GB2418029A

GB2418029A - Three-dimensional colour chart

Info

Publication number: GB2418029A
Application number: GB0518587A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Bremer-Trainor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-14
Filing date: 2005-09-12
Publication date: 2006-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-12
Also published as: GB2418029B; GB0420461D0; GB0518587D0

Abstract

A colour system comprises a series of 3-dimensional blocks wherein the embodiment comprises five elementary colours, Red (R), Yellow (Y), Blue (B), Black (Z) and White (A), combined in such ways as to provide all possible combinations. The system derives from a simple colour wheel where Pure Brown is at the centre and at the perimeter red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet are spaced equally at 60{ and the colours in between are graduations of these colours. The Pure brown is an unequal combination of Red, Yellow and Blue producing a neutral colour without bias towards any one primary and which graduates towards the perimeter with increasing amounts of a primary or secondary colour with the simultaneous decrease of its complimentary. The system may be implemented by way of a book or computer display, as a physical colour chart, a system for defining colours, a data base of colours, a computer, a printer, a paint mixing apparatus or a method of matching a colour.

Description

241 8029

COLOUR SYSTEM

This invention relates to a colour system.

Historically, many attempts have been made to construct a physical representation of the visible colour spectrum and so establish the relationship between all colours.

Early colour systems were two-dimensional colour charts or colour wheels which all failed to incorporate the multitude of permutations possible from the five elementary colours. These elementary colours are Red, Yellow, Blue, Black & White, so named because they cannot be broken down any further.

The most well known three-dimensional colour system is the Munsell System and although still widely used today it is hugely deficient. More surprisingly, is that some very recent colour systems omit up to 90% of visible colours.

A colour system which encompasses the entire colour spectrum would be immeasurably helpful in establishing international standards of colour in everything from paint & inks to plastics & textiles. The colour systems in use internationally today fail generally to provide a complete representation of all the available colours.

To construct a wholly inclusive colour system it is essential that the five elementary colours are combined in all possible combinations. These form thirteen colour groups which are: Primary Secondary Tertiary Grey Primary Grey Secondary Grey Tertiary Grey Primary Pastel Secondary Pastel Tertiary Pastel Primary Grey Pastel Secondary Grey Pastel Tertiary Grey Pastel Because there are five elementary colours a three-dimensional model must be constructed to allow for all possible variations. Theoretically, Pure Brown should exist centrally when R. Y & B are combined as solid colours (as opposed to lightJ in equal proportions. This Pure Brown is a neutral tertiary colour which shows no bias towards any primary colour. In reality however, because Blue has a high chromatic value and Yellow a low value (Red is approximately medium),the resulting combination is actually a muddy-gray.

If this muddy-gray is placed at the centre of the basic colour wheel the result / is a range of colours dominated by blue & violet, with a reduced palette of yellows, oranges and warm greens. Alternatively, if we compensate for these inequalities by adjusting the proportions of each primary to achieve a pure unbiased brown at the centre, then the basic colour wheel shows a balanced range of colours in every segment. This adjustment in no way excludes any particular colour from the system, but rather compresses some for the sake of balance and harmony. It is best therefore, that the model be symmetrical and that the distance from Pure Brown at the centre to Red, Yellow and Blue at the perimeter be equal.

It would be apparent to a person skilled in the art that embodiments of the presentation invention may be implemented as at least one of: a physical colour chart, a system for defining colours, a database of colours, a computer, a printer, and a paint mixing apparatus and a method of matching a colour. A physical colour chart may be implemented by way of a book or a computer having an appropriate display. Any of the implementations may be realised in any appropriate manner as will be apparent to the skilled reader.

According to the present invention there is provided a comprehensive colour system comprising a series of blocks of colours, wherein five elementary colours; Red (R), Yellow (Y), Blue (B), Black (Z) & White (A), are arranged in such ways as to provide all possible combinations.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view or two-dimensional view of the basic colour wheel as the first step in the colour system; Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of one of the blocks of colours; Figure 3 shows a sequence of 11 blocks of colours.

