Saturation

Saturation refers to the perceived difference between one colour and another in terms of its purity and vividness.

  • A fully saturated colour appears bright and vibrant because it has a single strong dominant hue.
  • A freshly cut tomato is a good example of a saturated colour with a strong red hue.
  • A saturated colour is a unique spectral colour produced by a single wavelength (or a narrow band of wavelengths) of light.
  • A fully saturated colour (100%) is the purest version of a hue.
  • Unsaturated colours (0-10%) can appear:
    • Misty or milky the nearer they are to white.
    • Dull and washed out as their hue disappears leaving achromatic grey tones.
  • The hue of a vivid colour appears to be at full strength and can leave an after-image of its complementary colour as an observer looks away.