Color theory has always been a fascinating topic at the intersection of art and science, yet the traditional red, yellow, and blue (RYB) color theory has been called into question. Although the RYB system has long been regarded as the basis of color mixing, recent research has shown that this theory is not fully established in modern color mixing and optical science.
Color is a subjective perception rather than a purely physical property, which makes color theory even more complicated.
RYB color theory can be traced back to the 17th century and has been regarded as the basic color by many artists and designers. However, this theory is based primarily on experience with pigments rather than scientific understanding of light.
According to this theory, red, yellow, and blue are considered irreducible primary colors from which all other colors can be mixed. However, in practice, not all possible colors can actually be produced using these three colors. Some colors, especially when different pigments and light sources are involved, cannot be accurately composed of RYB primary colors.
In fact, the mixing of colors is limited by the physical properties of the pigments used and the wavelength of light, not just the combination of colors.
For example, RYB color theory is widely taught in many art school courses, and many designers still make color choices based on this theory. As one digital artist put it: "Although I primarily design web pages, I still use red, yellow, and blue as the basis of my color choices." This suggests that RYB's appeal lies in its history and aesthetics rather than its science. Base.
From a scientific perspective, the RGB model, the color mixing of red, green, and blue, provides a more physically based way of mixing colors. This model works well for the mixing of light and more accurately reflects the human eye's perception of color. Most human retinas have three different types of cone cells, making the RGB model efficient at reconstructing most color perceptions.
The perception of color depends not only on the color itself, but also on the light source and its interaction with the observer's visual system.
For the art and design world, the process of color mixing is often almost intuitive, with artists relying on their experimentation and experience to create color. The expression of color is affected by the texture of the canvas, the thickness of the paint, and the light. Such variables mean that the RYB system's simplifications may not reflect the true complexity of color.
In research at Yale University, scholars found that the RYB color theory does not have extensive scientific evidence. Instead, it may be a culturally and historically formed convention rather than based on a true theorem of physics.
Therefore, as modern printing technology and digital display systems reveal, corresponding color models such as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) and RGB models are actually built based on scientific principles and can Explain color mixing and perception more effectively.
Have you ever been confused by the confusion of color theory?
Finally, what we should think about is: In the practice of modern art and design, how to use scientific foundations more effectively to deeply understand the nature of color?