About color and computer graphics

Objects appear to be certain colors because of their ability to reflect, absorb, or transmit light, which we perceive as color. Our eyes are sensitive enough to perceive thousands of different colors in the spectrum of visible light--including many colors that cannot be displayed on a color monitor or printed on a desktop printer.

When creating computer graphics, each piece of equipment you work with to reproduce color--such as a scanner, color monitor, and desktop printer--is called a device. Each type of device reproduces a different range of color, called a color gamut. Even similar devices, such as two monitors made by the same manufacturer, can show the same color differently. As you move an image from one device to another, its colors can shift in appearance, sometimes resulting in dramatic changes.

Working with Color > About color and computer graphics