Color Models and Color Applications: CMSC 161: Interactive Computer Graphics

Color Models and Color
Applications
CMSC 161: Interactive Computer
Graphics
Properties of Light
Perceived light is a narrow frequenc !and within the

electromagnetic spectrum
Since light is an electromagnetic energ" we can

descri!e the various colors in terms of either the
frequenc f or the wavelength
Properties of Light
Dominant frequency # hue # color of the o!$ect
Brightness % the perceived intensit of the light
Purity or saturation % how washed out or how &pure' the color of light
appears
If two color sources com!ine to produce light" the are referred to as
complementary colors
(he two or three colors used to produce other colors in a color model
are referred to as primary colors
(he range of colors that can !e descri!ed ! com!inations of other
colors is called a color gamut
The Human Eye
)etina contains rods *for !lac+ and white, and cones *for
colors,
(he visual pigments in the cones have pea+ sensitivit at

wavelengths of a!out 6-. nm *red," /-. nm *green, and
0/. nm *!lue,
Color Blindness and Tests
)ed # green !lindness
1lue !lindness
2thers
% Cones missing
% Cones too similar
Standard Primaries
In 13-1" the International Commission on Illumination

1

esta!lished an international standard for primar colors
% 4ll other colors can !e descri!ed as weighted sums of the three
primaries
% 5ach primar represents an imaginar color
If 4" 1 and C represent the amounts of the standard

primaries needed to match a given color" *normali6ed,
components of the color are represented as
% 7 8 4 # *4 9 1 9 C,
% 8 1 # *4 9 1 9 C,
% 6 8 C # *4 9 1 9 C,
% where 6 is also 1 % *7 9 ,
1
International Commission on Illumination" referred to as the CI5 *Commission Internationale de l:;clairage,
CE Chromaticity Diagram
Plotting 7 and for all visi!le colors produces a *tongue<

shaped, chromaticit diagram !ased on the wavelengths
in nm
CE Chromaticity Diagram
Can !e used to
% Compare and represent color
gamuts
% Identif complementar colors
% =etermine dominant
wavelength and purit
ntuiti!e Color Concepts
Starting with the pigment for a &pure color'

% 4rtist adds a !lac+ pigment to produce different shades of that
color
% 4dd a while pigment to o!tain different tints of the color
% Produce tones ! adding !oth white and !lac+ pigments
% Palettes % define mood or message
"!er!ie# of Color Models
4 color model is a method for e7plaining the properties or

!ehavior of color within some particular conte7t
(he following color models are hardware<oriented *do not

relate to concepts of hue" saturation and !rightness,
% )G1
% CM>
% >I? *and relative >@A,
Color ordering spaces are used to find colors according to

some criterionB user<oriented
% CSA
% CDS
Eo single color model can e7plain all aspects of color

$%B Color Model
1ased on the tristimulus theory of vision" our ees

perceive color through the stimulation of the three visual
pigments in the cones of the retina
Pea+ sensivit
4dditive color model *!asis for video monitor,

CM& 'and CM&() Color Model
Primar colors: can" magenta" ellow
Su!tractive color model *!asis for hardcop devices,

&* Color Model
)ecoded )G1 for transmission efficienc" compati!ilit

with !lac+ and white !roadcast (A
(he Eational (elevision Sstem Committee *E(SC, color

model for forming the composite video signal
% Duminance *!rightness, information is contained in the >
parameter
% Chromaticit information *hue and purit, is incorporated into
the I and ? parameters
&+, Color Model
5ncodes a color image or video ! ta+ing into account

human perception:
% )educed !andwith for chrominance components
% =efines a color space in terms of one luma *>, and two
chrominance *@A, components
% @ and A can !e thought of as F and > coordinates within the
color space
(he weights used to compute > are identical to those

used in the >I? color space
@sed ! P4D *Phase 4lternating Dine," an analog color

(A encoding sstem
HS, Color Model
More intuitive model derived from

the )G1 color model
@ser specifies
% Color
% 4mount of !lac+ and white to achieve
the desired shade" tint and tone
% Cue G.H" -6.HI" saturation G." 1I
and value G." 1I components
HS, Color Model
Color definition:
% Select hue: S 8 1" A 8 1
% 4dd !lac+ pigment: decrease A
% 4dd white pigment: decrease S
HLS Color Model
(hree parameters: hue G.H"

