Color measurement and

communication
2012 E.C
 CHAPTER 1
Basics of color
 Introduction

• When viewing any scene, the human visual system is able to extract information regarding
light wavelength, which is why we see in colour.

• The advantages for our ancestors are clear: seeing in colour makes it easier to
detect food, such as the colour of fruit against the green of a leafy background,
and the ability to detect animals hidden from view, be they predators

• Today it’s not surprising to realise that most information is actually colour-coded
Traffic signs, advertising, graphic design, the internet.
 What is color?

• Colour, is the aspect of any object that may be described in terms of hue, lightness, and
saturation.

• Color (American English), or colour (Commonwealth English), is the characteristic of

human visual perception described through color categories, with names such as red,
orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple.

• This perception of color derives from the stimulation of cone cells in the human eye by
electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum.
 Cont…

• According to Colorimetry of the optical society of America,

“Color is the general name for all sensations arising from the activity of the

retina of the eye and its attached nervous mechanism, a specific response to

radiant energy of certain wavelength and intensity”

 Some Frequently used terms
• Stimuli:- Stimuli are things that provoke a response or activity, or that
cause organs or tissues in the body to react in a certain way.
• Luminance: intensity of light
Bright lights that make your eyes squint shut are an example of visual stimuli.
entering the eye
• Hue: dominant wavelength of light entering the eye
• Lightness: luminance of a reflecting
• Saturation: inversely proportional to amount of white light mixed with pure object
color: • Brightness: luminance of a light
• Red - fully saturated
source (radiance)
• pink - partially saturated

• white - fully unsaturated

Interaction of Light, Color and the Eye
 How We See Color?

• It’s a feature of an object (or thing) like texture, shape, smoothness depends on
• Spectral characteristics of the light illuminating the object

• Spectral properties of the object (reflectance)

• Spectral characteristics of the sensors of the imaging device (e.g. the human eye or a
camera)

• Reflectance relative to other things in environment?

• Reflectance relative to our expectations? Food court example.

 What influences the
perception of color?

1. light source
2. object being viewed
3. observer (person)
Observer Situation

Color Perception
 Interaction of Light and object

• Light:-
• Light is a form of energy and propagates in the form of electromagnetic waves(EMW).

• Wavelength, is an important characteristics of EMW it varies from fraction of nanometre

(nm) ( 1nm= 10 -7cms ) to kilometers.

• The characteristics of EMW changes with wavelengths, due to this reason they are identified
by different names:

Gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, visible rays, microwave rays, and radio-wave rays
A triangular prism dispersing a beam of white light. The longer
wavelengths (red) and the shorter wavelengths (blue) get separated.
Electromagnetic radiation is characterized by its
wavelength, , Frequency,  and energy, E: cc==ffl l cc==33xx10
108m/s
8
m/s
E = h= hc /  c=
Where h = Planck’s constant &
c = speed of light in a vacuum.

(a) longer wavelength, lower

energy;
(b) shorter wavelength,
higher energy.
 Interaction ….. Cont’d

• When light strikes an object,

It will be wholly or partly transmitted.

It will be wholly or partly reflected.

It will be wholly or partly absorbed.

 Physical surface properties dictate what happens

• When we see an object as blue or red or purple,

• what we're really seeing is a partial reflection of light from that object.

• The color we see is what's left of the spectrum after part of it is absorbed by the
object.
 Interaction cont’d

• Source of light is characterized by the relative Daylight D65

power distribution at different wavelengths.

• Light sources may be :

• Incandescent lamp;

• Arc lamp;
TL 84 Fluorescent
• Fluorescent lamp.
 Interaction cont’d

• The perceptual description of color depends on:

– Spectral power distribution of the source;
– Energy reflected by the object at different wavelengths and;

– Spectral sensitivity of the eye.

• Therefore, the change of spectral power distribution of illuminating beam
will also change the perceptual description of the color of the object.
Interaction of light with Human Eye
 Cont’d
Retina have two types of light receptors:

Cones are located in the fovea and are sensitive to color.

• Each one is connected to its own nerve end.

• Cone vision is called photopic (or bright-light vision).

Rods give a general, overall picture of the field of view and are not involved
in color vision.
• Several rods are connected to a single nerve and are

• Sensitive to low levels of illumination (scotopic or dimlight vision).

 Essential Elements of Color

• There are three elements of color:-

 Hue

 Value and

 Chroma
 Hue - H - Color

• Hues denote qualities that can be differentiated by color words such as red, yellow, green,
blue or purple.

• Between red and yellow there is an infinite number of colors possessing the elements of both
these colors.

