colori

Colori is the plural of color in Italian and is commonly used in English-language discussions as well to refer to the perceptual qualities evoked by light interacting with matter. In physics, color describes the range of visible wavelengths, roughly 380 to 750 nanometers, that a light source or object can reflect, emit, or transmit. The sensation of color arises when light stimulates the retina, and the brain interprets the signals as hue, brightness, and saturation.

Human color perception is tri-chromatic: the retina contains three types of cone cells most sensitive to long, medium, and short wavelengths. These signals are combined by the brain into a spectrum of colors. Color perception is influenced by lighting, surroundings, and experience; phenomena such as color constancy and afterimages illustrate that color is not a fixed property of an object.

Color spaces and models organize colors for practical use. RGB represents additive mixing used in displays; CMYK represents subtractive mixing used in printing. For selecting colors, HSV and HSL describe hue, saturation, and value/lightness. Color management systems seek to maintain consistent appearance across devices by translating among gamuts such as sRGB, Adobe RGB, and Rec. 2020.

Colori and color symbolism vary by culture and history. In art and design, color theory studies relationships between hues, including complementary, analogous, and triadic schemes. Historically, pigments and dyes produced a wide range of colori with varying lightfastness and opacity, from mineral pigments to synthetic dyes.

Applications span science, technology, and daily life. Colorimetry quantifies color using standardized observers and illuminants. Digital imaging, printing, branding, and user interfaces rely on accurate color reproduction. Color vision deficiency affects a portion of the population and influences color choices in accessibility-focused design.