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This section concerns the physical basis of the colours we perceive as belonging to light and to objects, including colour in nature.
Light
Light
Spectral distribution of D65 white on an ipad Pro displayed on f.luxometer (also shows luminous efficiency function and response of CIE 1924 observer).
light (CIE)
"1. characteristic of all sensations and perceptions that is specific to vision. 2. radiation that is considered from the point of view of its ability to excite the human visual system". (An associated note suggests that "when necessary to avoid confusion between these 2 meanings the term "perceived light" may be used in the first sense").
Thus in CIE terminology the word "light" can be used either for the range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation visible to humans or for the visual experience (usually) evoked by these wavelengths. In this sense the expression "visible light" is redundant because all light is by definition visible, but note that alternative conventions common among astronomers and physicists equate "light" with all electromagnetic radiation, or include ultraviolet and infrared "light" but seem to draw the line at radio waves, microwaves, X rays and gamma rays.
Tour of the electromagnetic spectrum (NASA Science)
Excellent series of web pages with videos and linked pdfs explaining the full range of electromagnetic radiation from radio waves to gamma rays, but note the astronomers' disposition to call all of these "light".
f.luxometer
Displays spectral distributions for numerous devices, illuminants and natural and artificial light sources.
Blackbody Spectrum (PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado, Boulder)
Handprint (Bruce MacEvoy)
https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/color1.html#light (light: the spectrum we can see )
https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/color3.html#measuringlight (measuring light and color)
https://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/color3.html#photounits (the spatial geometry of light)
Light (3rd Edn) (R. W. Ditchburn)
Why does light slow down in water? (Don Lincoln, Fermilab)
The original double slit experiment (Veritasium. 2013).
The history and science of color temperature (Filmmaker IQ)
One of a number of reasonably reliable videos on colour for films on the same channel.
Physclips (UNSW)
Hyperphysics (C.R. Nave, Georgia University):
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/ligcon.html (Light and Vision)
Short pages on various topics related to colour, light and vison, set out in web arrangement
Colour theory in two minutes (Stephen Westland)
Objects and Light
Objects and Light
Plate from Joseph Albers' Interaction of Color (1st edn, 1963), displayed at the exhibition Saturated: The Allure and Science of Color at the Cooper Hewitt in 2018, and labelled "Josef Albers' landmark publication included this lesser known plate illustrating color as a series of measured wavelengths plotted on a graph".
Lights and Shadows (Bartosz Ciechanowski)
Superb introduction to light and shade using interactive demonstrations
The dimensions of colour, Part 2, Basics of light and shade (David Briggs)
Hanrahan, P. and Kruger, W., Reflection from layered surfaces due to subsurface scattering (1993)
Paper referred to in Basics of Light and Shade above.
Physically Based Rendering:From Theory To Implementation (Matt Pharr, Wenzel Jakob, and Greg Humphreys)
Outstanding free online book describing in detail the theory and practice of photorealistic rendering systems
Physically Based Rendering in Filament (Romain Guy and Mathias Agopian)
The Causes of Colour (Kurt Nassau, Scientific American, 1980)
Causes of color (Michael Douma, Curator)
The first three sections are based on Kurt Nassau's The Fifteen Causes of Color. (Parts of the fourth section are much less reliable).
Mainly on colour (Dietrich Zawischa, English and German)
Spectrashop (Robin Myers):
http://rmimaging.com/spectrashop.html (Windows/ Mac)
https://www.chromaxion.com/spectral-library.php spectral library as zip files)
SpectraShop is a program for measuring, analyzing and storing visible light spectra. It can measure spectra directly with various instruments, or import data from other programs. In demo mode the program will not measure, save or export data, but it will open and display spectral files from the large array provided.
Colour in Nature
Colour in Nature
The Colors of Life (Julien P. Renoult and Bernard Valeur )
How Birds Make Colorful Feathers (Bird Academy)
Minnaert, Marcel G.J., The nature of light & colour in the open air (1954)
Google Sites
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