Why does the CIELAB a* axis point toward magenta instead of red?. Issue 6 (23rd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Seymour, John
• Is Part Of: Color research & application. Volume 45:Issue 6(2020:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1040
• Page End: 1054
• Publication Date: 2020-07-23
• Subjects: red hue angle -- CIELAB -- Adams chromatic value -- history of color measurement -- tristimulus functions; Color -- Periodicals; 535
• DOI: 10.1002/col.22547
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0361-2317

Abstract

Abstract: Red is a basic color. The work of Kay and Berlin on the evolution of color names in languages shows that, after white and black, red is the most basic of color terms. Red plays a key part in Hering's color opponent theory, and is one of the elementary colors in both the Munsell Color system and in the Natural Colour System (NCS). The CIELAB color system has an axis which is sometimes referred to as the red‐green axis. But unique red is about 25° degrees counterclockwise from the positive a* axis. This article answers the question of why this is.