Färgsteg

Färgsteg is a term used to describe discrete incremental steps of color in various disciplines. It denotes the smallest representable or perceptible unit of color within a particular system, such as a digital image, a color palette, or a printing process. The exact number of färgsteg depends on the context and the color model, device, or workflow.

In digital imaging and displays, färgsteg are determined by color depth. For example, 8-bit per channel RGB yields 256 färgsteg per channel, or 16,777,216 färgsteg in a 24-bit color space. Higher bit depth increases the number of färgsteg, enabling smoother gradients and more accurate color reproduction.

In color design and printing, färgsteg appear in gradients, ramps and palettes. Designers may use a limited set of färgsteg to ensure consistent color reproduction across devices or print runs. Gradients are created by sequencing a number of färgsteg to achieve the desired smoothness and tonal range.

In color measurement and perception, steps can be defined by instrument resolution or perceptual scales, such as Delta E in CIELAB. Each step corresponds to a measurable color difference or perceptual increment, useful for quality control and color matching.

The term is primarily used in Swedish-language contexts and is not a formal technical standard. It serves as a general concept across digital imaging, printing, and design to describe discrete color levels or increments.