Color Perception: What is Simultaneous Contrast?
In this article, I’ll speak about simultaneous contrast, how it is able to alter our perception of color, and how to resolve this problem.
What is it?
Simultaneous contrast is a phenomenon that manifests when two similar colors mutually influence once another, changing the way we perceive them.
This phenomenon was discovered in 1840 by the French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul, who, in 1839, when working as a director at the Gobelins Manufactory, published his research on textile coloring, and on light and color (designing the famous chromatic circle that would later take his name).
In these studies, the principle of “simultaneous contrast” was presented.
Simultaneous contrast alters our perception of color from both a brightness and color standpoint.
Let’s take this image I’ve created for you as an example: the two gray squares are identical, yet the square in the right half appears and is perceived as lighter than the square in the left half.
This is a clear example of simultaneous contrast.
The same applies to these other two examples.
The squares in the center are the exact same color but are perceived differently due to the color that surrounds them.
Now, if you stop and think for a moment, you will realize that in everyday life it’s rare to look at just one color at a time.
Everything that surrounds us is formed of a set of different of colors and this means that we are constantly affected by simultaneous contrast.
A frequent user of simultaneous contrast was Van Gogh, and indeed we can notice how he used complementary colors and simultaneous contrast in his works.
Think about Van Gogh’s use of blues and bright yellow-oranges in his painting Café Terrace at Night (1888) or his use of reds and greens in The Night Café (1888).
During color correction, you may often find yourself faced with problems created by simultaneous contrast.
For example, imagine that you’ve shot the performance of a singer using different colored backdrops.
During color correction, you’ll realize how the singer’s complexion can bring out color casts based on the background color behind them.
What should be done then?
Even if the scopes show a correct complexion, it’s a good idea to make small corrections to get rid of these color casts that are perceived.
Why?
People who watch the video will not have scopes at their disposal and therefore will judge what they are able to see and perceive.
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