Seeing True Color

Part of the training for artists and designers, especially those that work with color, is the ability to see true color.  

For most people, the color they perceive an object to be is influenced by the colors that surround it.  A green grape will appear lighter when sitting in a bowl of blueberries (dark color) than if it’s perched on a bed of vanilla yogurt (light color).

You can see this for yourself by creating what’s known as a color isolator: punch or cut a small hole in a notecard, then find a piece of art or a poster to examine.  Pick one point on the page, and notice how the color at that point appears different when you look at it in context, versus when you look at it in isolation (through the hole in the color isolator).

The purpose of the color isolator is to reveal the true color by eliminating the comparison to nearby colors.

We face the same challenge in looking at all things in life:

• It can be hard to discern the actual temperature in a cool room if you’ve just come in from a hot day outdoors.  
• It can be challenging to determine the true skill of an employee if they’re surrounded by colleagues who are much more (or much less) experienced.
• If you write a draft of your first novel, it may be difficult to assess its virtues and flaws if you’re comparing it to your favorite author who has published 20 books.

What approach might be better?  Learn to describe what’s in front of you, without comparison.  See the merits, and see the opportunities for improvement.  If you must compare, compare it to your intended outcome or your personal best, not to the things around it.

You’ll be able to see more clearly what works and what doesn’t. And you will probably have more enthusiasm to improve the thing or help the person, than if you’re playing a game of comparison.