Colour Measurement in Textiles

Specifically for academic purpose during the Covid 19

Dr. Lalit Jajpura,

Associate Professor, Department of Textiles Technology,
 Contents
 Introduction
 Electromagnetic spectrum
 Visible light
 Interaction of incident light on object
 Perception of colour
 Colour mixing or colour theories
 Colour specifying systems
 Munsell colour system
 CIE colour system
 Details of standard primaries, light sources, observer and viewing conditions
 Concept of colour measurement
 Tristimulus values (R, G and B)
 CIE imaginary primaries [X], [Y] AND [Z],
 CIE chromaticity diagram
 The CIELab, 1976
 Colour Matching System
 Applications of CCM software
Colour
 Plays important role in Aesthetics
 Textile
 Fibre, yarn, fabric and Garment

 Textile wet processing

 Preparatory wet processing, dyeing, printing &
Finishing

 Paints, plastics, paper printing, foods,

cosmetics, etc
 Electrical gadgets i.e. camera, colour
printers, LED TVs, mobiles
Visible light is the region of the electromagnetic spectrum to which
our eyes are sensitive. It corresponds to wavelength range from
360 to780 nm, or more commonly, 380 - 720 nm. The ultraviolet
region is below 360 nm and the infrared region is above 780 nm.
 Visible light
Sir Isaac Newton in 1660 split white light into its component colour.
 Interaction of Incident light on object
When light falls on an object, one or more of the following can
take place:
i) Transmission ii) Absorption iii) Scattering.

Object may be transparent and colourless, or it may be opaque.

If light is pass through the object it is known as colourless.
If part of light is absorbed, then the object looks coloured but transparent. If all
light is absorbed, then the object is black and opaque. Scattering is caused by
light falling on small particles within the object and having refractive index (RI)
different than that of the object.
 Perception of colour
Colour is basically sensation (similar to touch, taste, odour) phenomen which
occurs when light is enters the eye. A photochemical reaction occur in side
the eys which results in impulses that are transmitted along the optic nerve to
the brain.

The perception of colours involves the interaction of three elements.

• Source of light
• An object
• Human eye

Dye stuffs give colour to the substrate or object by selectively retaining some
of the wavelengths out of the light falling upon the surface via absorption. i.e.
if dye absorb light in cyan region (between blue and green wavelength) of
visible light then resultant light that is reflected will be of a reddish hue.
 Perception of colour
The retina in human eye has two distinct types of
nerve cells as follows:
• Cones: Cones nerve cells are capable to sense
the colour to the brain. Although it is able to
respond only in bright daylight or strong
artificial light. As per most acceptable Young
–Helmholtz theory, there are three types of
cones which sense the red, green and blue
wavelength of light and send the signal in
terms of electrical impulse via optic nerve to
the brain where it is perceived as colour.

• Rods: They play their efficient role in low

illumination light (i.e. in dusk, evening or in
night vision) when cones are not able to
stimulate photochemical reaction to perceive
the colour. They perceive the objects as greys
and black.
 Subjective nature of colour vision

The human eye is unable to view colours consistently

due to certain reasons. The colour vision of human eyes
are dependent on following factors:
• Tiredness of the eyes
• Emotional sate of the observer
• Type of the illumination
• Contrast
• Age of the observer
• Defective colour vision
 Tiredness of the eyes
• Positive after image: A prolong exposure to a coloured
substrate may result in the colours being seen for a few
seconds even after the objects have been removed from
view.
• Successive contrast: This occurs when, having
concentrated upon a coloured object, the eyes are turned
away and see the complementary colour(s) of the colour
just viewed. Successive contrast is the commonest type of
the after vision.

• Simultaneous contrast: Sometimes an object being

observed appears to be surrounded by a halo, or tinged
with its complementary colours. This effect is known as
simultaneous contrast.
Type of illumination
• Poor illumination or intensity of
illumination
• Direct sunlight: It has slight yellow tinge.

• Indirect sunlight: It is also known as

southlight or northlight. It has slight blue
tinge as blue light waves of indirect
sunlight are scattered more from molecule
of the air than waves of the other colours.

• Incandescent light: An electric bulb emit

incandescent light with excess of yellow
and red light energy.

