Primary color
Primary colors are in the narrower sense, the theory in a selected color space as a reference underlying color stimuli.
In a broader sense, it is useful for mixing the colorants to achieve a specific color perception.
Terms
Generally
Based on the experience of the artist there is a " three-color theory ": Red, Yellow, Blue. These are the basic colors from which all other is miscible. However, there are the three valences of red, green and blue, to which the phosphors of the monitor can be optimally tuned for the RGB color space. As a final example then are still the primary colors of a multicolor print, eg ink-jet printing, called: yellow, magenta ( purple ) and cyan ( blue-green).
Spectral
Spectral colors are luminous, pure colors as they appear in the solar spectrum, on the edge of a CD or a rainbow. Newton arranged for the sacred number seven this continuum seven basic colors: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, yellow-red, red, although the continuum provides a continuous sequence of colors. The "white" light is dispersed by diffraction or interference effects in the " colorful " colors of the spectrum. More specifically, it is the color stimuli are perceived by the wavelength-dependent splitting as color stimuli. A spectral color is typically the appearance of a " single " wavelength or (real ) monochromatic light. " Mixtures " of several spectral colors is called Valenzfarben, the Valenzfarbe Magenta is a " superposition " of the spectral colors violet and red
Color stimulus
The triggering event of the perceived color is a color, the following calculated value ( numeric value or vector) is from the color stimulus.
In drafting the CIE standard colorimetric system - three primaries were determined as a calibration color values that are derived from the sensitivities of the three cones. Thus the LMS primaries correspond to the color space, thereby the L- pins ( valence ) is designated, the M pins, the primary stimulus and associated with the derived from the sensitivity range of the S-cones primary valence is designated. These primaries are used as the basis vectors of a three-dimensional color space. The letters L, M and S for the pins are available for long-, medium - and shortwave.
In the early days of color measurement, these primaries were measured indirectly. This measurement technique has been withdrawn ( by changing the comparison light ) light, so to speak, color removed. To avoid such negative color values , according to the calculation rules for vectors virtual Grundvalenzen were derived, which span the color space, these are
Primary color
Although the visible spectrum and also the diversity of all shades practically form a continuum, a limitation to a few color names is necessary for the communication. Depending on the language and culture, there are usually two to six names for colors, which also act as primary colors.
If only two basic colors differed, then these are usually " black" and " white " better "light " and " dark " or even (night) and blue (light) yellow. As a rule of that languages that differ more than two colors (Black / White ), first "Red" know as the third color. For Goethe is "Blue" for " dark " ( unit), "yellow" for bright and light as a base color, red ( and green) is from a mixture.
In the experience of the painter, and then justified theoretically in the French Blonde and Young's three-color theory, these are: Red, Yellow, Blue. These are basic colors from which everything else is ermischbar. According to the opponent-color theory of Ewald Hering exist four basic colors, these are the pairs of green-red and blue-yellow (in addition to light-dark ).
There are the three valences Red, Green, Blue, on the phosphors of the monitor can be optimally tuned for the RGB color space. In the alternative, a yellow is co-opted in order to better simulate the LMS color space of the eye in newer devices again.
Primary colors and secondary colors
Primary colors is called the output colors of an imaginary or actual mixing process. It is the light colors, a red, a green and a blue for the additive mixture. For the subtractive mixing primary colors are the body color "cyan", "yellow" and "magenta", how it is used, for example, to process colors in color printing. Secondary colors are mixtures of two primary colors.
Rudolf Arnheim is advisable to distinguish between " generative " and " fundamental" primary colors. Generative primary colors are colors that are used for mixing, so to generate secondary colors. Fundamental primaries, however, are the primary colors of the psychological level. It shows that subjects can describe each color well by describing the colors as mixtures of the four colors red, yellow, green and blue ( based on the NCS ). However, it is psychologically almost impossible to imagine a yellow as a mixture of red and green (ie in additive mixing ). Also, a " bluish yellow " hardly conceivable as a yellow-green (as subtractive mixing ).