-6.HI" lightness G." 1I and
saturation G." 1I
=ou!le cone model
Shade" tint and tone are achieved

! ad$usting D and S
nteracti!e Tools
Color Perception
5es focus on colors according to their frequencies" causing them
to appear at different depths
(he perceived color of a colored area is affected ! the color of
the surrounding area
Colors tend to loo+
% =ar+er and smaller against white
% Dighter and larger against !lac+
Color Perception
Color codes can easil carr unintended meanings *eJgJ

displaing compan earnings in red and green,
1lue and !lac+ var ver little in !rightnessB ellow on

white is relativel hard to distinguish
(he ee cannot distinguish the color of ver small

o!$ects
If a user stares at a large area of highl saturated color

for several seconds and then loo+s elsewhere" an
afterimage of the large area will appear
% =isconcerting
% Causes ee strain
Color Selection and Applications
2!tain a set of coordinating colors

% Set from a su!space of a color model
% Select at regular intervals along straight lines in the )G1 or
CM> cu!e
% )estrict colors to one half or less of the CSA he7acone
% (ints and shades !lend !etter than pure hues
@se a small num!er of colors

% 4 little color can !e more effective than a lot
Kor !ac+ground" use

% Gra or
% 4 complement of the foreground color
Color Selection and Applications
Create harmon: use a group of colors that loo+ pleasing

in com!ination
% Aar hues in lightness and saturation
% Palette should contain contrast *light and dar+ tones" pastel
and saturated ones,
=onLt use color that doesnLt support or add to the

meaning of the information displaed
Create all components of a G@I in monochrome then

add color to enhance usa!ilit
% @se strong color in small details onl" such as icons
+sing Colors Effecti!ely in C%
4void colored te7t on colored !ac+ground where legi!ilit

is important
Color is a powerful and attractive aspect of our

e7perience of the world
% Color shapes our perception" interpretation and memor of
everthing we see
Proper handling and understanding of color is necessar

at ever step
Man different factors influence how the color will !e

seen:
% (pe of displa device
% (he viewing environment
% (he visual capa!ilit of the user
% (he tas+ and application requirements
% Position of other graphical windows and displas
(here is no eas formula that will wor+ in all

circumstances
In Computer Graphics" careful use of colors helps to get

the message across
% 4void clutter
% 5mphasi6e legi!ilit
% 4ccommodate the viewer

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Color Models and Color

Perceived light is a narrow frequenc !and within the

Since light is an electromagnetic energ" we can

(he visual pigments in the cones have pea+ sensitivit at

)ed # green !lindness

In 13-1" the International Commission on Illumination

If 4" 1 and C represent the amounts of the standard

Plotting 7 and for all visi!le colors produces a *tongue<

Starting with the pigment for a &pure color'

4 color model is a method for e7plaining the properties or

(he following color models are hardware<oriented *do not

Color ordering spaces are used to find colors according to

Eo single color model can e7plain all aspects of color

1ased on the tristimulus theory of vision" our ees

4dditive color model *!asis for video monitor,

Primar colors: can" magenta" ellow

Su!tractive color model *!asis for hardcop devices,

)ecoded )G1 for transmission efficienc" compati!ilit

(he Eational (elevision Sstem Committee *E(SC, color

5ncodes a color image or video ! ta+ing into account

(he weights used to compute > are identical to those

@sed ! P4D *Phase 4lternating Dine," an analog color

More intuitive model derived from

(hree parameters: hue G.H"

=ou!le cone model

Shade" tint and tone are achieved

Color codes can easil carr unintended meanings *eJgJ

1lue and !lac+ var ver little in !rightnessB ellow on

(he ee cannot distinguish the color of ver small

If a user stares at a large area of highl saturated color

2!tain a set of coordinating colors

@se a small num!er of colors

Kor !ac+ground" use

Create harmon: use a group of colors that loo+ pleasing

=onLt use color that doesnLt support or add to the

Create all components of a G@I in monochrome then

4void colored te7t on colored !ac+ground where legi!ilit

Color is a powerful and attractive aspect of our

Proper handling and understanding of color is necessar

Man different factors influence how the color will !e

(here is no eas formula that will wor+ in all

In Computer Graphics" careful use of colors helps to get

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