How can I transfer from Munsell notation to a single number indicator of overall color?
Color, by its nature, is not uni-dimensional and cannot be expressed in a single number. The Munsell designations show this by expressing color in terms of three dimensions, hue, value(lightness), and chroma. For example, one of your designations was 2.5GY 5/4. The hue is 2.5GY (a greenish-yellow), the value is 5 (a lightness midway perceptually between black and white), and its chroma is 4 (indicating that it is significantly different from gray, chroma=0, but still not too saturated). Perhaps one of those single dimensions would suit your purpose (like chroma, if you are interested in how much color is present), but you can’t describe the overall color with just one number, it takes all three. The website coloracademy.co.uk provides some overview on the Munsell system. It can also be found in introductory texts on colorimetry like Berns’ Principles of Color Technology 3rd Ed.
Related Questions
- Is it proper to state a Munsell notation for a metallic or pearlescent color, or is Munsell a solid color only notation system?
- How can I transfer from Munsell notation to a single number indicator of overall color?
- What is the difference between the current, institution, transfer and overall averages?
