Knowledge

Color mixing

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82: 279: 221:, and black primaries. For all subtractive color models, the absence of all color primaries results in white. For ideal subtractive color models, an equal superposition of all primaries results in a neutral (dark gray or black). The CMYK model adds a black primary to improve the darkness of blacks, where the CMY model can only mix to dark gray or only achieves black inefficiently, i.e. by using lots of the primary pigments. In the CMY model, an equal mixture of cyan and magenta is 1405: 157: 1415: 779: 287:
allowing light to penetrate into the mixed paint, where the two colors together absorb light except wavelengths in the green range. Alternately, if the pigments are highly opaque, a combination of blue and yellow paint appears more grayish. In this case, pigment particles simply reflect whatever light hits the outer paint surface, where both blue and yellow light gets reflected and averaged together.
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of the pigments. Ideally transparent pigments transmit and absorb light, but do not reflect or scatter it and mix according to the subtractive model. Ideally opaque pigments reflect or absorb light, but do not transmit it and mix according to the average model. Most real paints reflect, transmit and
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printing uses non-opaque inks, such that the light transmits once through the ink, reflects off the white substrate (e.g. paper) and transmits a second time through the ink. Increasing the ink printed on the page decreases the brightness of light, and halftone printing follows the subtractive model
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For example, mixing red and yellow can result in a shade of orange, generally with a lower chroma or reduced saturation than at least one of the component colors. In some combinations, a mix of blue and yellow paint produces green. This occurs when there is sufficient transparency in the pigments,
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A simulated example of (idealized) subtractive color mixing in the CMY model. The primaries cyan, magenta and yellow combine pairwise to produce subtractive secondaries red, green, and blue. Combining all three primaries (center) absorbs all light and produces black. In practical CMY color models,
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of the components' brightnesses. An ideal physical model to demonstrate the additive model comprises two superimposed colored lights aimed at the observer. The additive model is usually demonstrated by reflecting two beams of colored light off a white, matte surface (e.g.
130:. For all additive color models, the absence of all primaries results in black. For practical additive color models, an equal superposition of all primaries results in neutral (gray or white). In the RGB model, an equal mixture of red and green is 274:
is also affected by the media used as wetting, deagglomeration, and dispersing agents for the pigments. These agents all have their own transparency/opacity and color properties and can also alter the transparency and color of pigments.
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than either of the two components' brightnesses. An ideal physical model to demonstrate the subtractive model comprises a white light transmitting through two colored filters, each of which subtract a portion of the white light,
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A simulated example of additive color mixing in the RGB model. The primaries red, green, and blue combine pairwise to produce the additive secondaries cyan, magenta, and yellow. Combining all three primaries (center) produces
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In the practical mixing of pigments, the subtractive model is usually not closely followed. How the pigment mixing behaves depends strongly on the
