MUNSELL COLOR SYSTEM

Munsell Color System

The system consists of three independent dimensions which can be represented cylindrically in three dimensions as an irregular color solid: 1. hue, measured by degrees around horizontal circles; 2. chroma, measured radially outward from the neutral (gray) vertical axis; and 3. value, measured vertically from 0 (black) to 10 (white).

HUE

Red Yellow Green Blue Purple

Hue Change

HUE

VALUE
Value, or lightness, varies vertically along the color solid, from black (value 0) at the bottom, to white (value 10) at the top. Neutral grays lie along the vertical axis between black and white

VALUES ( Lightness )
Three hues in the Munsell color model. Each color differs in value from top to bottom in equal perception steps. The right column undergoes a dramatic change in perceived color

VALUES ( Lightness )
Three hues in the Munsell color model. Each color differs in value from top to bottom in equal perception steps. The right column undergoes a dramatic change in perceived color

CHROMA ( Color Purity )

Chroma, measured radially from the center of each slice, represents the purity of a color, with lower chroma being less pure (more washed out, as in pastels

CHROMA
Mute Colors

CHROMA
Mute Colors Chroma 50%

CHROMA
Chroma 00% Chroma 50%