We explain what color is and its different properties. We also explain how primary and secondary colors are formed, the types of synthesis, and what color psychology is.
What is color?
Color is an impression produced in the eye and interpreted by the brain when an object reflects a specific wavelength of light. All colors are contained in the visible spectrum of light, albeit at different wavelengths. Our perception can capture each one separately and identify it as a specific hue.
Things are impacted by light and interact with it in different ways. When white light, which contains all colors, hits an object, the object’s surface absorbs part of the light waves and reflects another. Thus, the human eye perceives the reflected waves and can identify them as colors. Must Read About Color Theory Once.
Humans can perceive a finite number of colors (with an enormous number of nuances) when in a well-lit environment. When the light is dimmed, we perceive the world in black and white.
Each color corresponds to a specific range of wavelengths. Within the visible spectrum, light has different energy levels: from 380 to 780 nanometers. The longer the wavelength, the lower the energy. The wavelengths of each color in the visible spectrum are:
Visible light is only a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which ranges from radio waves to gamma rays. Each type of electromagnetic radiation has a specific wavelength and frequency. Below violet is ultraviolet light, and above red is infrared.
Neither ultraviolet nor infrared can be perceived by the human eye, but certain animals can. For example, bees and other insects can see ultraviolet light, and some snakes are able to detect infrared light.
There are also specialized devices for detecting ultraviolet and infrared light, which is vitally important for disciplines such as astrophysics, meteorology, geology, medicine, and biology, as well as for color theory, a key area of knowledge for the visual arts. Must Read About Comparative Table Once.
Color wheel: The color wheel is a graphic representation that arranges colors in the form of a wheel according to their hue, to identify primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, and the analogous or complementary relationships that exist between them. There is a color wheel for each color model.
Color Properties
The properties of color are the characteristics that define how a color is perceived and how it relates to other colors. The main properties of color are:
- Hue: Also called tone or hue, this defines the difference between one color and another, depending on its wavelength and location within the color wheel.
- Saturation: This refers to the level of purity, that is, the amount of pure color compared to the amount of gray, which determines the color’s intensity.
- Luminosity or Brightness: This refers to the amount of light present in the color, on a scale ranging from black (no light) to white (full light). A brighter color will have a greater amount of white than a duller color, which will be closer to black.
Primary Colors
Primary colors are those that cannot be obtained from the combination of other colors; that is, they are the pure colors of a color model.
There are several color models. The three most common models, identified by their primary colors, are:
- RYB (red, yellow, blue): This model is the most traditional and is often used in the visual arts.
- RGB (red, green, blue): This is the model used by all display devices, from cell phones to film.
- CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow): This is the model used in all printing systems, both mechanical and laser. The “k” in the name stands for key plate, which identifies black.
Additive and Subtractive Synthesis
The process of mixing colors to obtain others is known as synthesis. The most common synthesis models are:
- Additive synthesis: Colors are superimposed to add light, so the sum of tones tends toward white. This type of synthesis is typical of the RGB model, which is used in light-emitting devices.
- Subtractive synthesis: Colors are superimposed to subtract light, so the sum of tones tends toward black. This type of synthesis is typical of the CMYK and RYB models, which use inks and pigments on a physical surface.
Secondary colors
Secondary colors are those that can be obtained by mixing two primary colors in equal parts. Depending on the color model, the secondary colors that can be obtained are the following:
Color psychology
Color psychology is the branch of psychology that studies human behavior and emotions in response to the perception of colors. Each culture has its own interpretation of color, which means that the effect of exposure to certain hues is not the same for everyone.
In the West, emotional or behavioral patterns have been identified associated with specific hues. Red is associated with increased heart rate, tension, and boldness; yellow with joy, speed, and anxiety; orange with appetite and fun; green with nature, balance, and harmony; blue with confidence, efficiency, and coldness; violet with mystery and elegance; and black with oppression and luxury.
This information is used in areas such as marketing, advertising, and medicine to influence people’s attitudes and accentuate or attenuate specific behaviors. Must Read About Sport Once.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, which ensure reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- Albers, J. (2010). Color Interaction. Alliance.
- Nassau, K. (2024). Color. Encyclopedia Britannica. britannica.com