Referring to the drawings the colour system comprises a series of threedimensional blocks wherein five elementary colours; Red (R), Yellow (Y), Blue (B), Black (Z) & White (A), are combined in such ways as to provide all possible combinations. The system derives from a two-dimensicnal colour wheel (fig. 1) which is divided radially and by a series of concentric circles.

At the perimeter of the wheel the colours Red, Orange (O), Yellow, Green (G), Blue & Violet (V) are spaced equally at 60 and the colours between are graduations of two of these neighbouring colours.

At the centre of the wheel is pure Brown. This is where all three primaries (Red, Yellow & Blue) converge in equal values and where two i complimentaries (opposites) meet in proportional, constituent values equal to lR:lY:lB. This pure Brown has no bias towards any primary colour but graduates towards the perimeter with the addition of increasing amounts of a primary or secondary colour and the simultaneous subtraction of it's complimentary.

That is to say if lR+lY+lB=Brown Thus lR+2G=Brown Or lY+2V=Brown etc. The two-dimensional colour wheel (fig. 1) provides 3 of the 13 colour groups and 7 of the 29 colour types which are: Primary: Red, Yellow, Blue.

Secondary: Orange, Green, Violet.

& Tertiary: Brown.

Further permutations are obtained by the three-dimensionalisation of the colour wheel into a cylinder (fg.2) with the colour wheel (fig. 1) placed at the top and graduating incrementally to black at the bottom. This block of colour (fig.2) provides 3 further colour groups and 7 more colour types which are: Primarv GreY: Red/Grey, Yellow/Grey, Blue/Grey.

Secondary Grey: Orange/Grey, Green/Grey, Violet/Grey.

& Tertiary Grey: Brown/Grey.

If this cylinder is now sliced into layers, 10 for example, and each layer placed at the bottom of a new cylinder which graduates incrementally into white at the top (fg.3), then the following groups and colour types are produced, which are: Primarv Pastel: Pink, Light Yellow, Light Blue.

Secondary Pastel: Peach, Light Green, Lilac.

Tertiarv Pastel: Light Brown.

Primarv Grey/Pastel: Light Red/Grey, Light Yellow/Grey, Light Blue/Grey Secondary Grey/Pastel: Light Orange/Grey, Light Green/Grey, Light Violet/Grey.

&Tertiary Grev/Pastel: Light Brown/Grey.

The only remaining colour group is: Grey: Black/White.

The 29 colour types can be abbreviated as:

R Y B

RY YB BR

YBR

RZ YZ BZ

RYZ YBZ BRZ

YBRZ

RA YA BA

I

RYA YBA BRA

RZA YZA BZA

RYZA YBZA BRZA

YBRA

YBRZA

AZ

As this system generates in excess of 60,000 colours, it is practical to employ a system of notation to identify individual colours.

Therefore, if each of the 5 elementary colours is taken in turn and given its value as a percentage of the overall colour, then a numerical representation of a colour can be shown as: Eg:Y =100% Yellow Y-67R =33% Yellow,67% Red Y67R-46B =54% Y/R (18%Y+36%R), 46% Blue Y67R46B-14Z =86% Y/R/B (16%Y+3 1%R+39%B), 14%Black Y67R46B14Z-2 1A =79%Y/R/B/Z ( 112.5%Y+ 24.5%R+3 1%B+ 11%Z), 21% White In the first column the numbers indicate where the colour is located on the colour chart and the second column shows the percentage of each constituent elementary colour within that particular colour.

So alternatively, the 5th colour in the example could be written as: Y24. 5R3 lB1 1Z2 1A (The value of Y being 12.5%) Thereby giving an overall value of 100%.

