Color in Visual Design CS 4390/5390 Data Visualization Shirley Moore, Instructor September 10, 2014
Goal Develop a theory-based approach to how color should be used in design Aim for clarity and efficiency of visual queries Aesthetics OK too but secondary
Rod and Cone Cell Distribution in Human Retina Image credit:
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Visible LIght
Sensitivity Functions for the Three Types of Cone Cells
Opponent Process Theory: 3 Color-Opponent Channels in V1
Color “Blindness”
Color Terminology
Luminance Contrast
Simultaneous Constrast
Simultaneous Contrast
Are the dogs different colors?
Same dogs as last slide
Light and Shadow
Sensitivity to Detail
Shape from Shading
Showing Small Colored Objects on Large Colored Background GoodBad
Color Coding - Categories Appears to be a shared naming system across cultures and languages Can reliably use at most a dozen codes
Color Maps “Rainbow color map (still) considered harmful” orMaps/ColorMaps.pdf orMaps/ColorMaps.pdf there-a-better-color-scale-than-the-rainbow- colormap there-a-better-color-scale-than-the-rainbow- colormap lor/color.HTM lor/color.HTM
3 Perceptual Dimensions of Color
Color Map Accessibility
Color Encodings RGB – red-green-blue – additive color model Cylindrical color models – HSL/HCL hue, saturation/chromaticity, luminance/lightness – HSB/HSV hue, saturation, brightness/value
RGB Color Model From Wikipedia:
Cylindrical Color Models
Try these! Color Brewer – MudCube – – Can simulate color blindness of different types
Preparation for Next Class Finish Lab 1 – You will receive instructions by Friday on how to turn in your assignment Read Munzner Chapter 2