Color & measurement / Chapter / Six notes
Color Science
Six connected notes on light, color perception, and spectral measurement, with practical calculations that keep the source, material, and observer in view.
Start with light and colorFrom a spectrum to a defensible color measurement.
Follow light through the eye, a mathematical color space, and a digital image. Then separate the source, material, and observer to understand spectral averages and color differences. Each note combines concise explanations, diagrams, and focused calculators with explicit units and assumptions.
- 01 Application note + calculator
Light, Cones, and Color Perception
Separate the spectrum of light from the visual response it produces.
Read the note - 02 Application note + calculator
From Spectra to Color Coordinates
Connect spectral distributions, three-channel measurements, and the chromaticity diagram.
Read the note - 03 Application note + calculator
Additive Light and Subtractive Materials
Predict how emitted spectra combine and how materials reshape incident light.
Read the note - 04 Application note + calculator
Encoding Color for Digital Images
Separate RGB coordinates, nonlinear encoding, and appearance-oriented controls.
Read the note - 05 Application note + calculator
Source, Material, and Observer
Build a color calculation from a measured spectrum and clearly defined weighting functions.
Read the note - 06 Application note + calculator
Spectral Averages and Color Difference
Choose a weighting rule, preserve the reference conditions, and compare color consistently.
Read the note
A color value needs measurement conditions. Your application determines which differences matter.
Discuss your color measurement →