• Fluorescent light: It has excess blue and

green light with deficiency of red.
Although, eye perceive blue colour light as
white light.
 Defective colour vision
As per estimation around 8% male and 2 % female population
have defective colour vision in one or more forms. This is due
to inefficient red, green and blue cones receptors in eyes.
Colour Mixing or colour theories
Fundamental to the specification of colours is an understanding
of the laws of colour mixing, the processes by which two or
more colours are combined to ‘synthesise’ new colours.

There are two fundamentally different ways in which this may

be achieved:
1. Additive colour mixing (Light colour theory)
2. Subtractive colour mixing (Pigment colour theory).
 Additive colour mixing (light colour theory)
Combinations of the primary colours (RED, GREEN & BLUE) produce a
diversified range of colours.
The appropriate combinations of all primary colours is white light.
Applications: Television, mobile screens, LED, etc

Primary colours are: Red, green and blue

Red + green + blue = white

Secondary colours are: yellow, cyan and magenta

Red + green = yellow

Green + blue = cyan

Blue + red = magenta

No light = black
 Subtractive colour mixing or pigment colour theory
The mixing of dyes, pigments, printing paste, etc is called subtractive colour mixing.
The subtractive term define that when visible light falls on any object (dyes, pigment
or textile) then colour is subtracted from the light. In fact, perceived colour of the
object is complementary colour of subtracted colour by the object.

The primary colours in pigment theory are: Cyan, magenta & yellow
The secondary colours in pigment theory are: Red, green & blue

If object has all these dyes (Cyan, magenta & yellow) in appropriate proportion then
whole visible light is absorbed. Thus, combination of three primary colour in
appropriate proportion in pigment colour mixing theory is black.

Cyan + magenta = blue ;

magenta + yellow = red

yellow + cyan = green ;

cyan + magenta + yellow = black

 Specifying colour
• Main Colour Coordinates are Hue, Value, and Chroma.
• Hue is the common name of the colour; ie red, pink, tan, blue,
red, etc. or it shows the tone; i.e., redder, bluer, brownish,
greenish, etc.

• Chroma or saturation of colour shows its depth, strength,

brightness, intensity, vividness or purity of colour. i.e., stronger
or weaker. Intense or dull colour

• Value is lightness; i.e., black to white through shades of grey

Appearance of colour changes when either source or observer
is changed.
 Colour specifying systems
It is necessary to specify colour accurately to identify and reproduce it
correctly. Some of the well known colour system are Ostwald, Munsell
and CIE.
• Ostwald colour system: German physical chemist Wilhelm Ostwald
developed colour system in 1920 which enjoy some early success but
it was unable to add new or different colours to those on which it is
based. Thus it supressed by the Munsell system.

• Munsell colour system: Most of the todays’ colour atlases of the dye,
pigment and paint manufactures, colour codes, etc are based on
Munsell colour system. This colour system illustrate colours using
charts by displaying a large range of hues, ordered according to
value and chroma.

• Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage (CIE) system: It is

extensively used colour system based on numeric colour specification.
Munsell colour system
Albert Munsell an American
scieintist developed munsell colour
system in 1915. The position of any
colour can be defined in this system
in a spherical space by three
cylindrical coordinates namely, hue,
value and chroma.
Munsell hue defines the colour. It has
total hues including five principal and
five intermediate munsell colours.
Five principal colours namely, yellow,
red, green, blue and purple which form
a complete circle and five intermediate
hues namely, yellow-red, green-
yellow, blue-green, purple-blue and
red-purple are described. Each of the
ten hues are further sub-divided into
ten equal parts ( 1 to 10).
 Munsell colour system
Munsell chroma is expressed as strength or weakness of a colour which can be recognised by
considering a single plane of constant value, one containing light grey at the centre. This is
surrounded by colours forming the complete hue circle. Along any radius, colours will have
the same perceived hue moving outward from the achromatic centre (grey), these colours
increase in chroma. This variable is also called saturation or purity. A colour is
described as weak, moderate or strong in terms of chroma. The chroma scale is from 2 to 16
with 2 interval.
Munsell value gives lightness or darkness of any hue and is expressed vertically from black to
white in terms of number 0 to 10 with a light grey at centre.
CIE SYSTEM OF COLOUR
MEASUREMENT
 CIE SYSTEM OF COLOUR MEASUREMENT

• Most of modern colour measurement systems work on the Commission

Internationale De l‘Eclairage (C.I.E.) System of colour specification, agreed in
1931. CIE is an organisation devoted to international cooperation and exchange of
information among its member countries on all matters relating to the art and
science of lighting.

