72 | CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6 Guidebook
Chapter 6: Color Basics
In CorelDRAW or Corel PHOTO-PAINT,
choosing color is a critical part of your
workflow. Color is an important design
element because it helps you set a tone or
convey a specific meaning.
This chapter introduces you to the different
methods of choosing and using color in
CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
How are colors defined?
Color is literally in the eye of the beholder. The
sensation of color is a result of the human eye’s
response to light and the nervous system’s
interpretation of that response.
Color perception depends on the eye’s response to light.
Through the use of color models, this complex
process has been defined mathematically. The
color models allow software applications (such
as CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT) and
digital devices (such as computers, monitors,
digital cameras, and printers) to store,
manipulate, and accurately reproduce color.Color models, such as Lab, RGB, CMYK, and
HSB, provide a systematic way of organizing
and reproducing a broad range of colors from
a small set of primary colors. Each color is
defined numerically. The numeric values allow
the colors to be interpreted, communicated,
and reproduced by a wide range of devices and
applications.Each color model has a unique way of defining
colors numerically.Lab color model
The Lab color model was developed by the
Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE).
Unlike the RGB and CMYK color models, the
Lab color model is based on how the human
eye perceives color, rather than on how
monitors, printers, digital cameras, and other
devices reproduce color. For this reason, Lab is
known as a device-independent color model.
RGB and CMYK are considered device-
dependent color models, because the same
colors appear different when they are printed
or displayed on different devices.In the Lab color model, the range (or gamut) of
all visible colors is represented as a horseshoe-