A wonderful gift we received from nature is to see the world in color. Each one is painted with its own colors. We divide the shades into warm and cold, soft and ... Are there any colors that are called solid?
The theory of color explains that any color object that we see is colorless. And he has physical properties that allow him to reflect and absorb light. The human retina perceives reflected light waves - this is how color appears. It depends on the length of the reflected wave, on the source and strength of the light radiation and on the individual capabilities and characteristics of perception. Therefore, one really sees 50 shades of gray, and the other sees only black and white cinema.
Color characteristics
Without delving into physics, let us recall that there are achromatic colors: white, black and, as a transition from one extreme to another, gray. These are “non-color” colors; we will not find them in the spectrum. Chromatic colors are present in the spectrum. We all know the order of their placement, thanks to a children's reading room about a hunter and pheasants or, remembering what a rainbow looks like. The range of the spectrum visible to most people is small, but the combination of 7 primary colors gives an unlimited number of shades.
To describe the color and shades, we use the generally accepted characteristics:
- Color tone. Base paint. Its place in the color spectrum depends on the wavelength. We can distinguish waves from 380 nm to 780 nm.
- Subton. An admixture of a different color, pigment. It determines the temperature and softness of the color.
- Saturation. Approaching black. The greater the absorption of light and less reflection, the richer, deeper the color.
- Lightness. Approaching white. Pale, faint, transparent colors.
- Intensity. Admixture of gray in the undertone. Pure or muted colors are distinguished. Bright or soft.
What colors are soft?
Color characteristics make it possible to structure shades.
- Warm (yellow undertone) - cold (blue undertone).
- Dark (saturated) - light (unsaturated).
- Soft color (muted in gray) - bright color (pure).
Any color in the visible spectrum can be made soft. The degree of softness is regulated by the intensity of the gray in the subtone.
All shades are placed in the three systems of definitions indicated above at the same time. One of the characteristics is basic - the other two are optional. The light purple hue can be warm or cold, bright, clear or muffled, soft. The main characteristic in it is lightness, lack of saturation. And soft pink - light or saturated (deep), cold or warm. The main thing is that it is a soft color - “Ash Rose”. Now move on to the next question.
Hard and soft colors
The definition of “hard” is considered the antonym of the term “soft”. In the color palette, this is not so. Softness contrasts brightness. A solid color can only make subjective perception, rich imagination and the gift of the poet.
Understanding all the characteristics of shades, knowing how they will manifest themselves under different lighting conditions is a mandatory competence of designers of any direction and specialization. And, if you set the task to the interior designer, saying: “I want a soft color in the bedroom”, it would be nice to understand what this means in the language of professionals.