The Color Black
Color Talk
Answers to your questions about PPG refinish color
What about Black?
1. I've seen paint jobs that are black but when light hits the finish, it reflects color. How is this accomplished?
Bob, Henderson, NV
2. Why are there so many formulas and shades for black?
Dave, Whiting, IN
To answer both of these questions we need to take a quick look at color theory.
Color is seen when light strikes the surface of an object, some of the light wavelengths are absorbed by the object and others are reflected to your eye. The wavelengths that are reflected combine to form the "color" that you see. When all of the wavelengths are absorbed we see black; black is actually considered to be a non-color (a-chromatic). Even the smallest amount of another color added to an object is likely to be perceived by your eye, changing the appearance of the black.
Often the undertone of a black is not visible because of the light that the color is being viewed in. Different types of light can have a surprising effect on the overall appearance of a color. A black that appears to be a deep black in mid-afternoon may seem to have a purple cast late in the day since during evening hours sunlight will tend to make things appear red. At night under a fluorescent light in a parking lot that same color may have a blue tone. The apparent color change is caused by a combination of lighting and a trace of blue in the color.
Black is considered to be a timeless color representing power and authority. The wide variety of blacks available in today's market may be attributed to the paint itself having a slight trace of color because of the raw materials used; or it could simply be the preference of the motor manufacturer.
PPG Color Marketing September 2006
