Effective use of color contrast

Topic: Industrial lighting

1. General information about illumination. Basic lighting technical quantities.

2. Sources of artificial lighting. Lamps and their characteristics.

3. Standardization of illumination of workplaces. Basic requirements for industrial lighting.

4. Classification of natural and artificial lighting of industrial premises.

1 Question

Properly organized lighting helps to increase labor productivity, improves product quality, and creates favorable conditions that reduce fatigue, the level of industrial injuries and occupational diseases.

To create optimal conditions for visual work, the design characteristics of the lighting system must be linked to the color environment.

Uneven illumination and different brightness of surrounding objects lead to frequent re-adaptation of the eyes during work, and, as a consequence, to fatigue organs of vision.

Depending on the spectral composition of the light fluxes emitted by light sources, the colors of surrounding surfaces are perceived differently. Therefore, when creating a comfortable light-color climate in a room, along with the correct solution of the color environment, it is of great importance right choice light sources.

Lighting is characterized by quantitative and qualitative indicators. Towards quantitative indicators include: luminous flux, luminous intensity, illumination and brightness. To qualitatively assess the conditions of visual work, such indicators as pulsation coefficient, spectral composition of light, background, contrast of the object with the background, and visibility of the object are used.

Ripple factor is a criterion for the depth of illumination fluctuations as a result of changes in light flux over time:

Its value is determined by the formula

where Emax, Emin, Eср are, respectively, the maximum, minimum and average values ​​of illumination over the period of its oscillations, lux.

Background - the surface on which the object of discrimination is viewed. The background is characterized by the ability of the surface to reflect the light flux incident on it.

Contrast of object with background (K) characterized by the ratio of the brightness of the object in question and the background. The contrast between the object and the background is determined by the formula:

, (3)

where Lo and Lф are the brightness of the object and background, respectively, cd/m 2 .

The contrast is considered high when K>0.5, medium - at K = 0.2-0.5 and small - at K<0,2.

Question 2

In lighting installations intended for illuminating enterprises, gas-discharge lamps and incandescent lamps are widely used as light sources.

The main characteristics of light sources include: rated voltage, IN; electrical power, W; luminous flux, yam: luminous efficiency, lm/W(this parameter is the main characteristic of the efficiency of the light source); service life, h.

The type of light source at enterprises is chosen taking into account technical and economic indicators, the specifics of production processes, as well as sanitary, hygienic, aesthetic and fire safety requirements for lighting.

Incandescent lamps belong to thermal light sources. The filament, under the influence of electric current, heats up to a high temperature and emits a stream of radiant energy. Advantages: relatively low cost; easy to use; characterized by a wide range of powers and voltages; varied in design; do not require large expenditures on equipment. Disadvantages: high brightness (up to 300,000 cd/m); low luminous efficiency 7-20 lm/W; the predominance of yellow and red tones in the spectrum, which distorts color rendition; relatively short service life (up to 2000 hours); significant fluctuations in the luminous flux due to fluctuations in the voltage of the lighting network; high heating (up to 140°C and above), which makes them a fire hazard. These lamps are usually used for local lighting, as well as for lighting rooms with temporary occupancy, etc.

Gas discharge lamps - These are devices in which radiation in the optical range of the spectrum appears in the phosphor covering the flask under the influence of ultraviolet radiation from an electric discharge in an atmosphere of inert gas and mercury vapor. Advantages: high luminous efficiency 50-110 lm/W (sodium up to 110, metal halide up to 100, fluorescent up to 75, mercury up to 60, xenon up to 40 lm/W); long service life - up to 12000 hours, heating temperature (luminescent) up to 30-60°C; Possibility of obtaining light flux in almost any part of the spectrum.

Disadvantages: the need to use complex schemes for connecting them to the network; the nominal mode of gas-discharge lamps is established only some time after switching on; the appearance of pulsation of the light flux, which can cause a stroboscopic effect; contains a small amount of metallic mercury.

The most common gas discharge lamps are luminescent, having the shape of a cylindrical tube, the inner surface of which is covered with a layer of phosphor. The ultraviolet radiation of the electrical discharge is converted into visible radiation by the phosphor.

The marking of fluorescent lamps is based on the letter designation of design features. First letter L means luminescent, the following letters indicate either the color of the radiation or the features of the radiation spectrum: D - daytime, B - white, HB - cold white, TB - warm white, E- natural, UV - ultraviolet, Ts - s corrected color; K, S, Z, G- red, blue, green, light blue, etc.

