Explore the wonderful, colorful world we live in. I often ask myself what it would be like without color, and the thought certainly makes me a little sad. However, it does make me appreciate colors even more, which gives me a lot of ideas for new things to write about.
If you look at water in a glass, it looks clear. When you look at water in a lake, pond, or ocean, you will see varying shades of blue and green. Why does this occur in large amounts of water, but not in small amounts? Much of the color variation has to do with how …
If you look up in the sky, depending on the time of day, it changes color. In the early morning and twilight evening, it has shades of orange, pink and red. However, during a good part of the normal daylight, the sky tends to be different shades of light blue. And, when the sunlight is …
If you’re wondering what the most calming colors are and how they can make you feel more relaxed, keep reading. Over the centuries, many cultures have attributed mystical powers to light and color. While we are not going to build on any of the metaphysical claims surrounding light and color, there are well-known psychological effects …
Definition: What Are Afterimages? Afterimages are common optical illusions created by your brain and visual system. In an afterimage, you continue to see an image even after your eyes’ exposure to the image has ended. Chances are that you have noticed this effect many times. If you have ever stared at a fixed point for …
Color, more than any other topic in visual communication, is frequently misunderstood. This is essentially why we need chromaticity. Color is an essential tool for signaling. Traffic lights convey a great deal more information in color than they could in black and white. Color is one of the ways we detect motion. We see moving …
Quality of Color: Chromaticity Measurements Make Colors Reproducible Read More »
Recently, the topic of “school subject colors” has become a heated debate. Everyone seems to have strong opinions about which colors are associated with which school subjects, even if they graduated school a long time ago. Specifically, the four core classes (math, English, social studies, and science) are the ones that are the most talked …
The Colors of School Subjects: What Color Is Math, English, Social Studies, and Science? Read More »
Neon colors, often called fluorescent colors, are impossible to miss. Commonly seen in signs, nail polish, and clothes from the ’80s, these vibrant colors have gone through many trends in history. Yet, they’ve only been around for the past century, and they’re certainly not the kind of colors you would find in nature. So, their …
For many, rainbows are seen as a miracle of sorts. When we see a rainbow in the sky, it means the sun is reflecting off the moisture in the air in just the right way to display a spectrum of color that will send people running from the far corners of their house into the …
Are Black and White Colors? Light, Pigments, and Vision Reveal the Answer(s) Read More »
White is one of the more common colors in the world. It’s used in everything from paper to wedding dresses. Some colors tend to fade into the background of everyday life. But white is an unusual case where it can quite literally function as a background for other colors or indicate something very significant. By …
The History of the Color White: Pure, Bright, and Held in High Regard Read More »
Gray might not seem like a very dynamic color. The modern eye tends to view gray as neutral or utilitarian at best and downright apathetic at worst. For example, gray is often used to describe depression. And we’re all familiar with the less than stellar feelings evoked by gray skies. However, by going back through …
The History of the Color Gray: Both Celebrated and Unappreciated Read More »
