Question: Why are there actually hundreds of colour systems and collections, when each of us has only one colour perception?
The current situation in the world of colour is comparable to the situation where there would be no standardised metre measure, but hundreds of length measures from the most diverse suppliers. Today's diversity of systems is by no means helpful, but medieval, because it makes constant colour system comparisons necessary when working. These are hindered rather than encouraged by the established colour collections.
Größere Anbieter bezeichnen ihre Kollektionen gern als „global color communication“ und schützen sie gleichzeitig vor Nachahmung und Vergleich. Manche Markenartikler reklamieren sogar ein Eigentum an einzelnen Farbtönen.
Today's world of colour could be better (=more practical for us users and much freer), because on every desk there is a computer that not only enables free colour, but brings it along by default!
Usual work with colour: awkward
As a professional colour user, you are constantly faced with colour system comparisons: Which is the right adhesive film for a company colour, how can I get it onto the internet, onto the façade or into four-colour printing, etc.? Just as regularly, one is confronted with questions of harmony: what suits my original colour, how do I grade it sensibly?
The most famous manufacturers' collections almost always remain with their answers in their respective collections. That's no wonder, you're not supposed to use other colours.
Bondage from copyright
Mehrere Anbieter haben das Geschäftsmodell von Farbkollektionen. Hinter diesen Farbsystemen stecken keine Formeln, sie sind nicht berechenbar und dürfen dies auch nicht sein, um das Geschäftsmodell nicht zu gefährden. Berechnete Farbsysteme wie z.B. RGB oder CIELAB sind hingegen nicht schutzfähig und können sich daher ohne „Schutz“ ungehindert verbreiten.
...any cross-referencing, in whole or in part, to any PANTONE Color system, including, but not limited to, the PANTONE numbers and PANTONE Colors, by third parties, may be a violation of PANTONE, Inc.'s proprietary rights and is strictly prohibited.
Pantone fan
The RAL products and services are comprehensively legally protected. The presentation of the RAL colours is done exclusively on the basis of the release and approval of RAL gGmbH. (...) The RAL CLASSIC colour collection and the other RAL products are protected by copyright. (...) In order to protect its intellectual property, RAL gGmbH is required to legally prosecute and prevent unauthorised use. The infringement of industrial property rights and copyrights not only entails consequences under civil law, but also constitutes a criminal offence.
RAL-K7 colour fan (edition 2020)
Bondage from trademark law
There are currently about 100 registered colour marks in Germany. Examples: Beiersdorf blue (Pantone 280), Milka purple, Telekom magenta (RAL 4010). These colours may not be used by any competitor for competing products. See also Wikipedia or elsewhere on this website:
- The red sole on Louboutin shoes and other colour brands
- How to protect colour marks? - a lawyer reports
- Dispute between Deutsche Telekom and Lemonade Versicherung
Lack of freedom in a free society
Through third-party ownership of individual colours and of the most important colour collections, we curtail our creative and personal freedom. In other words, we allow lack of freedom in a very elementary personal area: in our innermost being.
According to current scientific knowledge, colours are first and foremost experiences. in us – wie kann man nur auf die Idee kommen, diese „gehörten“ jemand anderem? „Die Gedanken sind frei“, sagt ein altes Volkslied, hieran sollten wir uns erinnern, anstatt die Kommerzialisierung sogar auf unser Gefühlsleben auszudehnen.
Wohin soll das führen? Dass man eines Tages für Empfindungen bezahlen muss, weil andere ihnen mit massivem Medieneinsatz sogenannte „Verkehrsgeltung“ verschafft haben? Dies ist bereits der Fall – wir haben es nur nicht bemerkt!
What do we propose?
From our point of view, a rethink would be necessary: away from the manufacturer collections - towards calculated colours. We should simply follow calculated colour models everywhere, because purely mathematically determined colours are copyright and licence-free.
Moderne Technik macht’s möglich. Im Computer sind berechnete Farben längst Realität, hier ist Farbe längst voll berechen- und vergleichbar. Fast jede Software ermöglicht eine freie Farbeingabe und Farbberechnnung, und in allen wichtigen Betriebssystemen ist das sog. „Farbmanagement“ fest eingebaut.
Calculated colours are also calculable, in the literal and comprehensive sense, and this has numerous advantages in practice. Just try to create a brightness gradient with RAL or Pantone colours or to determine a counter colour. With mathematical colours this is no problem at all.
Which mathematical colour model makes the most sense?
Although CMYK is widely used in pre-press, it is too limited in terms of the available colour space to be considered a useful general model. sRGB is included in every computer program, so it can be used immediately everywhere, but it also has only a limited colour space and as a technical definition is not very perceptually appropriate.
CIELAB is common in colour measurement today and is the better model thanks to its perception-oriented definition, device independence and no gamut restrictions. The CIELAB colour definition is not backed by a multi-million marketing budget, but it has nevertheless become established in colour measurement. It has also been integrated into the usual computer operating systems for several decades. Nevertheless, it still leads a shadowy existence among the general public. We would like to help CIELAB achieve a breakthrough because of its advantages.
CIELAB hat aber auch Schwächen. Es ist der Berechnungsversuch von Farbe als Wahrnehmungsqualität, die in uns statt findet. Hierbei werden Annahmen über unsere Farbwahrnehmung stark vereinfacht (z.B. der sogenannte „CIE-Normalbeobachter“ als für alle Menschen gleich festgelegte mathematische Kurve). Zweitens gilt ein CIELAB-Farbwert immer nur unter bestimmten normierten Lichtbedingungen (D50, D65,..).
Even more useful than CIELAB would be the broad enforcement of the actual colour primordial data. These are the spectral curves of the light entering our eye. CMYK, RGB, CIELAB etc. can be calculated from this, the better the model in question, the better (more perceptually appropriate). It would therefore make sense if spectral data were not only included in individual programmes, but also in computer operating systems. However, this is a dream of the future; only a few approaches exist in software at present. But in 20 years...?
Free colour for all!
Whichever method is used to calculate them - the advantages of free colour are huge. And one more thing...
Today, technical progress in printing processes makes it possible to produce any colour sample with an accuracy that is hardly inferior to the paint samples of established manufacturers. The cost of so-called proof printing is far lower - making colour affordable for the masses - free colour!
With established manufacturers, copyright stands in the way of the freedom of inexpensive reproduction (see above) - but not with mathematical colour.
A market niche
No - many! For sRGB, HSB and CIELAB, CIELCh, CIELuv etc. there have been no colour samples that meet professional requirements. Formulations for printing, lacquer, facade, plastic and textile paint are also not available. RGB and CIELAB do exist in the computer, but in "real life" only in inadequate form. Nor is there a usable app or software with which one can select, calculate, show, modify, print, harmonise, compare,... any colour in high quality. This is best done with an interface to the colour mixing station in the nearest DIY store and with direct integration into one's own design programme.
There is a lot to do. If you think about it, you can think of an unbelievable number of possibilities that are also commercially promising. We want to help fill these gaps in the market and support third parties in doing so.
Holger Everding