Color Theory and Math

  I was actually out searching for information on using 360 VR in the Math classroom and stumbled across this article talking about a math based approach to color theory.  It was something I'd never thought about before.

The application is specifically for Photo Shop but the math is facinating because it relies on a formula using 180 and 360 degrees.  The degrees refer to how far off the base color you are going.

For instance the picture only represents 180 degrees.  So the Yellow might represent 120 degrees from the red color on the half color wheel showing.  An application I had never thought about.  I've only through about degrees in a more scientific or geometric application.

The author defines hue, saturation, and brightness and gives the starting values within Photo Shop.  It is awesome to see that the basic formula is the absolute value of the (base color + so many degree) - 360 degrees.  If you are not sure precisely how certain types of color groupings work, check this site because it has wonderful illustrations that clarify types.  Apparently, Sir Isaac Newton created the first color wheel.

This article actually clarifies the creation of certain colors that are referred to in the article in the next paragraph and its done in a clear manner.  He talks about cyan as being white - red or what is left after the white is taken out of the red.  Although it is more about adding or subtracting color, it gives students a feel for the idea of the concept of taking things away or putting more in as an application, rather than focusing solely on numbers. 

This article talks about the math behind mixing colors but that it is not scientifically proven yet. The article is quite detailed and appears to be more for artists who want to create their own colors but it sounds fascinating and possibly might fit under ratios.  I like the illustrations they use to support their thoughts.

This tangent is rather fascinating to me because its  more of a conceptual application rather than always being a numerical application.  Let me know what you think.