Colour and appearance

8 important questions on Colour and appearance

There are three components involved when talking about color, name these

  • Light source
  • Object
  • Viewer

What are subtractive processes when color mixing?

In most situations there is subtractive colour mixing because we use light from the environment

Subtractive colour mixing starts with light and based on the object that it interacts with certain wavelengths are blocked absorbed or reflected.

Based on the wavelengths that are absorbed, so subtracted from the light source, the colour we see is determined.


This is for instance the case when using ink sword eyes these are the objects that block or absorb wavelengths from a light source in the environment and the primary colours for this type of colour mixing are cyan, magenta and yellow

What are additive processes when colour mixing?

Another way to create colour is done by TV screens or projectors.
Media that transmit light themselves start with nothing but can transmit light of various wavelengths. Depending on these wavelengths and the way they mix together colour is created by additive processes, adding wavelengths to a dark background. Here the primary colours are red green and blue
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Besides color, appearance is also very important. What comes under appearance?

  • Shape, size, movement
  • Turbidity / cloudiness
    • light scattering
  • Glossiness / shine
    • light reflectance
  • Translucency
    • light transmitting

What are the functions and relevance of color and appearance?

Het vormen van expectations

  • food identity
  • food quality
  • flavour changes

What can you say about the genes that are responsible for the three types of cone cells?

The genes are recessive an located on the X chromosome
  • that is why it's mostly men that are colour blind and not women

You can lack either one of the receptors so there are three different types of colour blindness
  • 25% protanopes, missing of L meaning they cannot see red
  • 75% deuteranopes, missing of M meaning they cannot see green
  • Tritanopes, missing of S meaning they cannot see blue. (very rare)

What is used to measure color using instruments?

(Voorkeur gaat uit naar mens)


RGB mathematical color system
  • Hue, not saturation and brightness


CIE mathematical color system
  • Hue and brightness, not saturation

What is used to measure color and appearance?

using panelists
  • Triangle tests, difference tests, descriptive analyses...
  • standardize factors that influence perception
    • background color
    • light source
    • reflected or transmitted light
    • viewing angle
    • distance from light source/product
    • reference images

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