Color Theory | Are Black and White Colors

[@cinderblockstudios]

As it stands I want to clarify something on this old video. The point of this explanation is to inform artists of the differences in how color functions between light and pigments. Under no circumstances was I arguing against the laws of physics (in regards to light). The point was that the chemical composition of a pigment doesn't change because of human light perception. If you are here to argue this or talk physics this is NOT the video for you. This video is for artists. Please stop arguing in the comments! Either make art or move on!

[@Hell-ThePerfectionist]

If people want to be scientific and say black and white aren't colours, you have to say that colours don't exist at all. They're just different wavelengths of light that we humans evolved to see differently; take away the human, you just get light. This shows us that people want to have cool opinions just for the sake of spite and argument, even at the cost of ignoring the concept of human perception.

[@sipalingpaham]

Good argument. Now let me speak...

[@drugdealerwithabadassclo-oe6ox]

It's been 4 months bro.

[@saintessa]

When I was a little kid, my Dad used to tell me that white wasn't a colour and that black was all colours combined or something.

[@Puffsley]

@@saintessa Your dad is your mom

[@Carlos-bq8tk]

Yes black and white are colors because without them we can't make gray !

[@corrinflakes9659]

Black is the absense of hues, not colours, it is a colour because if tints and shades weren't colours then pink is just red but we identify it anyway differently.

[@XinxinHuang-cq1cz]

Black Is Not A Color By Definition Color Is The Visible spectrum of light waves A Black object absorbs all the colors in the Spectrum

[@ImCravingSkin]

Your correct. My fav KZbinr says that its a color and i called her a dummy and rat

[@RavenousFallen]

You're mixing up singular and plural. Black is a mix of all colors but it in itself is not one of them. Black is also in terms of light the absence of all colors. It creates the same shade with or without colors depending on matter or light terms.

[@Hell-ThePerfectionist]

@@RavenousFallen(forgive me for the massive essay) I'm guessing zero isn't a number then, since it's just the absence of numbers? That was a real question that ancient mathematicians asked, and ultimately they decided to accept the concept of zero. You might think that doesn't relate to colours, but hear me out. Take away 2 barrels from 3 barrels, and you get 1 barrel; take away that last barrel and what do you get? What number would it be if there is no number to describe it? That's why zero is a thing. Apply that same concept to colours, and you'll figure out why black is a colour in subtractive colour mixing, and why white is a colour in additive colour mixing.

[@RavenousFallen]

@@Hell-ThePerfectionist correct, zero literally represents no number, no count, nothing. 0 is just a symbol for nothingness. You can call it a number if you like but that's ultimately meaningless. Black is similar in sense of light, it's the absence of all color, blackness of space. But in matter, pigment, it's all colors combined... yin and yang. Just as light itself, in its whole form is white, containing all the colors of the rainbow but it is not any one single color itself as it is all simultaneously. Just look up and look at what color the Sun is, the Sun that creates rainbows. You might damage your eyes but you'll see it's white in terms of the light it produces.

[@infinitejays1068]

I'm going to ride the fence and say from a science standpoint that black isn't a color but from an art standpoint it is

[@user4241]

No. Science doesn't make the definitions, it just can study colors. According to every dictionary, black and white are colors.

[@StabbleMarcel]

​@@user4241 Not true.

[@jakevisconti1765]

FINALLY!!! having to explain to people that black and white are colours is an effort. People seem to confuse black and white with dark and light. Thanks for this.

[@quasar960]

**color

[@jakevisconti1765]

@@quasar960 I'm not American, we spell English words the proper English way, seeing as it is English that we are typing, I should be correcting you, however I've come to realise that you're American and that's how you were taught, and I cannot fault you as you know no better.

[@jakevisconti1765]

@Ugh 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@RavenousFallen]

You have to mix ALL colors to get either. So they're not in singular terms a color. That's generally what people mean when they say black/white is not a color. And they're right but they're also all colors. But the colors you must mix to create them is not black or white... hence they're not singularly a color.

[@RavenousFallen]

Obviously this varies between matter vs light as I'm not referring to the blackness of space which is basically a void.

[@Kali_clouie]

"Black is a shade not a color" *Ah yes, our hair is colorless, could it be transparent? yesn't 😃*

[@Kali_clouie]

@Sepanta Jan ✨ asian ✨

[@SapoOreo]

@Sepanta Jan woah my hair is orange i didnt know that!!!!111

[@deangelojohnson137]

@Sepanta Jan ?

[@blacklyfe5543]

​@sepantajan3865black hair is dark hair and black is a shade not a color.