46:. In these models, mixing black and white will yield white, black and gray, respectively. Physical mixing processes, e.g. mixing light beams or 233:. These mixtures are the secondary colors of the CMY model, which are the same as the primaries of the additive RGB model and vice versa. 1182: 1172: 1036: 401: 1248: 1193: 1418: 1372: 190:, which often do not closely follow the subtractive model. How well they follow the model depends mostly on the 1188: 1177: 1253: 17: 241:
Average mixing (sometimes additive-average) combines two colors into a mixture with brightness equal to the
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the center is usually dark gray and a separate black pigment is required to produce black (CMYK model).
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scatter light, so mix according to a hybrid between the subtractive and average models. Paint
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a light of the combined color. However, the subtractive model is usually demonstrated with
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Additive mixing combines two or more colors into a mixture with brightness equal to the
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Producing colors by combining the primary or secondary colors in different amounts
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Subtractive mixing combines two or more colors into a mixture with brightness
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of the two components' brightnesses. This model is often demonstrated with a
171: 122:. This model is the basis of most color displays. Some modern displays are 1128: 1091: 1084: 890: 865: 806: 798: 661: 505: 308: 51: 1265: 1123: 900: 895: 759: 728: 694: 599: 495: 461: 250: 246: 127: 59: 1275: 1118: 946: 850: 838: 594: 557: 552: 535: 34:
models, depending on the relative brightness of the resultant mixture:
142:. Yellow, cyan and magenta are the secondary colors of the RGB model. 1135: 1108: 1103: 612: 96: 47: 156: 1390: 1113: 721: 290: 254: 778: 1162: 444: 362: 266: 214: 191: 179: 139: 1385: 988: 978: 379: 218: 131: 1013: 1008: 998: 968: 439: 410: 230: 183: 115: 1003: 983: 963: 833: 750: 222: 210: 135: 119: 58:
used. The most common color models are optimized to human
1079: 973: 738: 226: 187: 175: 111: 103:, both of which follow the additive model closely. 1032:Linguistic relativity and the color naming debate 197:The most common subtractive color models are the 1431: 282:Red and yellow paints being mixed on a palette 395: 209:. The CMYK model used in color printing uses 62:, therefore comprising three primary colors. 225:, an equal mixture of magenta and yellow is 106:The most common additive color model is the 229:and an equal mixture of yellow and cyan is 1414: 402: 388: 356: 354: 1183:International Commission on Illumination 352: 350: 348: 346: 344: 342: 340: 338: 336: 334: 277: 155: 138:and an equal mixture of blue and red is 134:, an equal mixture of green and blue is 80: 14: 1432: 1173:Color Association of the United States 99:) or by analyzing the sub-pixels of a 383: 331: 145: 110:, which uses three primary colors: 24: 1037:Blue–green distinction in language 360: 25: 1456: 260: 70: 1413: 1404: 1403: 1194:International Colour Association 777: 409: 236: 65: 54:, depending on the approximate 1189:International Color Consortium 1178:International Colour Authority 13: 1: 1254:List of Crayola crayon colors 324: 124:Multi-primary color displays 7: 1057:Traditional colors of Japan 834:Achromatic colors (Neutral) 717:Multi-primary color display 491:Spectral power distribution 297: 10: 1461: 363:"The Dimensions of Colour" 149: 74: 1399: 1371: 1284: 1209: 1202: 1153: 1072: 1022: 954: 945: 917:Color realism (art style) 864: 797: 786: 775: 675: 622: 575:Evolution of color vision 504: 427: 418: 60:trichromatic color vision 30:There are three types of 1234:List of colors (compact) 1052:Color in Chinese culture 702:Digital image processing 435:Electromagnetic spectrum 1239:List of colors by shade 194:of the pigment or dye. 1244:List of color palettes 283: 162: 87: 1168:Color Marketing Group 923:On Vision and Colours 856:Tinctures in heraldry 467:Structural coloration 281: 159: 84: 1249:List of color spaces 1141:Tint, shade and tone 1024:Cultural differences 839:Polychromatic colors 824:Complementary colors 812:Monochromatic colors 1229:List of colors: N–Z 1224:List of colors: G–M 1219:List of colors: A–F 1276:List of