Claims

Claims 1. A colour chart for defining colours, wherein a colour is defined

by defining variables, said colour chart comprising a first three dimensional colour range representation comprising a plurality of first two dimensional colour range representations defined by first and second defining variables and varying in a third dimension in respect of a third defining variable, and a plurality of second three dimensional colour range representations in which each second three dimensional colour range representation comprises a first two dimensional colour range representation varying in a third dimension in respect of a fourth defining variable.
2. A colour chart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second defining variables define a pure colour.
3. A colour chart as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the third and fourth defining variables define at least one of a proportion of black and a proportion of white.
4. A colour chart as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the pure colour is a combination of red, yellow and blue.
5. A colour chart as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the colour chart is computer implemented.
6. A colour chart as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the colour chart is physically implemented.
7. A colour chart as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first, second, third and fourth colour defining variables define proportions of a plurality of base colours.
8. A colour chart as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base colours are red, yellow, blue, black and white.
9. A colour chart as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a proportion of black or a proportion of white is none.
10. A colour chart as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the two dimensional colour range representation is a circular representation.
11. A colour chart as claimed in claim 10, wherein the circular representation has brown at the centre.
12. A colour chart as claimed in claim 11, wherein the proportions of red, yellow and blue at the centre of the circular representation are not equal.
13. A colour chart as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the proportions of red, yellow and blue at the centre of the circular representation are not equal so as to achieve an unbiased brown at the centre.
14. A colour chart as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the circular representation has the colours red, yellow and blue evenly spaced around the perimeter of the circular representation.
15. A colour chart as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the circular representation is subdivided into 60 sectors, wherein a first sector is adjacent a second sector and the first sector contains, as a proportion of total amount of red, yellow and blue, 5% less of one colour and 5% more of another colour than the second sector.
16. A colour chart as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the five base colours are solid colours.
17. A colour chart as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the five base colours are subtractive.
18. A system for defining colours, wherein a colour is defined by defining variables, said colour chart comprising a first three dimensional colour range representation comprising a plurality of first two dimensional colour range representations defined by first and second defining variables and varying in a third dimension in respect of a third defining variable, and a plurality of second three dimensional colour range representations in which each second three dimensional colour range representation comprises a first two dimensional colour range representation varying in a third dimension in respect of a fourth defining variable.
19. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the system is graphically represented by a plurality of cross sections of a plurality of three dimensional colour range representations, each three dimensional colour range representation comprising colours defined by a particular ratio of the proportion of black to the proportion of white.
20. A database of colours, wherein a colour is defined by defining variables, said colour chart comprising a first three dimensional colour range representation comprising a plurality of first two dimensional colour range representations defined by first and second defining variables and varying in a third dimension in respect of a third defining variable, and a plurality of second three dimensional colour range representations in which each second three dimensional colour range representation comprises a first two dimensional colour range representation varying in a third dimension in respect of a fourth defining variable.
21. A database as claimed in claim 20, further comprising conventional colour names indicating an appropriate colour in the database.
22. A computer arranged to define colours, wherein a colour is defined by defining variables, said colour chart comprising a first three dimensional colour range representation comprising a plurality of first two dimensional colour range representations defined by first and second defining variables and varying in a third dimension in respect of a third defining variable, and a plurality of second three dimensional colour range representations in which each second three dimensional colour range representation comprises a first two dimensional colour range representation varying in a third dimension in respect of a fourth defining variable.
23. A computer as claimed in claim 22, wherein the computer is arranged to communicate proportions of five base colours to a printer.
24. A printer arranged to receive colour defining variables from a computer as defined in claim 22 or 23, wherein the printer is arranged to reproduce a particular colour on a substrate using corresponding proportions of the five base colours.
25. A paint mixing apparatus arranged to: receive colour defining variables as defined in any preceding claim; select appropriate quantities of five paints; and mixing the appropriate quantities of the five paints.
26. A method of matching a colour in a colour chart as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, said method comprising identifying an initial match in the first three dimensional colour range representation, selecting a first two dimensional colour range representation including said initial match and identifying a final match in a second three dimensional colour range representation including said first two dimensional colour range representation.