Farbsystems

Farbsystems, or color systems, are frameworks for describing, encoding, and reproducing colors across media. They organize color information into models and spaces and distinguish between additive and subtractive approaches. Additive systems describe colors by mixing light and are used in digital displays; subtractive systems describe colors by absorbing light and are used in printing and painting. Designers and engineers rely on standard combinations of models, spaces, and tolerances to achieve consistent results across devices.

Additive models such as RGB represent color as a combination of red, green, and blue. Common RGB color spaces include sRGB, Adobe RGB, and ProPhoto RGB, with varying gammas and primaries. Subtractive or pigment-based systems use cyan, magenta, and yellow, often with black (CMYK) for printing. Historical pigment primaries (RYB) persist in some artistic contexts. There are also perceptual and device-independent models, such as CIE XYZ and CIELAB, which aim to reflect human vision more uniformly.

Color management bridges different systems. ICC profiles, gamut mapping, and color conversions translate colors between devices, papers, and screens, helping maintain color consistency despite device limitations. In practice, each system has a gamut—the subset of colors it can reproduce—and real-world work often requires choosing a space that balances accuracy, range, and practicality.

Originating in 19th and 20th century color science, Farbsystems have grown with digital imaging, printing, and design. They underpin standardization efforts, such as color matching systems (Pantone) and international colorimetry (CIE).