Outlines of a Theory of Photopic Colorimetry (Part I): Basic Colorimetry, or Affine Color Properties (First Article)

Abstract

A formal system of human color perception is described which is called basic colorimetry. Colors may be compared in four ways, and basic colorimetry uses just one of these: color matching. Basic colorimetry forms a coherent system which follows Grassmann’s laws, and this system constitutes a color manifold. The properties of the system are developed in a rigorous way. The color manifold provides a model for affine vector geometry. Properties which are not affine invariant do not belong to the three-dimensional color space of basic colorimetry. This geometric notion of colorimetry is elaborated in two subsequent chapters.