A lamp is a lighting device consisting of a light source (lamp) and lighting fixtures. Lighting fixtures redistribute the luminous flux of the lamp in space; it can change the spectral composition of radiation; it also protects the eyes of workers from excessively bright light sources. Protects the light source from the effects of the surrounding fire and explosive, chemically active environment, mechanical damage and pollution.

According to their intended purpose, lamps can be of general or local lighting.

According to the nature of the distribution of the luminous flux in space, luminaires are divided into five classes: direct light, predominantly direct light, diffused light, predominantly reflected and reflected light

According to their design, luminaires are distinguished: open (the lamp is not separated from the external environment), protected (the lamp is separated by a shell that allows free passage of air), closed (the shell protects against the penetration of coarse dust), dust-proof (the shell does not allow fine dust to penetrate inside), waterproof, explosion-proof and explosion-proof.

Lamps are selected mainly depending on the microclimatic conditions of the room and the light distribution characteristics.

is determined by the ratio of the absolute value of the difference between the brightness of the object and the background to the brightness of the background. The contrast of the object of discrimination with the background is considered: large - with a K value of more than 0.5 (the object and the background differ sharply in brightness); medium - at K values ​​from 0.2 to 0.5 (the object and background differ noticeably in brightness); small - for values ​​of K less than 0.2 (the object and background differ little in brightness). (See: SNiP 23-05-95. Natural and artificial lighting)

Source: "House: Construction terminology", M.: Buk-press, 2006.

  • - in optics, characterizes the max. difference in luminosity dec. parts of the object...

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  • - a sharp contrast...
  • - The minimum difference in intensity between two stimuli required to determine their difference. For example, two lights light up at the same time...

    Great psychological encyclopedia

  • - see operational threshold...

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  • - - sharply expressed opposite; visual contrast - a visual assessment of the relative brightness of an object or its color compared to the surrounding background...

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  • - the item in question, its individual part or defect that needs to be distinguished during the work process. Source: "House: Construction Terminology", M.: Buk-press, 2006...

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  • - the size of an equally bright circle on an equally bright background, which has the same threshold contrast as the object of discrimination at a given background brightness. Source: "House: Construction Terminology", M.: Buk-press, 2006...

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  • - comparison, - scalar product qT - from the vector q=T, the coordinates of which are unknown parameters, to a given vector c= T such that c1+ ...+ck=0. For example, the difference q1-q2= T unknown mathematical...

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  • - in optics, a value characterizing the max. difference in luminosity or illumination dec. parts of the object. In geom. optics K. is the ratio of the difference max. and min. luminosity of parts of an object to their sum...

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  • - see Differential threshold...

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  • - in architecture - a means of architectural composition, consisting in a combination of elements of architectural form, sharply differing in external characteristics - contrast - kontrast - Kontrast - kontraszt - architectural era yalgaa...

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  • - difference in brightness of light and dark areas of the image: See also: - moire contrast - diffraction...

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  • - in psychology, subjective exaggeration of differences in perceived objects or individual areas of the visual field when they are spatially or temporally adjacent in perception...

    Great Soviet Encyclopedia

  • - to swagger, to put on airs Wed. I'm "fon!" - And I am Tryphon. Wed. Here's our background today! - she spoke cheerfully... pointing to the carpet with which Mr. Samoilenko ordered to cover the little boat. Markevich...

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  • - In the background, walk around swaggering, putting on airs, . Wed. I'm "fon!" - And I’m Tryfon. Wed. This is what kind of background we are today! she spoke cheerfully... pointing to the carpet with which Mr. Samoilenko ordered the little boat to be covered. Markevich...

    Mikhelson Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (orig. orf.)

  • - Pribike. Disapproved About an arrogant, self-righteous person. SNFP, 144...

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Few people think about how much colors and their combinations influence our daily lives. Colors attract our attention, affect our mood, evoke certain emotions and can even change the way we think. Every designer knows the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is true. The human brain assimilates visual images much better than text, but in order for the message to reach the recipient, you need to know which color combinations have the greatest impact on the target audience.

Sometimes it can be difficult to decide where exactly to start selecting the color scheme for a project. What exactly do you need to convey with color? Which shades to choose: bright or muted? Will you need to use contrast in your work? There is no single correct answer to all these questions. In any case, you will need to conduct a series of experiments, testing different color schemes and combinations - without this it is impossible to find the optimal solution. Of course, in order to put together a beautiful palette, you need to have a fairly good understanding of color theory and understand how different shades affect the human psyche. You also need to understand that a contrasting combination of colors can enhance the impact. And this point is worth dwelling on in more detail.

