Pigments for differently color-sensitive individuals

[lumiere]

Some people are partially or entirely color-blind. Others have an extra color receptor, usually in the green range. So are there artists' pigments specifically for different color sensitivities? It seems like there should be.

Comments

[corivax]

> How would that work?

Standard human color vision is three dimensional - that is, any "color" a normal human sees can be mathematically described by three numbers. We see these three dimensions used in the color wheel (red, yellow, and blue - the "primary" colors) as well as in monitors (red, green, and blue).

Someone with only two color receptors only gets two dimensions: that is, every color they see can be described by two numbers. So for them, the "color wheel" should have only two primary colors, and a monitor would only need two. You could produce a line of paints for them, if you wanted to, that would more accurately reflect the way they saw the world. You would not need as many pigments.

On the other hand, someone who has four functioning color receptors would need four primary colors or a monitor that displayed four basic colors in order to create art that looked like the world did to them. It's possible that, just by accident, they can find colors that correspond to their four primary colors and variations on them, but it's certainly not a given. :)

In practice, though, most of the time when a pigment mutates and people have an extra color receptor, it's very similar to the ones they already have, so while they might technically have four dimensions of color viewing, the distinction will be pretty subtle, more subtle than the different between someone color-blind and someone with normal color vision.

Also, in my experience, we already can't make pigments for every color out there, and that's speaking as someone with normal vision. :) I cannot mix colors that match some of the almost-black colors I see, nor can most purples be duplicated well. :)

[lumiere]

Hey, don't shade out my rainbow. :-)

In practice, though, most of the time when a pigment mutates and people have an extra color receptor, it's very similar to the ones they already have, so while they might technically have four dimensions of color viewing, the distinction will be pretty subtle, more subtle than the different between someone color-blind and someone with normal color vision.

Well, yes, the pigments that are distinguishable by people with specific additional color receptors but not by normal visioned people will be relatively subtle differences.

Also, in my experience, we already can't make pigments for every color out there, and that's speaking as someone with normal vision. :) I cannot mix colors that match some of the almost-black colors I see, nor can most purples be duplicated well. :)

Clearly we need a Manhattan Project for pigments. :-)