Optimal colors
Deepened by Wilhelm Ostwald and Robert Luther, the concept of optimal colors for idealized colors that are based on excerpts from the spectrum, the intensity only assume the values 0 and 1 was created. Depending on the location of the jump wavelengths there are blue Kurzendfarben, green coloring, red and violet Langendfarben means false color.
Chiaroscuro, achromatic
Slightly off the bright colors there are black and white, the " extreme " cases of neutral gray. This achromatic play a special role since it ( just now ) are not colorful.
When Wilhelm Ostwald, the terms are used as veiled (which is ties of transparent ) and verweißlichte colors that he opposed the optimal colors. The breakthrough for this managed Siegfried Rösch by he derived the concept of the relative brightness of the optimal colors.
Full color
In Ostwald's color circle Full Colour is the name of the variegation. They are the purest and gesättigsten ( as narrowly defined ) optimal colors. In this color system, the color of black are dull so less saturated ties of transparent. The addition of white, the Verweißlichen, implies an increase in the brightness of the color. When the white share of the Percentage of full- color displaces one obtains the Unbuntfarbe white. The total percentage sum " color = Full color proportion v w Black White share share s' is always at 100 %, more than color is not.
Unique hues
Ewald Hering placed the four primary colors red, yellow, blue and green, the color pairs exclude red / green, blue / yellow each other as complementary colors, his theory is based.
Küppers uses for his color theory the concept of primary colors for color sensations orange-red (R ), green ( G) and violet blue (B). These primary colors result from the ( symbolized ) "sensation strength " of the eye, as this ultimately the LMS color space are according to reason.
Basic colors in Languages
The perceived continuously color circle can be divided by different colors. What is known or perceived as color, depends on cultural traditions and conventions.
In the European system ( Indo-European -speaking ) to appoint four ( or six) colors: in addition to " Black " and " White " are the four basic " colorful " colors " red", " blue ", " yellow" and " green " known. This naming system is relatively young. In ancient times, yet were completely different colors. Even in Old High German could be translated as "yellow" and " Blao " the Latin word flavus ( "yellow" ) alike. Both color words are probably of Germanic origin.
Germanic color names penetrated after the migration period in the Romance languages A: The color Germanic words "gel " (yellow, English " yellow" ) can be found as " giallo 'in Italian and similar part in other Romance languages again. "Blu " and Catalan: the Old High German " Blao " (blue) It has also been adopted by several Romance languages : fr: "bleu ", it " blue ".
Even the word " blanc" (in French and Catalan c. For " white ", as Italian "bianco ", Spanish for " blanco " and port. " branco " ) has a " blank" still recognizable in the German word Germanic origins. The actual Latin word for " white " was against albus (see album ), which in Portuguese " alvo " ( " white ", " pure" ), the Romanian " alb " ( "white" ) and the Spanish " alba " ( " dawn " ) lives on. Compare also blanco and oscurro ( bright and dim ).
The French from older ( south ) varieties known color word " azure " (cf. " Côte d' Azur " ) is also found in Italian: " azzurro " and Spanish " azul" again. Originated Italian Speaking feel "blu " ( dark blue ) and " azzurro " (sky blue ) as a completely different basic colors, which represent about yellows and greens for a German-speaking different colors. For the Romans, the sky was not "blue", but " bright".
In Greek, " χλωρός " ( chloros ) stands for " yellow- green" ( cf. the element chlorine, and chlorophyll ), " γλαυκός " ( Glaucos ) is a blunt ' blue-gray- green "( cf. glaucoma).
The Japanese language knows except the borrowing of " gurin " (green) from the English category not green, but rather is " green " considered (yellow ) shade of blue ( development language ).
The Chinese language distinguishes two kinds of green :绿色( lü s) or only绿( lü ) for a bright, rather yellowish green and青色( qing s) for a rich, bluish about going green, turquoise or cyan.
Other color spaces and models
- RGB color space
- CMYK color model
- HSV color space