NCS Color Standards
Natural Color System based on human vision
Complete NCS (Natural Color System) color standards database with scientific color notation based on human visual perception. Professional color matching for architecture, design, and research.
NCS Color Components
Blackness (s)
Amount of black content in the color
Range: 0-100%
s = 20% (light color)
Chromaticness (c)
Amount of pure color content
Range: 0-100%
c = 50% (medium saturation)
Hue (φ)
Position in the color circle
Range: 0-360°
φ = R90B (red-blue)
Whiteness (w)
Amount of white content (calculated)
Range: 0-100%
w = 100 - s - c
NCS Color Circle
Y
Yellow
0°
Pure yellow
Y10R
Yellow-Red
10°
Orange yellow
Y50R
Yellow-Red
50°
Red orange
R
Red
90°
Pure red
R50B
Red-Blue
140°
Purple red
B
Blue
180°
Pure blue
B50G
Blue-Green
230°
Teal blue
G
Green
270°
Pure green
G50Y
Green-Yellow
320°
Yellow green
NCS Color Examples
Bright Red
S 1050-Y90R
High chromaticness red
#FF0000
Light Orange
S 2020-Y10R
Low saturation orange
#FFE4B5
Medium Blue
S 4050-B
Balanced blue tone
#4169E1
Forest Green
S 6020-G10Y
Natural green
#228B22
Dark Brown
S 8010-Y50R
High blackness brown
#8B4513
Pure White
S 0500-N
Neutral white
#FFFFFF
How to Read NCS Notation
Identify Hue
Determine the position in the color circle (Y, R, B, G)
R (Red) or Y50R (Yellow-Red)
Measure Blackness
Assess how much black the color contains (0-100%)
s = 30% (moderate darkness)
Measure Chromaticness
Determine the intensity of the pure color (0-100%)
c = 40% (medium saturation)
Write Notation
Combine all components into NCS notation
S 3040-R (30% black, 40% chroma, Red hue)
Professional Applications
Architecture
Uses:
- Building facades
- Interior design
- Color planning
- Material specification
Benefits:
- Visual harmony
- Natural perception
- Scandinavian design
Regions:
Paint Industry
Uses:
- Paint formulation
- Color matching
- Quality control
- Product development
Benefits:
- Scientific accuracy
- Consistent results
- Visual correlation
Regions:
Design Education
Uses:
- Color theory
- Design training
- Visual perception
- Color communication
Benefits:
- Scientific foundation
- Universal understanding
- Practical application
Regions:
Research
Uses:
- Color science
- Vision research
- Perception studies
- Color psychology
Benefits:
- Empirical data
- Reproducible results
- Scientific validation
Regions:
Why Choose NCS
Based on Human Vision
Built on how humans actually perceive colors, not mathematical models
Scientific Foundation
Developed through extensive research on color perception and vision science
Universal Language
Provides a common way to describe colors across cultures and languages
Educational Value
Excellent tool for teaching color theory and visual perception
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