• We refer to these intermediate colors as yellowish-red, reddish-orange, orange, yellowish-

orange, reddish-yellow and so on.

• As hues change, so do their emotional expressions, shifting from warm to cool.

• This dimension concerns the "warmth" of colors.

 Value - V - Brightness

• This describes the relative brightness of colors.

• As well as differentiating colors by their hues, we can express them as brighter or darker.

• Bright yellow is a pure bright color.

• Clear blue, though pure, is a darker color.

• The color of the sky is clear and bright, but olive(sea green) has a color value that is
dark.
 Cont’d

• Bright colors are crisp and refreshing, giving a pleasant, cheerful impression.

• Dark colors are heavy and subdued (serious).

• This is the dimension of color "weighting."

 Chroma - C - Brilliance

• Apart from hue and brightness, colors can be differentiated by their brilliance or

strength.

• Take the red color range.

• You may have the powerful glow of the red "sun" in the Japanese flag or a

somber brick-red.
 Cont’d

• The brilliance or dullness of colors can be expressed in quantitative terms on

the basis of chroma (C).

• A brilliant color stands out and strikes us as gorgeous.

• A dull color creates a quiet, subdued impression, the image we frequently

associate with gentler, more refined colors.

• This is the dimension of color brilliance.

 Color and Creativity
• Creativity:- is defined as production of novel and useful ideas and innovation as
implementation of creative ideas.

• Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed.

• The creation may be intangible (such as an idea, a scientific theory,) or a physical object
(such as an invention, a literary work, or a painting).

• It is the ability every human being has to think differently from everyone else regarding
everyday problems and situations.
 How creativity is affected by color?

• Colors are not merely descriptors.

• Scientific evidence shows that observing colors can affect a person’s mood.

• The human brain associates colors with where they are seen in nature.

• It is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood,
and cause physiological reactions.

• Certain colors can raise blood pressure, increase metabolism, or cause eyestrain. 
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us e c ou rs
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 Cont’d

o Since, we’re highly preoccupied by creativity and how one can enhance it in

ones self, what follows is a look into how colors can make you more creative

and more likely to think outside the box and why that is.

o There seems to be universal agreement that color associations link mental or

emotional reactions with specific colors acting as a stimulus.

 Assignment #1
(At least five page for each)

1. Explain the significance of colors for human.

2. Write and explain the emotional meaning of at least 10 colors.

 Classifications of color

• There are numerous colours all around us.

• The classification of these colours have been devised to organise and identify

colours.

• A most familiar one is the 12 hue “Colour Wheel”.

• These colours can be classified either according to their origin or properties.

 Cont’d

• The most common classifications are as follows:-

1) Primary, Secondary and Tertiary colours

2) Warm and cool colours

3) Neutral colours

4) Metallic colours
 Primary Colours

•  - These are colours that cannot be created through the mixing of other colours.

• They are colours in their own right.

• The three primary colours can be  RED - YELLOW - BLUE.

 Secondary colours

• The colours formed by mixing two primary colours in equal quantities are
called secondary colours.
• These are orange, green, and purple.
 Cont’d
• The colour wheel can be used to help remember primary and secondary colours.

• The secondary colours are in between the primary colours - for example - between red and
blue is purple.
 Tertiary colours
• These are formed by mixing a primary and a secondary colour in equal
quantities.
• For example, blue (primary) and green (secondary) mix to form blue-green
(tertiary).
 Warm and Cool colours

• If you split the colour wheel vertically down the center, one side will have all
the warm colours and one side will have all the cool colours.
 Warm colours

• These are red, orange, yellow, etc.

• These colours have the element of fire or sun within them.

• They project a feeling of warmth.

• They create a visual impact of reduced size and length.

• These are encouraging colours that produce a feeling of excitement and

happiness
 Cool colours

• These are blue, green, purple, etc.

• They have the element of vegetation or water in them and project a cool feeling.

• These are peaceful colours that give a feeling of rest and repose as well as
create a visual impact of enhanced size and length.

• These colours can be used to create embroidered pieces for summers.

• They also provide a balance to vibrant warm colours.

 Cont’d
• Warm and cool colours are complementary to each other and always create
very interesting effects.

• The warmth and coolness of colours like green and purple, which are formed

by mixing one warm and one cool colour are dependent upon the amount of

primary colour used to prepare the secondary colour.

 Neutral colours

• Did you notice that we have not talked about white, black, grey, brown, tan,
beige etc.

• These are called neutral colours.

• They form a very effective background for bright colours.

• Whenever we are not sure of a right colour scheme (A colour combination that
matches and looks pleasing to the eye), neutral colours come in very handy.
Thank you