names. Color classification systems such as these
They primarily aid the representation and classification of allow the material visualisation of the colors that can be
colors and therefore enable a less subjective dialogue than produced with the technology that is represented. This is
the traditional use of language. an easy way for colors to be visually assessed.
The simplest classification is a simple color palette. This
is used even today for special products, e.g. for the
Color classification systems must fulfil certain conditions:
refinement of sugar, for determining the degree of ripeness
of fruit, and so on. This color palette generally exists in „„ The color samples are classified mostly by perceived
solid form (color scale) or in liquid form (in a test tube) and parameters, such as Shade (hue), Chroma and
is numbered arbitrarily. Lightness.
„„ The number of the physically produced color samples
To represent a wide color spectrum, we turn to visual
should be as large as possible. 20 to 40 color shades
trivariance, that is, three-dimensional representation
with five to ten lightness and chroma levels in each case
methods in the form of color atlases (also called color
results in a range of 500 to 4000 color samples.
catalogues).
„„ The color samples should be on a visually uniform
Color atlases represent colors as physical samples. scale.
Individual colors are shown by means of material samples „„ The color samples should be described numerically or
(as a print, or plastic sample, for example) and a label is alphanumerically in the form of tristimulus values or
assigned. These systems are often linked with comparative using classification tables.

The principle of the

NCS Color atlas:
vertical b/w axis and
Color planes arranged
horizontally in a
circular form

07 Datacolor | Color and color measurement

There are various color atlases in circulation that are based
on different approaches, but almost all of them use two
basic principles:
„„ A vertical axis to represent the lightness (from black to
white)
„„ The circular distribution of the dominant colors (or
hues) around this axis

One of the most important works is the Munsell atlas

The principle of the
(completed in 1905 and published in 1915). The Munsell
MUNSELL color atlas
system is one of the first complete color classification
systems. This color system – the first internationally accepted
color standard – is still in use today in a refined form in
many areas, especially when it comes to the determination
of color surfaces. The Munsell color system can also be
seen as a forerunner of today's color standard, the CIE
color system.
As a painter and professor of art, A. H. Munsell was
interested in the classification of colors. For his three-
dimensional color tree, he produced samples (chips),
between which the visual color deviation was the most
constant and most regular.
Other well-known color classification systems are:
„„ The DIN standard table
„„ The OSA (Optical Society of America) color system
„„ The NCS (Natural Color System) atlas
„„ The RAL Design system
The phenomenon of metamerism (*) also plays a role. In
To use the chromaticity diagrams efficiently, you must be
order to eliminate this, the chromaticity diagrams must
aware of their precise limitations and disadvantages. Only
be viewed under standardised, known, and reproducible
the dyestuffs available on the market limit the physical
illumination conditions, such as those found in light boxes.
feasibility of the samples. Color fastness and color retention
In addition to the classification systems, there are also
are also dependent on time and are liable to ageing –
color collections, such as RAL or Pantone, which are not
the used products are rarely guaranteed for longer than 5
compiled through a classification system, but represent
years. The color deviations between the individual samples
commonly used colors that are widespread in the industry.
are often too great at the edge of the color space and too
small towards the centre. (*) More on the topic of “metamerism” can be found in
chapter 11 on page 52.

Chapter 04 | Classification system based on physical samples 08

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