physics

Color Science & Perception

How light becomes color — from additive and subtractive mixing to color blindness simulation, spectral analysis, black body radiation, and harmony theory.

color theorycolor mixingcolor blindnessspectral analysiscolor temperaturecolor harmony

Color science sits at the intersection of physics, biology, and art. Light is electromagnetic radiation, but color is a perception — constructed by our brains from cone cell signals. Understanding this distinction unlocks everything from display technology to accessible design to the physics of starlight.

These simulations let you mix colors additively and subtractively, experience what the world looks like through color-blind eyes, decompose light into spectral components, explore black body radiation and color temperature, and discover why certain color combinations feel harmonious. Manipulate wavelengths, adjust parameters, and see the science of color come alive.

5 interactive simulations

simulator

Color Blindness Simulation

See the world through color-blind eyes — simulate protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia to understand how 300 million people perceive color differently

simulator

Color Harmony & Complementary Palettes

Generate harmonious color palettes using complementary, triadic, split-complementary, and analogous rules from color theory

simulator

Additive & Subtractive Color Mixing

Mix colors additively (light) and subtractively (paint) — see how RGB and CMY create every color through opposite blending rules

simulator

Color Temperature & Black Body Radiation

Explore how temperature determines color — from the warm glow of candlelight at 1800K to the cool blue of a clear sky at 10000K through Planck's black body law

simulator

Light Spectral Analysis & Wavelength

Decompose light into its spectral components — visualize wavelengths from 380nm violet to 700nm red and see how spectral power distributions create perceived colors