Color Theory

The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation 
Kazan National Research Technological University 
G. Lutfullina, E. Valeeva
COLOR THEORY
Tutorial 
Kazan 
KNRTU Press 
2022 

UDC 675:535.6(075) 
Published by the decision of the Editorial Review Board  
of the Kazan National Research Technological University 
Reviewers: 
PhD in Technology, Associate Professor M. Gorbacheva 
PhD in Philology, Associate Professor E. Semushina 
G. Lutfullina
Color Theory : Tutorial / G. Lutfullina, E. Valeeva; The Ministry of Education
and Science of the Russian Federation, Kazan National Research Technological
University. – Kazan : KNRTU Press, 2022. – 80 p.
ISBN 978-5-7882-3274-4 
The tutorial presents the main principles of color and light theory. 
The tutorial is intended for practical classes and lectures for training Bachelor’s and 
Master’s students majoring in technologies and materials of the leather and fur industry, also 
can be used for Doctoral students conducting their research in the field of fur and leather 
processing. In addition, it can be used for English Language classes for training students to use 
English language terms effectively. 
Prepared by the Department of Plasma Technology and Nanotechnology of High Molecular Weight Materials. 
UDC 675:535.6(075) 
Gulnaz Lutfullina, Elvira Valeeva 
C O L O R  T H E O R Y  
Responsible for the publication D. Romanov 
Computer layout by A. Yegorov 
Гульназ Гусмановна Лутфуллина, Эльвира Энверовна Валеева 
ТЕОРИЯ ЦВЕТА 
Signed in print 29.12.2022 
Sheet size 60×84 1/16 
Offset paper 
Digital print 
4.65 conv. pr. sh. 
5.0 publ. sh. 
Edition 400 copies 
Order 251/22 
Kazan National Research Technological University Press 
Offset laboratory of Kazan National Research Technological University 
420015, Kazan, Karl Marx street, 68 
ISBN 978-5-7882-3274-4 
© G. Lutfullina, E. Valeeva, 2022 
© Kazan National Research Technological University, 2022 

C O N T E N T S
Introduction ............................................................. 4 
1. Light and color ...................................................... 6 
2. Color: physical and chemical phenomenon ....................11 
3. Light propagation ..................................................19 
4. Theory of color sensation .........................................24 
5. Principles of color harmony ......................................30 
6. Color characteristic measurements .............................42 
7. Contrast: construction principles ...............................50 
8. Principles of color selection ......................................55 
9. Color symbolism ...................................................64 
10. Color palettes of the world .....................................75 
References ..............................................................79 
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INTRODUCTION 
Colors play a great role in human life. People are so used to see 
different colors, they do not think about them. However, colors are 
everywhere since our childhood. Traditionally, little girls are surrounded by 
pink things, and boys are surrounded by blue ones. Colors are symbols of 
certain events. The color can make you happy and it can be annoying. We 
love some colors and hate others.  
People give colors a certain meaning. There is a branch of 
Psychology that studies a person's ability to perceive and designate colors. It 
is called the psychology of color perception.  
It may seem that all people see and perceive colors in the same way. 
But this is not right, as each person perceives color in his own way. 
The perception of color depends on many factors: cultural, social, 
physiological, psychological, etc. For example, if a person feels unwell, he 
can be annoyed by shades that others like. When children see a woman in 
a white elegant dress, they guess that she is a bride, but a woman in 
a completely black outfit evokes sad thoughts about mourning and funerals. 
Most likely that these children are from Western culture, since in some 
countries of the East white color is associated with mourning. 
Color associations are very important for human life. Since the 
ancient times, people have known the language of colors. Warriors in their 
military garbs tried to scare the enemy. Priests decorated their clothes with 
flowers so that people would revere them. Kings were dressed in gold 
clothes decorated with precious stones to evoke a sense of admiration from 
their peoples. People decorated their houses with colorful mats and bright 
things to switch from work to rest and family joys. 
Colors have a certain impact on our entire lives. Typically, we 
intuitively look for the color we need. If we feel tired in the morning, we 
can choose clothes in warm colors: orange, yellow or red. Colors improve 
well-being, cheer up, help us to tune in to the working mood, etc. Some 
people can choose colors more correctly than others. These are usually 
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women, as men are more closely bound by social boundaries and often 
suppress the desire to wear clothes of the desired color. 
The choice of colors is often unconscious. We can learn a lot about 
each other from our preference of one color or another. According to this 
fact, very effective color personality tests have been developed. One of the 
most famous tests is the Luscher test.  
It is useful to know the main characteristics of colors. They can help 
you to correct your own behavior, as well as to create the desired impression 
of yourself.  For example, if you want to get a job in a big company, you 
have to wear a dull formal suit.  A person in a bright red suit has little chance 
of getting a job in a company where everyone dresses modestly. However, 
at a festive party, a girl in a bright red dress will attract much more attention 
than a girl in clothes of a dull color. 
Marketers use colors to attract customers. For example, in those 
cafes, where they want customers to spend less time for food and more 
visitors pass through the cafes, bright colors such as yellow and red are used. 
At the same time, soft color tones and subdued lights can be found in 
restaurants where they are interested in keeping customers longer. 
The meaning of colors and their choice play the greatest role in 
design of apartments, offices, restaurants, cafes, etc. Using the certain color, 
you can influence the perception of the proportions of a room, making it 
narrower, wider, lower, and higher. Colors affect people through their 
sensations. 
Thus, colors play an extremely important role in our life and work. 
We usually perceive color without thinking and pay attention to it only when 
it is bright. It is very important to know how colors affect people. This study 
guide will present you the main principles of color theory. 