Contrast value

As a rule, when the word “contrast” is used, many people think of opposites. Black and white, big and small - the train of thought goes something like this. However, everything is not so simple. Contrast is one of the fundamental principles of design and must be present in any project. But why? It's simple: contrast allows you to better organize the design process and can help you build a visual hierarchy, showing viewers which part of the design is most important. In addition, the use of contrast generates increased interest from the audience and no matter what type of design it is used in - it could be a logo, poster, website, digital illustration or outdoor advertising - the correct use of contrast can make any project successful.

According to color theory, contrasting shades are located on opposite sides of the color wheel. Yellow contrasts sharply with purple, and blue with orange. If the designer wants to use strong contrast, then after he has decided on the main color, he needs to spend some time choosing an appropriate complementary shade. But this is not enough. When choosing contrasting color combinations, you should not forget about such things as brightness, saturation and color temperature.

When talking about shades, we must first remember the 12 primary colors that we see on the color wheel. For each of these shades you can quickly find a contrasting complementary pair. But sometimes this is not enough, primarily because automatically using contrast can make a design look dull and unattractive. This means that you need to use other color combinations in your design.

For example, a split-complementary scheme. In this case, the main color is complemented by two shades, which are located next to the complementary color on the color wheel. This scheme is quite contrasting, but has a less dramatic effect.

You can also use triads in your work - these are three colors that are located on a circle at an equal distance from each other. This is a very viable scheme that allows you to bring the necessary color variety to your design.

Saturation

Saturation refers to the intensity of a color in relation to white or black. Any color, if we mean purity and brightness, has 100% saturation. And the more the intensity drops, the less contrast the shade becomes. You should always remember about saturation, especially when designing key elements. The brighter and more saturated the color, the easier it will be for the designer to draw the viewer's attention to important parts of his project.

Any person subconsciously divides all colors into three groups. These are cool, warm and neutral shades. For example, red, yellow and orange are clearly perceived as warm colors. Blue, purple and green are included in the “cold” group. Black, white and gray are neutral colors. At the same time, neutral colors can also include shades of beige or brown, but in this case it all depends on the context. Contrast can be achieved by combining shades with different color temperatures. Sharp combinations of warm and cool shades have the most powerful impact.

Contrasting colors in logo design

The slightly boring theoretical part is best diluted with examples. Many brands use contrasting colors to convey their message to their target audience. Here's the most striking example: the Mountain Dew drink logo.

The design of this logo actively uses rich shades of red and green, with green being the main color. Green, like the name Mountain Dew itself, evokes associations with nature, evoking thoughts of freshness and purity. But if the designer limited himself to only shades of green, the logo would not be able to convey its main message to the consumer. Therefore, the word Dew is made in red, as a result of which the logo hits the eye and is perfectly memorable.

The Visa payment system logo also uses a contrasting combination of colors. But in this case, everything is a little more complicated. Yes, yellow-orange and blue are contrasting colors because they are on opposite sides of the color wheel. But it’s not just the position that matters—each of these colors has its own meaning. The color blue is traditionally associated with reliability, trust and loyalty. Yellow, being the shade of a warm group, signifies goodwill and participation. Thus, the Visa logo signals to the target audience that the brand values ​​​​trust, loyalty to principles and tries to bring joy to the lives of its customers. This is exactly what people expect from the company they trust to manage their money.

In the case of web design, using contrasting shades gets a little more complicated. The designer first needs to find a good color combination between the main content and the background. This is a very difficult task, since in design it is often necessary to use complex contrasting schemes consisting of several shades. There are no restrictions on the number of colors in the design of digital projects, but it is better not to go to extremes and use primary and secondary colors wisely. And in order to enhance the dramatic effect, you can experiment with saturation and color temperature.

Contrasting colors in web design allow not only to enhance the viewer’s impressions, but also to correctly structure all the main messages, highlighting the main elements and muting the secondary ones. For example, when creating the home page of mint.com, the designer used one of the most powerful contrasting color combinations. White text, bright orange call-to-action buttons, and a bold green logo contrast sharply with the dark background. The deliberate increase in contrast ensures that all the most important parts of the design are instantly readable by the user. Interestingly, the designer did not forget about color temperature: he deliberately made the background distinctly cold, the text neutral, and for the CTA button, which is the most important element, he chose the brightest and “hottest” shade of orange.

In print design, the principles of using contrasting colors work in the same way as in other types of visual design. If a designer needs to create a flyer, brochure or magazine, then he needs to remember not only the hierarchy of elements, but also the contrast. This is the easiest way to make the design more noticeable and tie all the key elements together, while highlighting what is most important. Contrast can bring the clarity and organization that a printed document needs.

For example, the Hilton Hanoi Opera brochure design used contrasting colors not only to make the photographs more attractive, but also to enhance the impact of the text content.

