How Do We See Color?
If there is no light, there is no color! So it all comes down to light. Sir Isaac Newton used a prism and discovered that white light is made of a whole range (spectrum) of colors, like those rainbow colors we see on special rainy days. When white light strikes an object, some light may go through the object and some is absorbed. The part of light that bounces off or reflects gives the object the color we see. For example, a red apple is red because it is absorbing the green and blue light and reflecting the red light. We could even say it is “rejecting” the red light.
The color-receptive portions of our eyes (our cone cells) are sensitive to red, green, and blue wavelengths of light. We see a full spectrum of color because our brain mixes the rest of the colors due to the different levels of stimulation to the individual cones. This includes non-spectral colors such as the red violets, which are referred to as “imaginary colors” since red violet isn’t part of the rainbow.
“We see color with our eyes, but experience color with our brain.”
– Professor William Lidwell
What’s the best lighting for color accuracy?
The amount and quality of light available affect how we see color. All light is not equal. Some light is full spectrum and we do have the best color accuracy when we have full spectrum light. In low light, as in the evening or on a foggy San Francisco day, we are missing the yellow and some of the red light. This light has more blue, so the reds and yellows will be a little dull in appearance. In very poor light you cannot tell navy from brown. (Have you ever put on socks in a dark closet and then noticed that they were different colors in brighter light? If there is not enough light, the difference between those colors can’t be seen.) Again: no light, no color.
Our clients ask us to provide harmonious and accurate color palettes. How does one ensure the best lighting for this endeavor? The first step is to assess the direction your color analysis room is facing. Here are the components that Mary Lou and Baunnie discussed in an activity:
Recommendations for creating the best lighting conditions for your color studio:
First–know what natural light comes into your room AND how it changes during the day.
Identify the direction of the natural light so you know what influence it has on what we see:
- North-facing – blue
- South-facing – yellow
- East-facing – green
- West-facing – red/orange
- Add consistent artificial light:
Two good resources are BlueMaxLighting.com and OttLite.com. - Choose white, black, or neutral grey for your table.
- Walls should be soft white or a light neutral.
- Take breaks – you truly can get color fatigue. Coming back with a “fresh set of eyes” can make fine-tuning your choices easier.
- Leave the palette out where you can observe it in different lights to fine-tune it.
It takes practice and repetition to really see colors. You need to exercise your color muscles.
Good exercises are painting your color wheel, doing a paint study and painting skin tones to help your brain see and distinguish colors and their tints, tones, shades, etc.
What paint pigments or tube colors give you the best palette?
It all depends on your focus and your own color bias.
If you want the ability to make bright clear colors that you can then mute, toast, shade, tone, etc., try this modern triad to make your Chromatic Neutrals:
- Quinacridone Red or Quinacridone Magenta (cool red/blue bias)
- Hansa Yellow Light (cool yellow/blue bias)
- Ultramarine Blue (Red Shade) (cool blue/red bias)
If you want warmer and more muted colors and do not care to have bright purples in the painting, try this traditional color triad to make your Chromatic Neutrals: - Cadmium Red Light (warm red/yellow bias)
- Cadmium Yellow Medium (warm yellow/red bias)
- Pthalo Blue (green/yellow) (warm blue/yellow bias)
Painting exercises actually help individuals build the sections of the brain to hold more color knowledge. Think of painting and exploring color as a way to create more color memory and more color discernment. The more experiences you have, the more knowledge and ability you will gain.
Students mixing color to train their brains to see more clearly. Color Theory Class taught by Mary Lou Manlove of ColorInsight, Redwood City and Baunnie Sea, color educator.