web colors 1271:List of RAL colors 677:Color reproduction 642:Lüscher color test 479:Color of chemicals 284: 163: 88: 1427: 1426: 1367: 1366: 1149: 1148: 941: 940: 931:Theory of Colours 773: 772: 685:Color photography 637:Color preferences 580:Impossible colors 570:Color vision test 565:Color temperature 543:Color calibration 472:Animal coloration 319:Subtractive color 314:Impossible colors 255:halftone printing 152:Subtractive color 146:Subtractive model 16:(Redirected from 1452: 1417: 1416: 1407: 1406: 1207: 1206: 1073:Color dimensions 1062:Human skin color 952: 951: 829:Analogous colors 795: 794: 781: 707:Color management 624:Color psychology 590:Opponent process 506:Color perception 425: 424: 404: 397: 390: 381: 380: 374: 373: 371: 369: 358: 199:CMYK color model 21: 1460: 1459: 1455: 1454: 1453: 1451: 1450: 1449: 1430: 1429: 1428: 1423: 1395: 1363: 1280: 1198: 1155: 1145: 1068: 1047:Blue in culture 1018: 937: 884:Secondary color 860: 817:black-and-white 789: 782: 769: 671: 657:National colors 652:Political color 632:Color symbolism 618: 548:Color constancy 526:Color blindness 500: 457:Spectral colors 414: 408: 378: 377: 367: 365: 361:Briggs, David. 359: 332: 327: 300: 263: 239: 207:RYB color model 203:CMY color model 154: 148: 108:RGB color model 79: 73: 68: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1458: 1448: 1447: 1442: 1425: 1424: 1422: 1421: 1411: 1400: 1397: 1396: 1394: 1393: 1388: 1383: 1377: 1375: 1369: 1368: 1365: 1364: 1362: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1290: 1288: 1282: 1281: 1279: 1278: 1273: 1268: 1263: 1262: 1261: 1251: 1246: 1241: 1236: 1231: 1226: 1221: 1215: 1213: 1204: 1200: 1199: 1197: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1180: 1175: 1170: 1165: 1159: 1157: 1151: 1150: 1147: 1146: 1144: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1132: 1131: 1126: 1121: 1116: 1111: 1101: 1100: 1099: 1089: 1088: 1087: 1076: 1074: 1070: 1069: 1067: 1066: 1065: 1064: 1059: 1054: 1049: 1043:Color history 1041: 1040: 1039: 1028: 1026: 1020: 1019: 1017: 1016: 1011: 1006: 1001: 996: 991: 986: 981: 976: 971: 966: 960: 958: 949: 943: 942: 939: 938: 936: 935: 927: 926:(Schopenhauer) 919: 914: 911:Color analysis 908: 906:Color triangle 903: 898: 893: 888: 887: 886: 881: 870: 868: 862: 861: 859: 858: 853: 848: 843: 842: 841: 836: 831: 826: 821: 820: 819: 803: 801: 792: 784: 783: 776: 774: 771: 770: 768: 767: 762: 757: 756: 755: 754: 753: 743: 742: 741: 726: 725: 724: 719: 712:Color printing 709: 704: 699: 698: 697: 692: 681: 679: 673: 672: 670: 669: 664: 659: 654: 649: 647:Kruithof curve 644: 639: 634: 628: 626: 620: 619: 617: 616: 609: 604: 603: 602: 597: 587: 582: 577: 572: 567: 562: 561: 560: 550: 545: 540: 539: 538: 533: 523: 522: 521: 519:Sonochromatism 510: 508: 502: 501: 499: 498: 493: 488: 487: 486: 476: 475: 474: 469: 459: 454: 453: 452: 447: 442: 431: 429: 422: 416: 415: 407: 406: 399: 392: 384: 376: 375: 329: 328: 326: 323: 322: 321: 316: 311: 306: 304:Additive color 299: 296: 262: 261:Pigment mixing 259: 238: 235: 150:Main article: 147: 144: 77:Additive color 75:Main article: 72: 71:Additive model 69: 67: 64: 56:primary colors 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1457: 1446: 1443: 1441: 1438: 1437: 1435: 1420: 1412: 1410: 1402: 1401: 1398: 1392: 1389: 1387: 1384: 1382: 1379: 1378: 1376: 1374: 1370: 1360: 1357: 1355: 1352: 1350: 1347: 1345: 1342: 1340: 1337: 1335: 1332: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1310: 1307: 1305: 1302: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1291: 1289: 1287: 1283: 1277: 1274: 1272: 1269: 1267: 1264: 1260: 1257: 1256: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1240: 1237: 1235: 1232: 1230: 1227: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1216: 1214: 1212: 1208: 1205: 1201: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1187: 1184: 1181: 1179: 1176: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1166: 1164: 1161: 1160: 1158: 1156:organizations 1152: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1130: 1127: 1125: 1122: 1120: 1117: 1115: 1112: 1110: 1107: 1106: 1105: 1102: 1098: 1097:Pastel colors 1095: 1094: 1093: 1090: 1086: 1083: 1082: 1081: 1078: 1077: 1075: 1071: 1063: 1060: 1058: 1055: 