1. LIGHT AND COLOR
We see objects because they have different colors. This phenomenon 
relates to the ability of an object to reflect radiation with certain 
wavelengths. Therefore, color is the result of this ability under certain 
lighting conditions. In other words, it is an ability of the visual human organ 
to define a color resulting from light reflection.  
We can see colored objects and cannot see colorless objects which 
are invisible to our eyes. For example, the color of snow is white, but 
depending on the lighting, snow can have a bluish or yellowish color. 
The term “light” refers to electromagnetic radiation or 
electromagnetic waves perceived by the human eye. It is also called visible 
light. Traditionally, light is related to the wavelengths ranging from 
approximately 390 nm to 770 nm. In this wavelength range, the human eye 
can distinguish and see different colors. 
Light energy 
Light waves and other types of waves are distributed during the 
energy transfer process. The energy of light waves transferred from light 
sources is absorbed by substances. It should be noted that the emission and 
absorption of light are not the continuous processes. The light energy is 
absorbed by separate portions. They are called quanta. The energy of 
a quantas is directly proportional to the oscillation frequency. Therefore, it 
is inversely proportional to the wavelength. 
Speed of light 
Light travels in different transparent media at different speeds. 
In a vacuum, light travels at a speed of 300,000 km/sec. In the air, light 
travels approximately at the same speed. In all other transparent media, the 
speed of light is less. 
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A light beam is a stream of photons, i.e. individual portions (quanta) 
of electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic energy E (kJ) is defined by 
the Planck equation: 
E=η ν, 
(1) 
where η is Planck's constant, ν is the frequency of electromagnetic 
oscillations. 
Radiant energy 
The optical region of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum 
includes: 
1) ultraviolet radiation;
2) visible light radiation;
3) infrared radiation.
Ultraviolet radiation with wavelengths from 10 nm to 390 nm is
invisible for the human eye. It is detected mainly by the analysis of its 
chemical and physiological effects. 
Visible radiation with wavelengths from 390 nm to 770 nm is 
perceived by human vision as light. 
Invisible infrared radiation with wavelengths from 770 nm to 1 or 
2 mm is detected mainly by the study of its photoelectric or thermal effects. 
Spectral composition of light 
The spectral composition is the distribution of radiation energy over 
different wavelengths. The wavelength of the maximum radiation is called 
dominant. People can see a certain color according to the spectral 
composition of light. 
Radiation with a single constant wavelength is called monochromatic 
radiation. The color of visible monochromatic radiation is determined by its 
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wavelength. When white light is decomposed into a continuous spectrum by 
a prism, we can see different colors which constantly change one into another. 
Table presents the ranges of radiation wavelengths (nm) which 
relates to different colors. 
Table. Radiation wavelength ranges for different colors 
Color 
Wavelengths, nm 
Color 
Wavelengths, nm 
Violet 
390–440 
Yellow-green 
550–575 
Blue 
440–480 
Yellow 
575–585 
Light-blue 
480–510 
Orange 
585–620 
Green 
510–550 
Red 
620–770 
The human eye is the most sensitive to yellow-green radiation with 
a wavelength of 555 nm. As the radiation approaches the ends of the visible 
spectrum in daylight the eye sensitivity decreases.  
Light parameters and their measurement units 
Luminous flux is the power of radiant energy, estimated by the light 
sensation of the human eye. The light emitted by an electric lamp in all 
directions is the luminous flux. The luminous flux is denoted by the letter F. 
The measurement unit of the luminous flux is lumen (lm). 
The luminous (light) intensity is the spatial density of the luminous 
flux. It is determined as the ratio of the luminous flux to the solid angle 
within which it emits. The total solid angle at a light source is 4 π 
steradians (sr.), i.e. 12.57 sr. The luminous intensity is measured in 
candelas (cd). Luminous intensity (Iα) is a value that characterizes the glow 
of a source in a certain direction. 
Illumination is the surface area of the luminous flux incident on 
the illuminated surface. It is defined as the ratio of the luminous flux E to 
the surface area S on which it is emitted: 
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