[@zinzincoetzee1934]

Black and white are literally my favourite colours. For people that think they arent colours, does that mean grey isnt a colour also?

[@romaerb4161]

Thank you! I am a photographer taking up painting for the first time ever! I knew I was not crazy. Coloring with paint is really hard!

[@hannyhidalgo2739]

my head hurts of trying to figure this out

[@cinderblockstudios]

as I said in the video...this isn't a tutorial for beginners

[@Tokusaiber]

just thinking of me 😋 so u will be feels in love

[@camerontaylor7471]

It’s confusing! Like most things in life lol ... reality contradicts itself! In my perspective I don’t view black as a color because of how the eye perceived it... it creates an effect where it makes things disappear, hides, conceals it’s like in make up using powder to fill and blue pores and set the products to stop them moving, it’s similar with black, it blurs and fills in space so your eye almost doesn’t even see it mostly at quick glances ... like I work in visual merchandising and I would never use black as a main display because I know it won’t catch the eye of anyone browsing, which is strange because black has so much depth and saturation and intensity you would think it’s the first thing you would notice in a space, but because it absorbs light it tends to fade away from perception... black I like to use as an accent, or as a backdrop or setting, because it will make whatever color you put in front of it become more intense... white has a similar effect as black, I wouldn’t say opposite though... white also has this blending in effect where it makes whatever color you put it with become more VIBRANT, it’s like you can see the color in its fullest capacity and enhances its perception but at the same time the white is still just as equally seen and perceived! For this reason WHITE goes with everything and anything! Because it enhances color without taking away from the vibrancy or intensity of the color, but you can still see the white color as well... with black it has a contrast effect where yes it blurs and hides itself, but when you put it with curtain colors, it almost steels the focus of the color, because it doesn’t add that vibrancy, you can clearly see the contrast of the black color absorbing light, and whatever color you put with it is reflecting light, it’s hard to explain because their are so many variables! And black has so many other design effects that it can do depending on what you are trying to create! I do water color, sketching, and fashion design, so I will say in terms of styling black for fashion, I like it best not with color but with Metallics, like gold, silver, anything reflective and shiny or like black leather! It just has to have texture to it! I hate all black because it has no effect unless you play with different texture and materials that are black... but white will go with anything in your wardrobe! But it’s easy to get dirty! So again all these variables! That’s why people go to school to learn design and what not because their is so much to learn!

[@44hawk28]

Don't make it more difficult or complicated than it needs to be. White is the presence of all colors, at least all colors that we see. The way we know this is that when white light goes through a prism it expands to the color spectrum and separates all those wavelengths of light and shows you all the colors that are included in the color white. It's an acromatic representation of all the colors that we are able to see. Black is the absence of light. Or at least if you want to get technical the absence of the reflection or the complete absorption of light.

[@johnankeny9934]

“Betty never wore her safety goggles... and now she doesn’t need them”

[@Nonified]

It's a Artist 💫 Vid for black and white Btw

[@Remmmm9]

Came here for my science assignment and now I'm just having fun reading about other peoples' knowledge and opinions 🙂

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

If it is White, Then the Outline of a Object would Be Black and Dark, Right?

[@cinderblockstudios]

That's positive and negative space, not quite the same concept as color.

[@vladyalex1]

Black and white are colours and no one can convince me otherwise

[@xavourzenar4946]

Yas 👏👏👏👏 they are achromatic colors

[@user4241]

@Cyclone & Cyclona & Cyclon No. Every shade is a color by itself.

[@blacklyfe5543]

You are ignorant they are shades and tones not colors

[@blacklyfe5543]

​@@user4241every shade is not a color every color comes from a shade or tone.

[@user4241]

@@xavourzenar4946 Exatly.

[@alidaygo619]

Black and White are colors

[@xavourzenar4946]

Agreeedd

[@Neqtunez]

they're not, they are SHADES

[@user4241]

@@Neqtunez No, shades are colors by itself.

[@blacklyfe5543]

No their not

[@blacklyfe5543]

​@@user4241no they are not black is the absence of color and white is a combination of every color or all colors they are shades not colors.

[@mewgontwo8958]

🎼Its not always black n white and you dont always have to fight🎼

[@pmajja1123]

White and black are excluded from this definition because they do not have specific wavelengths. WHITE is NOT definied as a color because it is the sum of all possible colors BLACK is not definied as a colir because it is the absence of light,and therefore colors.

[@Oceanfreak6]

Black, purple, magenta, rose, white, grey and white are all colors, they’re just extra-spectral colors.

