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Dimitris Chitas
Dimitris Chitas

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Do you really understand how color theories based(RYB,CMYK, RGB models)?

Hello there guys.

I hope my thread finds you in your best,wealthy as well healthy and full of appetite for some historical topics that can be discussed easily.

Do you know what is RYB, RGB and CMYK models?

We can discuss this topic for days and it could settle by different statements. I know it, so
for the history of the future i 'ill keep it simple,as much simple you could keep this kind of threads :P.

RYB Model History Reference :

Stands for term of the Red - Yellow and Blue.
The history behind it comes around 1500 after of some mixing references from Scientist's Projects/Paintings like Anselmus de Boodt such as architects-scientists like François d'Aguilon who is also the central point of the most applied version of the theory with the unfinished project of Opticorum libri sex, 1613 because of his death.

The real "activist" of the idea performance called Jacob Christoph Le Blon a painter and engraver as well who invented the three and four color printing using the RYB model with the usage of mezzotint he could printing wide range of colors.But that is the past let's focus what real RYB is stands for in practice.

RYB what you need to remember:

  • The RYB color model is a method for mixing different artists paints and opaque pigments to produce other colors. It is called a subtractive color model (a subtractive approach to color).

  • The name of the RYB colour model comes from the initials of its three primary colours – red, yellow and blue.

  • It turns out that RYB as a subtractive system is centuries old ideology but one that is sadly still being taught. In subtractive systems if you have a blue primary its absorption is too broad. Similarly for red. If you start with RYB you can make all the hues but not all the colours. Many of the mixtures are dull and desaturated.

What is in fact a color model?

A color model is an orderly system for creating a whole range of colors from a small set of primary colors. There are two types of color models, those that are subtractive and those that are additive. Additive color models use light to display color while subtractive models use printing inks. Colors perceived in additive models are the result of transmitted light. Colors perceived in subtractive models are the result of reflected light.
There are several established color models used in computer graphics, but the two most common are the RGB model (Red-Green-Blue) for computer display and the CMYK model (Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-black) for printing.

RGB History Reference :

RGB was invented from Thomas Young and Hermann von Helmholtz around 1800 both was scientist's Thomas and elaborated from as Scottish Mathematician James Clerk Maxwell around 1860.

RGB what you need to remember:

*The RGB model forms its gamut from the primary additive colors of red, green and blue. When red, green and blue light is combined it forms white. Computers generally display RGB using 24-bit color. In the 24-bit RGB color model there are 256 variations for each of the additive colors of red, green and blue. Therefore there are 16,777,216 possible colors (256 reds x 256 greens x 256 blues) in the 24-bit RGB color model.

*In the RGB color model, colors are represented by varying intensities of red, green and blue light. The intensity of each of the red, green and blue components are represented on a scale from 0 to 255 with 0 being the least intensity (no light emitted) to 255 (maximum intensity). For example in the above RGB chart the magenta color would be R=255 G=0 B=255. Black would be R=0 G=0 B=0 (a total absence of light).

CMY(K) Model History Reference :

In 1906, the Eagle Printing Ink Company incorporated the four-color wet process inks for the first time. These four colors were cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (also known as key), hence the name CMYK. It was discovered that these four colors can be combined to produce an almost unlimited number of richer, darker tones.
CMYK printing uses a method called half-toning to create different intensities of color while saving on ink. The technique has been used by printing presses since the 1850s, and was adapted for the CMYK model to expand the colors that could be made.
In 1956, Pantone Inc. consulted a chemist to reduce the complexity of their printing process. The ink supply was reduced to a simpler system, using a smaller number of inks to produce a boundless range of colors. Their greatest contribution to the industry was to introduce the Pantone Color Matching System.

Ink manufacturers around the world consider the Pantone color as standard. Even though most Pantone colors cannot be achieved from mixing the CMYK colors alone, the company recognizes its significance in the industry and indicate which ones can be reproduced on the CMYK model. Interestingly, Pantone uses 14 pigments to create 1,114 unique colors.

CMY(K) things to remember :

*According to the theory, 100% cyan, 100% magenta and 100% yellow would result in a pure black. With today's printing colors it is not possible to realize this, so in the area of printing the additional component key (K, black) is necessary.

*Therefore, the difference between the CMY- and the CMYK color model is, that the CMY color model assumes that it is possible to mix black by all of the three pure colors and the CMYK color model uses black as an additional color.

*In the CMY color model, black is 100% cyan, 100% magenta and 100% yellow and in the CMYK color model, black is 0% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow and 100% key (black). With the exception of pure colors, the CMYK color model also uses black for many other colors.

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