Color tutorial: describing color
New! We now offer a hands-on application that will demonstrate the two color systems most important to Web developers: RGB and HSB. Please see the Tutor page or follow the Tutor link at left. An associated exercises page (also "Learn" link at left) can serve as a self-paced learning tool.
Newer! Now in streaming video, we offer "the lecture I've always wanted to give, but couldn't because there wasn't any good way to illustrate it." Twelve minutes in length, it requires the QuickTime video plugin, available for free at Apple.com. Please see the Video page or follow the Video link at left. Included in the presentation are quick reviews of the RGB and HSB pages of this tutorial, along with a demonstration of the exercises that accompany our tutor application.
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About this site
Most of the things that you will design with computers—user interfaces, Web pages, and even printed documents—will use color in some way. This tutorial is designed to help you understand and specify colors. It does not address the effective use of color, which is a much more complex topic.
Many of the graphics programs that we use present us with a bewildering array of choices for color selection. The most frequently used of these are covered here, in addition to some basic information that will help you understand why there are so many different color systems. The tutorial is designed to be followed in order, at least the first time through. But you may want to refer again to specific pages from the index at left. Systems covered include:
• Paint colors
• Visible light
• HSB: hue, saturation, and brightness
• Greyscale
• RGB: red, green, and blue
• CMYK: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black
• Spot color
Next: Paint →
Copyright 1997–2009, Tom Jewett,
jewett@csulb.edu
Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Emeritus
California State University, Long Beach