Color is created by how we perceive light, and it involves both the properties of light itself and how our eyes and brain interpret it. Specifically, color can be created by combining or removing light. This involves two primary methods: additive and subtractive color mixing.
Additive Color Mixing
Additive color mixing is what happens when we combine different colors of light. This is commonly used in displays like TVs, computer screens, and phone screens.
- How it works: When different colored lights are combined, they create a new color.
- Primary Colors: The primary colors in additive mixing are red, green, and blue (RGB).
- Example:
- Combining red and green light creates yellow.
- Combining green and blue light creates cyan.
- Combining red and blue light creates magenta.
- Combining red, green, and blue light at equal intensities creates white light.
Subtractive Color Mixing
Subtractive color mixing occurs when we use substances to absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect others, creating the colors we see. This is commonly used in printing and painting.
- How it works: Pigments or dyes absorb certain colors of light and reflect the remaining colors to our eyes.
- Primary Colors: The primary colors in subtractive mixing are cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY).
- Example:
- If you mix cyan and magenta paint, the mixture absorbs red light and reflects blue and green, resulting in a blue color.
- Mixing cyan, magenta, and yellow paints together will ideally absorb all light, resulting in black. In practice, this often results in a muddy brown because of impurities in the pigments.
Summary Table
| Feature | Additive Color Mixing | Subtractive Color Mixing |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | Light | Pigments, Dyes |
| Primary Colors | Red, Green, Blue (RGB) | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow (CMY) |
| How it Works | Combining lights to create new colors | Absorbing certain colors of light, reflecting others |
| Result of Mixing All Primary Colors | White | Black (ideally) |
| Application | Screens (TVs, Computers, Phones) | Printing, Painting |