• Colour space is an abstract mathematical solid, describing colour in terms of

values that can be calculated such as, CIE tristimulus values x, y, z or CIE
l*a*b* (1976) which is based on additive colour mixing in which the colour of a
sample is matched by mixing of primary coloured lights.
 Details of standard primaries, light sources, observer and viewing conditions

STANDARD ILLUMINANTS:
Three standard illuminants A, B and C together with their spectral power distribution were
defined. Later in 1967, more Illuminants such as D6500, D6700, Illuminants F were standardised to
accommodate increasing use of fluorescent lamps.
• ILLUMINANT_A: It represents a black body radiator at an absolute temperature of
2856ok and is similar in spectral power distribution to the light emitted from a tungsten
filament lamp. It is used to compute metameric index between the standard and the sample.

• ILLUMINANT_B_AND C: Correspond to different phases of daylight, the former represents

noon daylight with colour temperature of 48740K and the latter represents average daylight
with a colour temperature of 67740K. It has been replaced by the illuminant D6500.

• ILLUMINANT D6500 : In 1967, CIE adopted illuminant D6500 as being more representative of
natural daylight which is based on measurements of the total daylight, sun plus sky).

• ILLUMINANT F (COOL WHITE FLUORESCENT LIGHT CWF): Various fluorescent

lights have been standardised by CIE by tabulating their spectral power distribution.
Fluorescent sources consist of a mercury discharge tube, the inside of which is lined with
powder of fluoresce.
https://www.standardpro.com/guide-colour-temperature/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature
 SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION OF
VARIOUS ILLUMINANTS
Spectral energy distribution of average day light Vs Special energy distribution of CIE Standard
Illuminants 1. D7500 ; 2. D6500 ; 3. D5500; 4. D5000
Tungsten Light

Spectral energy distribution of fluorescent source

 STANDARD OBSERVER

The original 1931 CIE standard observer was based on experiments using a 2o field
of observer. This was a much narrower field of view than that normally used for
critical colour appraisal. A much wider field of 10o was adopted later on by CIE in
1964.
 STANDARD ILLUMINATING AND VIEWING CONDITIONS

The original CIE recommendation was that the sample should be illuminated at 45o to the

surface and the light viewed at right angles to the surface which is (45/0). It was

assumed that the opposite mode (0/45) would give the same result which is not the case if

the incident light is polarised. Four possible sets of conditions, are now recommended as 45/0,

0/45, d/0 and 0/d. In the third case, the sample is illuminated by diffused light, while in the

last case the light reflected at all angles is collected (by using an integrating sphere).

(Shah H. S., Gandhi R. S., 1990)

 CONCEPT OF COLOUR MEASUREMENT

This concept of colour measurement is based on theory that all the

perceived colours can be formed by mixing of additive primary
colours (red, green & blue). In experiment it is observed that a wide
variety of coloured lamps can be matched by adjusting the proportions
of the red, green and blue lights in the mixture as shown in following
figure:

A colour matching equation to represent this Wright used [R], [G] and [B] (red: 700.0 nm,
green: 546.1 nm and blue:436.8).
situation can be written as
C [C] = R [R] + G [G] + B [B]
The primary colours (red, green and blue) of
particular wave length are presented the
symbols [R], [G] and [B]. The amounts of
these primaries colours required in the
match, R, G and B, are called tristimulus
values.
To over come negative tristimulus value CIE adopted imaginary primaries [X], [Y] AND [Z], which may be
considered to be very saturated red, green and blue primaries, respectively. Being imaginary primary they
may defined mathematically interms of real primaries [R], [G] and [B] used by wright (red: 700.0 nm, green:
546.1 nm and blue:436.8).