[@gumbythegumball7147]

I'm a artist and I think black and white are shades

[@non-fungibleartist3836]

Shades of what?

[@oddishvoltsy7146]

"An Artist"

[@alvaromontesdeoca7053]

They are.

[@Sesquipedalia]

Here is a simple question. What would the world look like without colors? Black, white, and grey? No because you said they are colors. A color is determined by the number of cones in our eyes and the light it reflects. If a person has no cones the world is grayscaled which makes Black and white and their tints and shades not colors. Black and white paint does exist. But it isn't a color, it is just some other color that WE can't see. It is Inexistant for humans with our 3 cones, red blue and green.

[@cinderblockstudios]

It's amazing to me how many people come to this video and ignore everything I said in it about physics and art.

[@ktjthhc1979]

If there were no colours you just wouldn't be able to see.

[@usagiii9337]

Exactly

[@adamnewman6846]

@@cinderblockstudios just because you made a video about it and a million people would agree with you that doesn't make it right the only fact that is correct is that a million people have the same opinion as you 😉 what @THE MAN has put, is how I explain it to my son which is what I learnt from my construction trade exam when I was a youngster.

[@user4241]

You have some wrong concepts...

[@non-fungibleartist3836]

I wonder if any of the "color deniers" owns a black or white automobile. Those are the two most popular COLORS of autos in the USA. People who demand that black and white are something other than colors are just acting silly, otherwise they are simply victims of the Dunning-Kruger effect. I mean, seriously, have they never looked in a box of crayons, or used colored pencils, paint, or even owned a t-shirt? I painted my car, but it's not a color? Nonsense! It's BLACK! I guess we just have to let people believe what they want. Mr. Cinder Block, thank you.

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

If The Color you see, Is do to The Atmosphere and The air Reflecting light, and The Planet your on when you space Travel has Diffrent Atmosphere and Air than Earth, Would you and Your shadow, and your reflection look diffrent?

[@cinderblockstudios]

If I'm understanding this right you're trying to push the idea of color into a more sci-fi realm. Granted a different atmosphere (such as a methane or sulfur rich planet) would cause some shifts in color per that world's chemical makeup. The spectrum of light behaves the same anywhere in the universe as far as we know with measurable science. If you're looking to paint some type of space art it's important that your use of color (however fantastical) is still rooted in basic realism and science.

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

@@cinderblockstudios i was kinda Talking about this, Like That. For those who didn't understand.

[@orion1446]

thank you , this video really helped , a lot of people say they are not colors .

[@RobAllbanks]

We aren't colors!

[@caucasiansarerednotwhitewh8111]

"so lets get scienty" 😂

[@polarisalpine2638]

p

[@big_bee07]

So 5 primary colors?

[@cinderblockstudios]

No. Black and White are separate from the primaries.

[@doggo7741]

i think they are shades

[@gunjfur8633]

Define "shade"

[@gunjfur8633]

@@doggo7741 You didnt define it

[@danieltoader2671]

and lights

[@billysbrother6047]

@@gunjfur8633 white and black are achromatic colors. They are defined of being the absence and the fusion of colors. They are shades and lights. Dark shades and White light and viceversa. The dark lights remove colors but there are paintings with black light. They aren't colors but they can be used for colors but their not at least not in the form of light since by talking about colors and non colors we need to talk about the spectrum or rainbow. White is just a fusion of the 7 colors and black is the lack of them. In the end they aren't colors

[@genraldmoney8171]

I mean they are all the colors combined but in separate sections

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

If The Object Has 83 percent White pigment, 12 percent Red pigment, 3 percent yellow pigment and 2 black pigment, What would that object look like?

[@cinderblockstudios]

...Are you trolling me with this question? I feel like you're creating a very vague scenario with this idea of percentages and "objects." Based on the colors and the ratios I'd say you're outcome color would be a deep pink/salmon color, but if you want exact mixtures based on a percentage, then you want a chemistry lesson not an art lesson.

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

@@cinderblockstudios not Trolling, Just Asking Questions, That no one thought to ask Before. Sorry. and I think if we are Talking about House Paint, Or may be, Auto Paint, Then the standard Cans Would be The Dominate Color. But If we are to Talk about Artist Paint, Then Maybe Gray.

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

But, Yeah If this Conversation Gives you a More out off the Box Insight To Color, and If you want to play around with it a use it. Go for it.

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

0:11 1:07-1:18 12:58

[@ktjthhc1979]

@@redpeterdragon.impressions3868 My guess is a reddish grey

[@christophe2570]

All other pigments when mixed created different colors. However mixing with black or white only darkens of lightens but not truly change the original color.

