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The Color Code: Do you know the surprising differences between HSL and HSV?
In the world of digital color processing, there are two terms that keep appearing, they are HSL and HSV. These two models present colors in cylindrical coordinates, aiming to provide a more intuitive and perceptually relevant color expression. Since the 1970s, HSL and HSV have been widely used in computer graphics, including color pickers and image editing software. So, what exactly is the difference between the two?
Basic concepts
HSL stands for Hue, Saturation and Lightness, while HSV stands for Hue, Saturation and Value. While the definition of hue is the same in both, the meaning of saturation is quite different.
In the HSL model, saturation changes together with brightness, while in the HSV model, saturation is affected by brightness, which makes the two produce significant differences when processing colors.
Structure and Dimension
Neither of these two models can directly relate to the physical colors of the RGB color model. In the cylinder geometry settings of both HSL and HSV, the angle represents hue, the axis distance represents saturation, and the height of the cylinder helps describe brightness or brightness. By continuously mixing colors, the colors generated by these models can represent a wider gamut, such as in HSL, where saturation is only affected by a specific mix.
Apply to digital imaging
For color processing, for most TVs and computer monitors, other colors are mainly generated by mixing red, green, and blue. This makes the emergence of HSL and HSV models indispensable because they provide users with a more friendly color operation interface.
For example, adjusting color through a slider that allows users to adjust hue, saturation, and brightness is more intuitive and easier to understand than raw RGB values.
Comparison between HSL and HSV
HSL and HSV can be used interchangeably in many situations, but their functional characteristics make one more suitable in some situations. In HSL, blending black does not change the saturation, while in HSV it affects how it behaves. In addition, HSL is relatively simple to process in terms of obtaining brightness, which is helpful for painting applications, while HSV is more suitable for 1-to-1 digital design.
Conclusion
In daily color processing, the respective advantages and disadvantages of HSL and HSV will affect the user's choice. However, these two models are still widely used in many graphic design platforms today, and bring a new visual experience to users. In the future, will there be more innovative color models to replace the existing HSL and HSV?
