A color map is a systematic collection of colors. Almost everything that surrounds a person has color. Moreover, even objects painted with the same paint can have different shades. In order to be able to absolutely accurately indicate which version of blue, red or gray-brown-crimson is needed, there are color maps.
People perceive colors differently, and they are also called differently. Until the 1920s, there were no color maps. There were the concepts of "palette" and "color scale". The names of colors and paints used in art and industry from different manufacturers more or less coincided, but still they did not give an absolutely accurate idea of the shades. Standardization was less important not so much for artists, who often make their own paints for work, as for entrepreneurs who make fabrics, building materials, furniture and other goods.
The color standards were developed in 1927 in Germany. This was asked by representatives of varnishes and paints. The Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification was engaged in the development, and it developed reference samples. The catalog was named RAL. It is still used today because it has proven to be extremely convenient. All colors are grouped by range. Each shade is assigned a unique index and a four-digit number. The catalog is a global color map - it includes more than two thousand shades. You can find out the range by the first digit in the number. Numbers 1 through 6 correspond to the primary colors of the spectrum, ranging from yellow to green. The numbers 7 and 8 correspond to gray and brown tones, and 9 to light and dark.
At the end of the 70s, another catalog appeared, which is developing very rapidly. It was developed in Scandinavia and received the name NCS. Its basis is colors that cannot be composed from others, that is, white, blue, green, yellow, red and black. The rest of the colors are presented as combinations of the main ones. Color standards are presented in catalogs that are published regularly. Like RAL, NCS also exists electronically.
However, even reference tables cannot provide accurate color reproduction. Situations are not uncommon when a person buys paint, which was mixed for him right there in the store, and begins repairs. But it turns out that there is not enough paint, the buyer goes to the same store again and asks to mix the same colors again. "By eye" even the most attentive seller is unlikely to be able to do this. But according to standard digital codes, the machine will do it for sure.
Manufacturers of various goods have their own color cards. According to them, a potential buyer can get an idea of the color scheme of a particular product. These maps are built according to the same principle as global ones, each color has its own designation. This is very convenient, especially if the company trades on orders. You can, for example, order clothes or furniture of the desired color through the Internet store, simply by entering its digital code.
You can also create your own color chart. For example, to decide in what colors to paint the walls of an apartment and what scarf to choose for existing items of clothing. Try as closely as possible to compare the color of the items you have with the reference, and see which shades of other colors work best.
