Color and Light

Physical Properties of Light

• Physical properties is one of many different ways light can be classified/understood. • Aesthetic• Psychological• Physiological

• Physical Laws and Quantification• Light can be defined a ‘visually evaluated

radiant energy’.

Spectrum of Visible LightWhite light is broken into component colors when it is refracted through a prism.

Light as Radiant Energy

Light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum

Visible Light

Infrared

Ultraviolet

Note that the eye is more sensitive to certain wavelengths or colors of light.

Mixing ColorAdditive (Light) Primaries

Red, Green and BlueAdditive Secondary

Yellow, Cyan, and Magenta

Subtractive (Pigment) PrimariesYellow, Cyan, and Magenta

Subtractive SecondaryRed, Green and Blue

Additive (Light) Color Mixing

‘White’ Light

‘White’ Light Made from Red, Blue and Yellow Light Sources

Additive (Light) Color Mixing

Blue Light

Green LightBlue and Green Light

Red Light

Selective Absorption of LightColor is seen when a material reflects selective wavelengths of light.

White is seen when a material reflects all of the wavelengths of a white light source.

When most of the light is reflected back at you

• Color is seen when a material reflects selective wavelengths of light.

• White is seen when a material reflects most of the wavelengths of a white light source. (White surfaces absorb 10-15% of the light.)

• When most of the light is absorbed by a material the color will be perceived as black. (Black reflects 10-15% of the light.)

Selective Absorption of Light

CRI Color Rendering IndexCRI Indicates how well an objects colors are rendered by a light source.

Similar sources are compared to a set of eight specific colors. The better the source the higher CRI.

Scale of 0-100

90+ Very good.

A high CRI does not guarantee that all colors will be rendered well under the source. The CRI is just and indication that the source has a large range of color rendering.

CRI Color Rendering IndexTo ensure that colors and materials chosen for architectural interiors will render well they must be chosen under the light source that the will be installed.

Colors can appear different under different light sources.

Represents the relative color temperature of a light source.

Heated black body source compared to light sources.

Cool or Warm

CRI Color Rendering Index

Daylight

Incandescent Fluorescent

HID - Mercury

CCT Correlated Color Temperature

CCT Correlated Color TemperatureWhere may you want a warm color source?

Where may you what a cool color source?

Application of Light and Color

E.F Hauserman Showroom

Display of Office Partitions

Express forward thinking and commitment to art and experimentation.

Dan Flavin

E.F Hauserman Showroom

Dan Flavin

E.F Hauserman Showroom

Dan Flavin

E.F Hauserman Showroom

Dan Flavin

E.F Hauserman Showroom

Dan Flavin

E.F Hauserman Showroom

Dan Flavin