Why accurate colour matching needs to control for gloss

摘要

It's widely recognised that visual colour evaluation can be imprecise. Even under the same lighting conditions, two individuals can still see and describe colour differently due to a variety of physical factors. In order to overcome this, the industry looks to spectrophotometers and specialised software that can accurately match, correct and control colour. Of note, samples with differing gloss levels can present unique challenges for both visual assessment and digital colour management. When light reaches the surface of a sample(known as incident light), most of the spectrum is absorbed and a small amount is reflected. Our eyes perceive colour according to the wavelengths of this reflected light. Spectrophotometers-the industry standard for colour matching and quality control-measure colour by analysing the amount of light reflected from a sample surface, at each wavelength in the visible spectrum(between 400-700nm), compared to that of a reference sample. Gloss can impact this. The higher the gloss level of the product, the more light reflected. Furthermore, whether or not the surface is flat will influence the direction of the reflected light. This is described through specular vs diffuse reflection.