Another striking example of the effective use of color contrast is an advertisement for the Apple iPod. The designer was faced with the task of attracting the viewer's attention to the innovative player, and this task was solved in the most simple and effective way. The ad used bright, contrasting colors, with the two main shades falling into the neutral group. By contrasting with a highly saturated background, these colors enhance the dramatic effect.

Signs, banners and other outdoor advertising also need the correct color design. At the same time, the designer needs to think not only about the color scheme of the sign, but also about the space in which it will be located. Therefore, in this case, it is imperative to use contrast, otherwise outdoor advertising will simply blend into the background and will not attract attention. Here are some good examples.

Conclusion

As mentioned at the very beginning, there is no secret formula for choosing contrasting color combinations. When selecting shades, the designer must use common sense and accept the conditions in which his design will work. Therefore, it is necessary to experiment, looking for the most successful color combinations. Very often the correct use of contrast leads to success. And it’s not just about attracting the viewer’s attention - contrast allows you to more clearly convey the message to the viewer and influence their perception of the content.

Well-chosen visual content can not only increase user interest, but also set the tone for the entire resource. One eye-tracking study found that people are attracted to informational images, especially when they are relevant to their current task. Interestingly, if instead photos are used for purely “decorative” purposes, visitors are more likely to ignore them.

Images can quickly evoke a positive emotional response in users and push them to take a certain action. This is why many designers develop interfaces and landing page templates that contain many visual components, minimal text, and large background images or videos. Large photographs are often found in minimalist design, but still this approach does not fully reflect this trend.

Because images play such an important role, designers often end up placing text on top of the photo. Thus, they attract the attention of visitors due to the visual aspect, and provide all the basic information in the form of text content.

However, these efforts usually backfire if the text doesn't contrast with the background image. Standard requirements require that text that is not part of a design or logo have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 (or 3:1 for large characters—18 point font, or 14 bold).

Fine-tuning makes a big difference to usability

It's not necessary to avoid placing text on top of an image, but you do need to make sure that the information is displayed legibly and readably to users. Recall that legibility is the ability to distinguish individual characters, and readability is the ability to quickly perceive the meaning of words.

When the text is difficult to understand, the reader has to make a choice: either strain his eyesight, and indeed his brain, or skip the content. If you don't want your users to ignore the message, make a few design changes and increase the contrast between the text and the background image.

Left: The background image used for the third slide of Spire.com's home page is washed out and visually cluttered. Right: We see that the white text doesn't contrast well with the background image..

Left: Darkening the background with an overlay makes white text stand out even without changing the visual tone of the image. Right: The edited darkened version meets the contrast requirements (4.5:1).

When placing a caption over an image, you need to consider both the color of the text and the underlying tone of the photo. Light-colored photos—or images that have been edited to a faded appearance—don't work well with white text because they both use a similar color scheme.

In such situations, to get good contrast, the background image needs to be darkened. This can be achieved either by processing the photo itself, or by adding a translucent black gradient to it in CSS. A Google Chrome extension called Contrast Analyzer will allow you to determine the amount of background darkness needed to achieve optimal contrast with text.

Left: Furniture site Compliments displays product category links in white text over photos. Low contrast makes these links difficult to read, and users are more likely to focus on easier-to-read elements. Right: Text segments do not meet contrast requirements (3:1) for large characters.

Left: In this edited version, images containing text have been blurred and the font color has been changed to black. In addition, the labels were moved down to maintain consistency with other grid elements, allowing the visual effect to be used in a smaller part of the image. Right: Text now contrasts with the background at the required 3:1 ratio, providing better readability for users.

Adding a blur effect to photos definitely impacts the aesthetics and branding of a website, but it's a good alternative to darkening every shot. Additionally, by blurring the portion of the photo where text will appear, you minimize possible legibility issues, since a large color palette reduces a person's ability to distinguish clear outlines of characters.

Placing text in a consistent location allows the visual effect to be applied to a limited area of ​​the image, thereby altering it less.

Left: REI's site places a translucent black box behind the text that overlaps the image, but for white lettering on a light background, that contrast isn't enough. Right: The main title appearing above the clouds does not contrast with the background even at a 3:1 ratio for large characters.

Left: In the modified version, the shading of all boxes was increased to 50%, which allowed us to maintain the overall brand style and provided the necessary level of contrast between the white text and the clouds. Right: The text passed the test and contrasts with the background at a 3:1 ratio.

Before choosing a technique that would provide contrast to the text, consider all the possible options for the background image. Some solutions may work well for one type of image, but that doesn't mean they will be as effective with others.