As children, one of the very first concepts you learned was that of "color." You learned to tell red from blue. As you grew older, you began to comprehend that there is far more diversity in colors than you had originally grasped-sea green and forest green may both be green, yet there is an easily perceptible distinction between the two.

Education on the differentiation of colors progresses little after childhood. You recognize that there is a difference between two shades of a color, but never learn how to measure this difference. Perceiving a difference in color is what matters most to a layperson. For those who make decisions regarding color, the skills to empirically differentiate colors are far more valuable. So how should we measure color?

Measuring color involves examination followed by analysis, involving clear procedures and a firm understanding of variability. Good representative samples are a must, as well as statistically valid, clean, appropriately preserved standards. Any sample must be statistically representative of the entire batch, free from contamination, the same form as a target and reproducible within acceptable limits of repeatability.

For the complete paper, email Scott Blanchard at sblanchard@americhem.com.