1053: 1050: 1048: 1045: 1044: 1042: 1038: 1035: 1034: 1033: 1030: 1029: 1027: 1025: 1021: 1015: 1012: 1010: 1007: 1005: 1002: 1000: 997: 995: 992: 990: 987: 985: 982: 980: 977: 975: 972: 970: 967: 965: 962: 961: 959: 957: 953: 950: 948: 944: 933: 932: 928: 925: 924: 920: 918: 915: 912: 909: 907: 904: 902: 899: 897: 894: 892: 889: 885: 882: 880: 879:Primary color 877: 876: 875: 872: 871: 869: 867: 863: 857: 854: 852: 849: 847: 846:Light-on-dark 844: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 818: 815: 814: 813: 810: 809: 808: 805: 804: 802: 800: 796: 793: 791: 785: 780: 766: 765:Color mapping 763: 761: 758: 752: 749: 748: 747: 744: 740: 737: 736: 735: 732: 731: 730: 727: 723: 720: 718: 715: 714: 713: 710: 708: 705: 703: 700: 696: 693: 691: 690:Color balance 688: 687: 686: 683: 682: 680: 678: 674: 668: 667:Chromotherapy 665: 663: 660: 658: 655: 653: 650: 648: 645: 643: 640: 638: 635: 633: 630: 629: 627: 625: 621: 615: 614: 610: 608: 607:Tetrachromacy 605: 601: 598: 596: 593: 592: 591: 588: 586: 583: 581: 578: 576: 573: 571: 568: 566: 563: 559: 556: 555: 554: 551: 549: 546: 544: 541: 537: 534: 532: 531:Achromatopsia 529: 528: 527: 524: 520: 517: 516: 515: 514:Chromesthesia 512: 511: 509: 507: 503: 497: 494: 492: 489: 485: 482: 481: 480: 477: 473: 470: 468: 465: 464: 463: 460: 458: 455: 451: 448: 446: 443: 441: 438: 437: 436: 433: 432: 430: 428:Color physics 426: 423: 421: 420:Color science 417: 412: 405: 400: 398: 393: 391: 386: 385: 382: 364: 357: 355: 353: 351: 349: 347: 345: 343: 341: 339: 337: 335: 330: 320: 317: 315: 312: 310: 307: 305: 302: 301: 295: 292: 288: 280: 276: 273: 268: 258: 256: 252: 248: 244: 237:Average model 234: 232: 228: 224: 220: 216: 212: 208: 204: 200: 195: 193: 189: 185: 181: 177: 173: 168: 158: 153: 143: 141: 137: 133: 129: 125: 121: 117: 113: 109: 104: 102: 101:color display 98: 93: 83: 78: 66:Mixing models 63: 61: 57: 53: 49: 45: 41: 37: 33: 19: 18:Colour mixing 1129:Fluorescence 1092:Colorfulness 1085:Dichromatism 929: 921: 891:Chromaticity 874:Color mixing 873: 866:Color theory 799:Color scheme 662:Chromophobia 611: 366:. Retrieved 309:Color theory 289: 285: 264: 242: 240: 196: 172:transmitting 166: 164: 105: 91: 89: 52:color models 43: 39: 35: 32:color mixing 31: 29: 1266:Color chart 1124:Iridescence 956:Basic terms 947:Color terms 901:Color wheel 896:Color solid 760:Color space 746:subtractive 729:Color model 600:Unique hues 496:Colorimetry 462:Chromophore 272:color mixer 251:pointillism 247:Newton disc 128:color gamut 40:subtractive 1434:Categories 1286:Shades of: 1119:Brightness 851:Web colors 807:Color tool 790:philosophy 695:Color cast 595:Afterimage 585:Metamerism 558:Color code 553:Color task 536:Dichromacy 325:References 182:, such as 97:projectors 48:oil paints 1136:Grayscale 1109:Lightness 1104:Luminance 913:(fashion) 613:The dress 368:2 January 1409:Category 1391:Lighting 1114:Darkness 934:(Goethe) 734:additive 722:Quattron 298:See also 291:Halftone 180:pigments 36:additive 1373:Related 1334:Magenta 1259:history 1163:Pantone 450:Visible 445:Rainbow 267:opacity 243:average 215:magenta 192:opacity 140:magenta 44:average 1386:Qualia 1381:Vision 1329:Purple 1324:Violet 1304:Yellow 1299:Orange 994:Orange 989:Purple 979:Yellow 413:topics 294:well. 219:yellow 132:yellow 118:, and 86:white. 42:, and 1445:Light 1440:Color 1419:Index 1359:Black 1349:White 1344:Brown 1309:Green 1211:Lists 1203:Names 1185:(CIE) 1154:Color 1014:Brown 1009:White 999:Black 969:Green 788:Color 484:Water 440:Light 411:Color 231:green 184:paint 167:lower 116:green 1354:Gray 1339:Pink 1319:Blue 1314:Cyan 1004:Gray 984:Pink 964:Blue 751:CMYK 370:2024 223:blue 211:cyan 205:and 176:dyes 136:cyan 120:blue 1294:Red 1080:Hue 974:Red 739:RGB 253:or 227:red 188:ink 186:or 178:or 112:red 92:sum 1436:: 333:^ 217:, 213:, 201:, 114:, 38:, 403:e 396:t 389:v 372:. 20:)

Index

Colour mixing
oil paints
color models
primary colors
trichromatic color vision
Additive color

projectors
color display
RGB color model
red
green
blue
Multi-primary color displays
color gamut
yellow
cyan
magenta
Subtractive color

transmitting
dyes
pigments
paint
ink
opacity
CMYK color model
CMY color model
RYB color model
cyan

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