[@hankjwimbelton9138]

Both are shades and black is an absence of light and white is an absence of color so none of them are really colors and also that means grey,brown, and other colors made with white and black aren't colors also.

[@user4241]

Dude, no. You have literally no idea what you are talking about.

[@FearfulWonderful]

I enjoyed your approach to the topic. I consider these things from a more artistic standpoint as well.

[@BiscuitYT-n6v]

As an artist, we can make white. Therefore it’s a color. We make white with other colors.

[@cinderblockstudios]

I'm curious what colors you're mixing to make white. To me white is more akin to a primary as it's not really something we make as much as utilize to make other colors.

[@AlfieWaves]

My favorite colour is Black so its both a colour and a shade if you disagree that's fine.

[@ameermcneil5615]

White is a shade

[@user4241]

No.

[@SapoOreo]

Shade is a color by its self.

[@shironradiation2612]

Ok 1 challenge for u close ur eyes and think about any color,can u see it? The Answer is no but u can still remember and can recognize any color ok what if we lose our 🧠? If we lose our 🧠 than we can't imagine any color that will make u forgot color every time

[@JohnHenrySheridan]

Awesome thanks !

[@Sincerely_F]

Ok so black and white are colors but my friend is saying grey is a color and I think it is a shade in between black and white so what is it a shade or color

[@cinderblockstudios]

Artistically speaking grey would be called a "tone"

[@JoseFlores-jc3ns]

In Essence, they are colors.

[@afinney9278]

This weed really did creep up on me

[@LolLol-jn7yh]

A Finney 🤣

[@bruh-js7tz]

you are my hero mr cinderblock

[@cinderblockstudios]

*bows

[@Avreniel]

we live in a color simulation u heard it here first folks

[@redpeterdragon.impressions3868]

If you took 2 full cans of white Paint and mixed it with a Half a cup of Black paint, It would still look white, Right?

[@cinderblockstudios]

Define a "can?" Depending on the type of paint and the strength of the pigment you might have the white be more dominant or you might get a grey mix of sorts.

[@genraldmoney8171]

@@cinderblockstudios you think too hard on this. Basically 3 cans all of the same size and 2 of them are white and you only use a half of a can of black. Another thing on how people are so smart their stupid

[@NameisU]

@@genraldmoney8171 🤦‍♂️

[@Damianskull]

@@NameisU I agree, just facepalm

[@Damianskull]

@@genraldmoney8171 that was just stupid

[@shabeo]

best science person ever

[@nintendomain4956]

Me: “Black is a color” my best friends: it’s not a color Me: (grabs out a paint brash) how about I’ll paint you and see how you like it😁

[@deleted4913]

Its nro

[@deleted4913]

*not

[@neelimakanoongo137]

Well explained...

[@oddy_ordo_salutis]

literally took a class about colors. Black and white are shades not colors

[@SapoOreo]

White is formed by 3 colors, so therefore white is a color, And white is also a shade, If you mix 3 colors together? what do you get? Another color, and white is also a shade, so White is a shade and a color

[@oddy_ordo_salutis]

@@SapoOreo Some consider white to be a color, because white light comprises all hues on the visible light spectrum. And many do consider black to be a color, because you combine other pigments to create it on paper. But in a technical sense, black and white are not colors, they're shades. They augment colors.

[@SapoOreo]

@@oddy_ordo_salutis Also, he meant on PAINT AND ARTS, not scienctific man.

[@oddy_ordo_salutis]

@@SapoOreo dude white and black are not colors it don't matter if it scientific or not they are simply not colors thats why white and black are normally considered colorless

[@SapoOreo]

somebody didnt watch the video

[@user4241]

Scientifically, they are colors; achromatic colors.

[@blacklyfe6881]

You know nothing about science. How the heck is black a color if it is the absence of color? There is no hue in black!

[@HoldinCoffeeReturns]

Pretty sure you said green is a primary color.

[@cinderblockstudios]

It is for the light spectrum...I mean I even showed an image of that.

[@HoldinCoffeeReturns]

@@cinderblockstudios thanks. Trying to explain this to a grade schooler and failing miserably.

[@cinderblockstudios]

@@HoldinCoffeeReturns not sure this is a good concept for a grade schooler.

[@mewgontwo8958]

POKÈ-MON!

[@imzaazmi]

Thank you for this information ❤️

[@vv4anne]

Sending this to my edgy emo depressed friend.

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

You sir, should do more teaching videos. I've never seen someone so calmly and correctly answer a question while backing it up with evidence.

