Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

How to Calculate the Color Differences in Colors of Paint

Color has three components. Each component relates to a particular quality. Hue is the first. It's what we typically call color - violet, for instance, or magenta. Every color has two other aspects, though. Value is one. This defines lightness or darkness. Saturation is the other. This tells how intense or neutral it is. Take sky blue, for example. The hue is blue; the value is fairly light; the saturation is moderate, as it isn't as rich as royal blue. To calculate color differences in paint, you need to quantify these qualities. A color wheel is good to have if you're not familiar with color already. A gray card (available at a photo store) gives you a benchmark for value. The calculation is based on relative differences, and can be done without special equipment.

Things You'll Need

Color wheel (helpful)
Gray card (helpful)

Instructions

- 1
  Put the two colors or swatches beside each other. Select one as the reference. You will compare the other to it.
- 2
  Evaluate the hue. If your reference is purple, note how the comparison color differs. It may be a sort of purple, but look a little red, too. This means the hue is close to purple, with a red component. It may be completely different, like yellow, purple's complement.
- 3
  Look at the value. Assess which is lighter. It can be hard to see value when colors are bright or rich. Squinting helps; it reduces the color component. Use the gray card (if you have it). The gray card is halfway between white and black. It will help you see the value component of your paint.
- 4
  Check the saturation. The richest reds, the most searing oranges and the most vibrant greens will be highly saturated. Colors approaching gray or white, colors that may have only a hint of hue (or almost none) have low saturation. Any color not completely gray has some saturation.
- 5
  Summarize your comparison difference results. For example, if the reference is pure orange, and you are comparing it to pale yellow, the pale yellow will have a hue difference (yellow vs. orange), it will be lighter in value (as pale yellow has a strong white component), and it will have lower saturation (as the white compromises the saturation when compared to the more intense orange).

Other Hobbies