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What is colour? Key to decorative paper

07 February, 2023

What is colour?

Colour plays a key role in decorative paper. It defines and characterises the design, making it unique and singular.

Colour is a property of light that allows us to perceive and distinguish different wavelengths of light reflected or emitted from an object. It is a visual experience that occurs when light interacts with objects and is reflected back to our eyes.

White light, such as from the sun or an artificial light source, is composed of a mixture of different colours. When this light strikes an object, it can absorb certain colours and reflect others. The colours that are reflected are the colours that we perceive.

In other words, colours belong to the visible spectrum of light, only the range of wavelengths of light that can be captured by our eyes. This range extends from 400 nanometres (nm) at the violet end of the spectrum to 700 nm at the red end. The colours that make up the visible spectrum are violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. In addition, visible light is a small fraction of the total electromagnetic spectrum, which also includes ultraviolet light, infrared light and radio waves.

However, there are many factors that can affect colour perception, including ambient light, individual perception and a person’s sensitivity to different wavelengths.

In the world of colour, we often talk about three basic and very important components in choosing a wallpaper: hue, saturation and brightness. Hue refers to the specific name of the colour, such as red, blue or green. Saturation refers to the intensity or purity of the colour, while brightness refers to the amount of light the object reflects.

In addition to these basic components, there are different colour classification systems, such as the RGB (red, green, blue) model, used in displays and electronic devices, and the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) model, used in printing.

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The importance of colour in decorative paper

Colour plays a key role in the field of decorative paper. Through the right selection and combination of colours, it is possible to create moods, convey emotions and express styles. Vibrant, bold colours can add energy and vitality to a space, while soft, neutral tones can generate feelings of calm and serenity. In addition, colour can influence the perception of the size and shape of a room, creating optical illusions and adding depth. In decorative paper, colour becomes a powerful tool to transform and embellish spaces, providing personality and character through a carefully selected chromatic palette.

It is essential to know and define colour, it is essential to achieve the repetition of designs and avoid phenomena such as metamerism in decorative paper.