[@cinderblockstudios]

I do a lot of teaching on this channel actually. So glad you enjoyed my presentation on the topic!

[@williamkenyon3913]

I thought the 3 primary colors are red, blue and yellow. He said green instead of yellow.

[@cinderblockstudios]

That the primary light colors not the primary pigment colors...as I explained in the video

[@crystronmain]

thats the main difference in primary pigment colors and primary light colors ppl getting confused over this !🤷🏻‍♂️

[@kevintaylor3241]

I understand but is black the absence of color

[@cinderblockstudios]

For light yes. For pigments and paint no!

[@Veela666]

Black and White are shades.

[@insfiremaninsfire5733]

Is black colour or color?

[@cinderblockstudios]

Depends on if it's british/australian english or american english.

[@charmianernest1449]

My favorite color is red

[@LiloRolland]

if you say that in art, black and white are colors,then why is it that paintings or drawings are usually referred to as ''art in color'',or ''art in balck and white''? If you said that black and white are colors then there should be no ''black and white'' art...ALL art should be called are in ''color''. I disagree, as a scientist,the only color reference is that which is classified by the visible spectrum being ROYGBIV and all possible intermediates which DO NOT include what we call ''white'' and ''black''.

[@cinderblockstudios]

Black and white art is often called Greyscale actually. But as I mentioned in the video I was not speaking about black and white in the scientific sense.

[@LiloRolland]

@@cinderblockstudios then I believe you should retitle your video appropriately.

[@cinderblockstudios]

@@LiloRolland to what?

[@hetoverseo3887]

Meh, I disagree, I feel like this can be used for any color.

[@FROMRUST2RUBY98]

YEEEEEEEERRRRRRPPPP

[@thatsgreatmate]

Black and white are not colors

[@Purple_Beam0]

Idk bro from google it says its not color

[@MelpyMelperson]

I think I proved black and white are the same color using pigment. Check out my latest video on tiktok, melpymelperson. Let me know what you think!

[@shironradiation2612]

Just imagine maybe we r living in black and white that means our world is b/w but we see the colors cuz we humans have speical eyes? And animal can,t see colors cux they don't have speical eyes and the world is b/w

[@cinderblockstudios]

A lot of animals have a 4th cone and can see more colors than humans...if your definition of color is part of the viable light spectrum, then you're watching the wrong video.

[@MrParkerman6]

Sorry, but you are wrong. Black isn't a color- it is absence of color. Doesn't matter that light and Pigments mix the opposite with white and black. All that matters is your eye's sight is simply interpreting color bouncing off objects back at your eyes. Black things absorb the color and bounce little to no light back at your eyes. This is all that matters. Black isn't a color. It's the opposite.

[@cinderblockstudios]

You're thinking about physics, I'm thinking about artists. You clearly missed the line where I talked about that in the video.

[@ktjthhc1979]

Formed the same way as other colours, by certain amounts of photons of certain wavelengths hitting your pupils. Colour is a measure of how many photons of each wavelength hit your pupil, which includes black.

[@florencevatore6996]

Lmao why is this man so salty in the constructive criticism comments on his own video

[@cinderblockstudios]

You say salty, I say passionate. There's also a difference between people watching for art and people coming to troll me and missing the point of the video

[@maha3265]

🕊🙏🏾

[@pmajja1123]

Why does the snow is white? Because God forgot to pick a color of it thats why WHITE is not a color

[@xavourzenar4946]

A C H R O M A T I C

[@agamer1587]

Guys blue isn’t a colour

[@Neqtunez]

ofc it is

[@agamer1587]

@@Neqtunez no it isn’t

[@user4241]

@@agamer1587 What are you talking about?

[@AlfieWaves]

​@@agamer1587 bro blue is a colour are you living under a rock my guy?

[@everythingiscool6228]

yeet

[@blacklyfe6881]

A

[@alii303]

black and white are not colors they are colours

[@marwa._.moonlight4786]

Here's ur Nobel

[@SapoOreo]

Smartest person alive

[@aruserios7632]

I just lost 5 minutes.

[@cinderblockstudios]

I just gained it :D

[@daric40]

Black white and grey are shades

[@nightthief4293]

I got embarrassed in class for claiming that black and white are colors.. Who is crazy now!!

[@cinderblockstudios]

Depends on what class it was

[@8eyes]

Still you psycho. 🕸🕷🕸

[@aurasadopme1044]

Black is not a shade, or a color, black...is a culture, one that we appreciate ✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

[@fnfmdjfj9569]

Yare yare daze

[@SapoOreo]

my hair is a culture