孟塞爾顏色系統

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孟塞爾顏色系統（Munsell Color System）是色度（或比色法）裡透過明度（value）、色相（hue）及彩度（chroma）三個維度來描述顏色的方法。這個顏色描述系統是由美國藝術家阿爾伯特·孟塞爾（Albert H. Munsell，1858－1918）在1898年創製的，在1930年代為USDA採納為泥土研究的官方顏色描述系統。至今仍是比較色法的標準。

早期的幾個色彩體系將顏色放在各種不同的三維色立體，但孟塞爾是第一個把色調、明度和彩度分離成為感知均勻和獨立的尺度，並且是第一個系統地在三維空間中表達顏色的關係。孟塞爾的系統，尤其是其後的再標記法，是基於嚴格的人類受試者測量的視覺反應，使之具有堅實的實驗科學依據。基於人類的視覺感知，孟塞爾的系統熬過了其他現代色彩模式的挑戰，儘管在某些領域其地位已被某些特殊用途的模型取代了，如CIELAB（L*a*b*）和CIECAM02。孟塞爾的系統目前仍然是最廣泛使用的系統。

中華人民共和國推薦性國家標準 GB/T 15608-2006《中國顏色體系》中定義了一種孟塞爾顏色系統的規範形式。

## 解說

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孟塞爾顏色系統的空間大致成一個圓柱形：

### 色相

- 經度=色相（hue）。把一周均分成五5種主色互相調和成五種中間色，相鄰的兩個位置之間再均分10份，共100份。

紅（R）、紅黃（YR）、黃（Y）、黃綠（GY）、綠（G）、綠藍（BG）、藍（B）、藍紫（PB）、紫（P）、紫紅（RP）

### 明度

- 南北上下軸=明度（value）的深淺，從全黑（N0）至全灰（N5）到全白（N10）。

### 彩度

距軸的距離=彩度（chroma），表示顏色的純度。其數值從中間（0）向外隨著顏色的純度增加，沒有理論上的上限（普通的顏色實際上限為10左右，反光、螢光等材料可高達30）。由於人眼對各種顏色的敏感度不同，彩度不一定與每個顏色和明度組合相匹配。

具體顏色的標識形式為：色相 明度/彩度。例如5B 5/10是中等明度（5），高彩度（10）的正藍色（5B）。

Note that the Munsell Book of Color contains more color samples than this chart for both 5PB and 5Y (particularly bright yellows, up to 5Y 8.5/14), however they are not reproducible in the sRGB color space, which has a limited color gamut designed to match that of televisions and computer displays. Note also that there are no samples for values 0 (pure black) and 10 (pure white), which are theoretical limits not reachable in pigment, and no printed samples of value 1.

## 參考書目

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- One of the first books about the Munsell color system, explaining the intuition behind its three dimensions, and suggesting possible uses of the system in picking color combinations. An edited version can be found at http://www.applepainter.com/.
- A description of color systems leading up to Munsell’s, and a biographical explanation of Munsell’s changing ideas about color and development of his color solid, leading up to the publication of A Color Notation in 1905.
- An introductory explanation of the development and influence of the Munsell system.
- A concise introduction to the Munsell color system, on a web page which also discusses several other color systems, putting the Munsell system in its historical context.
- Munsell’s original description of his system. A Color Notation was published before he had established the irregular shape of a perceptual color solid, so it describes colors positioned in a sphere.
- Munsell’s description of his color system, from a lecture to the American Psychological Association.

## 外部連結

- Munsell.com, the homepage of Munsell Color, a subdivision of X-Rite, current owners of the Munsell Color Company.
- Munsell page at the X-Rite website.
- Munsell to L*a*b* Conversion Freeware, a Windows application for converting Munsell renotations to CIELAB coordinates.
- Munsell Color Science Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology, an academic laboratory dedicated to color science, endowed by the Munsell Foundation.
- Munsell renotation data in plain text format (from the 1940s Optical Society of America renotations).
- ApplePainter.com, a site explaining the Munsell color chart, including an edited version of Cleland’s book, A practical description of the Munsell color system.
- An explanation of the Munsell system at Adobe.com. Retrieved 13 August 2003
- A brief explanation at the site of the Japanese company Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals, including a nice diagram of the Munsell color solid.
- A flash-based Munsell Palette color-picker from web-design firm Triplecode (based on a version originally created at the MIT Media Lab).
- ToyPalette from Loo & Cox, a web application for generating color palettes from images. Munsell color analysis of digital image.