• SE = 0.333 [X] + 0.333 [Y] + 0.333 [Z]

The amounts of the imaginary primaries (x, y, z) required to match unit energy of light at each
wavelength of the spectrum can be calculated. These amounts are all positive and are called the C.I.E. 1931
standard observer colour matching functions as shown in following figure. The values of x, y, z for
measurement of each wavelength are published by CIE.
 CALCULATION OF TRISTIMULUS VALUES OF SURFACE COLOURS

• If all the wave lengths of white light are viewed simultaneously, then the total
amount of primary (x, y, z) required will be given by their sum
throughout the spectrum. These sums are known as tristimulus values and
denoted by X, Y & Z.
• It is pertinent to mention that there may be variation in light source which emits
different amount of light at each wave length (across the whole visible range) &
• Surface may reflect only proportion of the light incident on it at each
wavelength. The proportion of reflection also varies at each wavelength.
Thus, the tristimulus values of reflected light by some object under the standard observer, (x, y, z) are
represented as:

780

X =  EX R
360

780

Y =  E Y R
360

780

Z =  E Z R Special energy distribution of CIE Standard

360 Illuminants 1. D7500 ; 2. D6500 ; 3. D5500; 4. D5000

HERE,
E= spectral power distribution of standard source

R = spectral reflectance factor of the object

X, Y, Z are colour matching functions of the standard observer.
• WRIGHT AND GUILD carried out experiment using a
colorimeter constructed having 20 field of view of standard
observer on which CIE 1931 standard observer is defined.
Although this 20 field of view of standard observer is very
narrower than the normal viewing condition.

• Thus new colour matching experiments were carried out by

Special energy distribution of CIE Standard
Stiles and Birch using a colorimeter constructed having 100
Illuminants 1. D7500 ; 2. D6500 ; 3. D5500; 4. D5000

field of view standard observer. The weighting values of X,

Y and Z for illuminant D65, 100 observer is shown in
following table:

There is need to match amount of standard red, green and blue

(x, y, z) for reflected light of each wave length of
standard illuminant.
 The reflectance (R ) may be 0 to 1 for each individual
wavelength. In case of perfect white object R is 1 for each
individual wavelength. Thus the perfect white object will
reflect illuminant D65 light and give.

X=94.8272 ; Y=100.00 & Y=107.3906 as shown in

aforesaid table.

It is pertinent to mention that in perfect white under equi-

energy light source (perfect white) these value would be
X= 100.00 ; Y=100.00 & Y=100.00.

If reflectance of the any object can be determined in

standard experimental condition then tristimulus X,

Y & Z value can be determined as mentioned in
aforesaid table.
The summation is done over a visible range (400-700 nm).
The weighting values for illuminant D65, 10° observer for
CIE 1931 or 1964 standard observer can be obtained
from literature. Where, R is measured by a
spectrophotometer.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
TRISTIMULUS VALUES AND COLOUR APPEARANCE

The three-dimensional nature of colour makes determining relationships difficult and it is usual to
simplify any relationship involving colour by considering only one or two dimensions at a time.
The higher the Y value, the lighter the sample appears. Thus, colour can be specified in terms
of hue and purity on a two- dimensional CIE chromaticity diagram obtained by plotting
chromaticity co-ordinates x and y which are determined from tristimulus values, X, Y, Z
under different illuminating conditions.
As the Y value quantifies the lightness of a surface colour x, y, Y values are, therefore, much
more suitable than X, Y, Z values for quantifying appearance and, in consequence, they
are widely used as shown in figure. Thus,

X Y Z
x = --------------, y= --------------, z= --------------, and x + y + z = 1.
X+Y+Z X+Y+Z X+Y+Z
CIE CHROMATICITY DIAGRAM
LIMITATIONS OF THE CIE SYSTEM
The chief limitation of the CIE system is its non uniformity. Equal changes in
x, y or Y do not correspond to the same perceived difference. Many attempts
have been made to provide more uniform system. In each case, the basic
approach has been to start with the tristimulus values or chromaticity
coordinates from the CIE system and to transform these in some way to give
a more uniform system.
The end result is a colour difference formula which, for a pair of samples
gives a number that is intended to be proportional to the difference seen.
 MANY COLOUR DIFFERENCE FORMULAE HAVE BEEN
PROPOSED, SUCH AS:

