The Myth of Primary Colors
An Essay on Arbitrariness of Color Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35699/2238-2046.2025.57348Keywords:
primary colors, color theory, colors in art, pigment color and light color, color perceptionAbstract
This work focuses on the study of colors, with an emphasis on the categories known as primary or fundamental colors found in both pigmentary and luminous chromatic systems. These categories are examined from the perspectives of optics, philosophy, the history of Euro-Western pictorial art, and paint production technologies. By presenting these studies concisely, the aim is to reflect on certain categorical arbitrarinesses that influence or underpin the imagination, sensitivity, and education regarding colors, in order to foster alternative ways of thinking about, perceiving, and using them.
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