Are coloured shadows ‘real colours’? What is the difference between lightness and brightness? Can colour experiences be measured?

The texts in this book are the result of a sub-project of ‘SYN-TES: Human colour and light synthesis – towards a coherent field of knowledge’, a research project involving five Nordic universities and several Swedish companies and institutions. The project was carried out in Konstfack, Stockholm during 2010–11.

Colour and light play an important role in the fields of art, design and communication. In the built environment they influence our experiences and feelings, our comfort or discomfort and our physiological wellbeing. A profound understanding of the interaction between colour, light and human beings calls for an interdisciplinary approach, involving several highly specialized fields of art science and technology. This book delves into the often confusing terminology of colour and light, aiming at clarifying their different usages and furthering understanding between researcher and practitioners.