• ANLAB (1950-52)

• CIELAB COLOUR SPACE (1976),

• CIELUV,

• FMC-1,

• FMC-2,

• HUNTER LAB COLOUR SCALE (1958),

• CMC, ETC.
 THE CIELAB, 1976

Out of these, the CIELab formula was recommended by the Colour

Measurement Committee of the Society of Dyers and Colourists in
1976. One of the features of the formula that has proved to be most
useful has been the associated colour space. This is obtained by
using L*, a* and b* as mutually perpendicular axes where L*, a* and
b* are defined by
L* = 116 (Y/Yn) 1/3 16;
a* = 500 (X/Xn)1/3  (Y/Yn)1/3;
b* = 200 (Y/Yn)1/3  (Z/Zn)1/3
where, X/Xn, Y/Yn, Z/Zn  0.01

Where, Xn, Yn, Zn are the tristimulus values for a particular

standard illuminant and observer, for a sample reflecting 100 % of
the light at all the wavelengths. The lightness of the sample is
represented by L* on a scale- zero for black to 100 for white. The
other attributes can be represented on a plot of b* against a*. Neutral
colours lie close to the origin for any illuminant (a* = b* = 0).
 COLOUR MATCHING SYSTEM

• The spectrophotometers are the most fundamental instrument for colour measurement, but it does

not measure the colour of a material directly. It measures the light reflected (or transmitted)

from the material, and these values are used to compute the tristimulus values.

• The standard colour matching system consists of spectrophotometer. It enables measurement

of reflectance values since colour is defined in terms of its tristimulus values obtained

from reflectance measurements.

Single beam Spectrophotometer
• The common components of a spectrophotometer are:-

• a) Light source of continuous radiant energy;

• b) Monochromator;

• c) A detector; and

• d) An integration sphere.
 APPLICATIONS OF CCM SOFTWARE

COLOURANT STRENGTH & COLOUR MEASUREMENT

Reflectance values measured with the help of A spectrophotometer are converted into additive kubelka-munk (k/s) function which is valid
for a mixture.

K (1 - R)2

S = 2R = C

Where, K = coefficient of absorption; S = coefficient of scattering;

 = optical constant at a wavelength for the dye, called alpha value;

 R = reflectance in fraction at wavelength; and C = concentration of dye.

(K/S)MIXTURE = (K/S)BLANK SUBSTRATE + (K/S)1 + (K/S)2 + (K/S)3 + ------

= (K/S)BLANK SUBSTRATE + C1 1 + C2 2 + C3 3 + ------

Where, C1, C2, C3 are the concentrations of the dyes in mixture, 1, 2, 3 are the corresponding alpha values
of the dyes mixed. It is possible to calculate unknown concentrations C1, C2, C3 to match the standard
shade. The entire process involves the complicated procedure and hence, a digital computer is used to arrive
at the results.
 APPLICATIONS OF COLOUR MEASUREMENT IN CCM

• K/S measurement

• Recipe formulation

• Reformulation

• Batch correction

• Synthesise colour

• Shade search programme

• Colour matching

• Colour fastness determination by measuring fading and staining

• Determination of whiteness, yellowness, opacity, fluorescence, etc

 REFERENCES

• GOHL E.P.G. & VILENSKY L.D., TEXTILE SCIENCE, CBS PUBLISHERS & DISTRIBUTORS, DELHI-
110032 (REPRINT 1999).

• CHRISTIE R.M. , MATHER R.R. & WARDMAN R.H., THE CHEMISTRY OF COLOUR APPLICATIONS,
BLACKWELL SCIENCE, INC., 2000

• CHOUDHURY A.K. ROY , TEXTILE PREPARATION AND DYEING, SCIENCE PUBLISHERS, 2006.

• SHAH H. S., GANDHI R. S., INSTRUMENTAL COLOUR MEASUREMENT & COMPUTER AIDED
COLOUR MATCHING FOR TEXTILES, MAHAJAN BOOK DISTRIBUTERS, AHMEDABAD, INDIA,
1990.

• HTTP://WWW.PREMIERCOLORSCAN.COM/COLOR_THEORY/MAIN.HTML
Thank you