The richest world of paints contains such a number of colors that it is sometimes difficult to determine which shade you have to deal with. However, when it comes, for example, to photography or cinema, we can confidently divide them into color and black and white. It is by these characteristics that it is possible to accurately determine whether a particular palette belongs to chromatic and achromatic colors.
Color separation
Achromatic (black and white gamma) and chromatic color (spectrum gamma) got their names thanks to the Greek language. Literally, they translate as colorless and colored. When they are mixed, colors are obtained that differ in shades, lightness and saturation.
The concept of chromatism itself is associated with a sequence of halftones. Chromatic colors include all shades of the color spectrum. Brightness is a property combining chromatic and achromatic colors.
Why do we see the world in color?
The ability of human vision to perceive various colors of the spectrum is an amazing gift that allows us to experience storms of emotions at the sight of sunset and violent spring flowering, determine the ripeness of fruits and create masterpieces of painting … By the way, the aesthetic perception of the world is inherent only to people.
The cells of the eye are responsible for the perception of color. Not all living things can perceive the world in color. But for most people it is available. Rods and cones are special eye receptors. The former are responsible for the perception of achromatic colors, the latter are responsible for distinguishing chromatic colors. Impaired perception is mainly associated with the ability to see the spectrum or a single chromatic color.
In order to see color, light is necessary first of all. Agree, in the dark you are unlikely to be able to determine the color scheme of this or that thing. All objects are endowed with the ability to absorb and reflect light rays. In this case, only the wavelength of light is of importance. For example, a green apple reflects waves whose length corresponds to one of the shades of green. All other colors are absorbed, so the apple remains invariably green.
Basic chromatic colors
In fact, all chromatic colors and hues are created based on red, yellow and blue. A different combination of reflected light waves allows us to see a variety of tones of the color scheme. So, for example, even kids can say with confidence that by mixing yellow paint with blue, you can get green, and when you combine yellow with red, you get orange.
Black absorbs all waves. White, on the contrary, reflects them. These colors are called achromatic and have only one characteristic - lightness, which creates a spectrum of gray colors starting from bright white and ending with black.
Characteristics of chromatic colors
The lightness of the shade allows you to compare between chromatic and achromatic colors. So, any chromatic color can be compared by lightness with a different shade of the spectrum or with an achromatic shade. Almost always, without hesitation, we can say which of the shades is lighter or darker.
We must not forget that, unlike black and white, any chromatic color has a certain saturation. This characteristic is determined by the degree of difference between the hue and the achromatic equal in lightness and allows us to talk about its brightness. When mixing the chromatic and achromatic palettes with the same lightness, the color will not change - the shades of gray have no color. Changes will occur when a darker or, conversely, lighter achromatic palette is added.
Mysterious game of light
The most unusual colors for human perception are iridescent shades of nacre, when the color changes depending on the angle of incidence of light. The name of the color is due to its natural manifestation - by the name of the mineral covering the mollusk shell. It is he who serves as the building material for the growth of the pearl.
Transfusion of colors occurs due to the special structure of the mother of pearl, consisting of many tiny crystals, each of which refracts and reflects light. Therefore, the color of mother of pearl seems to us such a shade that shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow.
