Err, a little confused. Options

[Mikeplyts]

So today I was in art class and we were making our own paintings of whatever we wanted and such. Then, an interesting question popped in my mind and it was a question which I thought was never really important but I asked it anyways to a few of my friends.
Here's my question.

Are black/white colors?

Yes, I know it's a little stupid but I've never really thought about it. One of my friends said they are because you are able to make or "color" things with black/white. Another disagreed and made an interesting point that black is what attracts all colors and white reflects all colors therefore, they aren't colors. The first one also said that all the colors together make black and all the colors taken away make white. He also added that they were colors said that they are colors because if you mix them, you can make another color (in this case, gray). Now, I'm a bit confused on whether black/white are colors or not. My friend who disagreed did make a good point so I think black/white are not colors but then again, I could always be wrong.

Any opinions?

[Harp]

i used to think about this, and i was told that black was all and white was nothing.

[LittleMissSunshi...]

i know they aren't a color, because without the sun. you wouldn't be able to see them. something like that, we learned it in chemistry. cause the atoms or such. i don't remember lol :/

[gojira]

i think i've been lectured that a million times but i always tell these buttholes that i like white cars.

[Mikeplyts]

i know they aren't a color, because without the sun. you wouldn't be able to see them. something like that, we learned it in chemistry. cause the atoms or such. i don't remember lol :/

Hmm, interesting, so I guess they really aren't colors but can't you see white and black in the evening or in a dark room?

i think i've been lectured that a million times but i always tell these buttholes that i like white cars.

Sorry, but I prefer black cars.

[Tomates]

mmm even though people say they aren't colours i still call them and think of them as colours. Heck people say "use the colour white" so why not?

[Mikeplyts]

mmm even though people say they aren't colours i still call them and think of them as colours. Heck people say "use the colour white" so why not?

True dat, but I'm still kind of thinking they aren't 'cause of my friend's opinion and shannon's opinion.

[Mickey]

In print, designers often classify black as all colours combined and white as no colours at all. I don't really know how else to explain it.

For example, if you print something white, you don't use up any colours because the paper is already white. If you print something black, red, green and blue or cyan, magenta and yellow is combined together. Or the K in CMYK is used, which acts as a substitute if you don't want to waste the cyan, magenta, and yellow ink to create black.

[LittleMissSunshi...]

Hmm, interesting, so I guess they really aren't colors but can't you see white and black in the evening or in a dark room?

i agree, but it's also because there is some light in the dark room, or how else would you be able to see the person your looking at? say for instance, you have the blacklight. when you wear white, the color purple shines on the white shirt making the color purple. either way, white and black aren't really colors. have you ever wondered why you wear a black shirt in the sun and you feel more heat than you wear white? because the sun/light takes up more atoms or such to see the colors through our eyes. it's the same reason why the sky is blue, because our sky isn't really blue. it's because of the blue & red uavs' from the sun. does that make sense?

[Mikeplyts]

In print, designers often classify black as all colours combined and white as no colours at all. I don't really know how else to explain it.

For example, if you print something white, you don't use up any colours because the paper is already white. If you print something black, red, green and blue or cyan, magenta and yellow is combined together. Or the K in CMYK is used, which acts as a substitute if you don't want to waste the cyan, magenta, and yellow ink to create black.

Cool. So they aren't colors but they are? Kind of like nuetral or something?

i agree, but it's also because there is some light in the dark room, or how else would you be able to see the person your looking at? say for instance, you have the blacklight. when you wear white, the color purple shines on the white shirt making the color purple. either way, white and black aren't really colors. have you ever wondered why you wear a black shirt in the sun and you feel more heat than you wear white? because the sun/light takes up more atoms or such to see the colors through our eyes. it's the same reason why the sky is blue, because our sky isn't really blue. it's because of the blue & red uavs' from the sun. does that make sense?

Ohh, ok. I knew about the heat with black stuff and the sky color thing but yeah, I guess that makes sense. Thanks. Right now, I'm thinking they aren't colors yet I feel like they're "nuetral" because of the post Mike made.

[mipadi]

The first one also said that all the colors together make black and all the colors taken away make white.

It's the other way around: black is the absence of color (none are reflected), and white is the mixture of all colors together.

But, of course, you're talking about pigments, which are subtlely different than color; black is all pigments mixed, and white is no pigments mixed.

[LittleMissSunshi...]

lollll ! it's really hard to pick a side huh?

[*KINGdinguhling*]

It's the other way around: black is the absence of color (none are reflected), and white is the mixture of all colors together.

YOU 100000000% SURE? I HEARD black is all the colors mixed, white is the absence of color.

[Mikeplyts]

YOU 100000000% SURE? I HEARD black is all the colors mixed, white is the absence of color.

I'm positive that's true.

So I'm like def thinking that they are not colors...?

ha, shannon, you're right, it is hard to choose. :)

[hi-C]

There's no such thing as black. It's just really dark dark dark dark brown. Or at least that's what I've heard.

[hi-C]

Yeah, but when black things dry or fade they look brown. And if you look at a strand of someone's naturally black hair, it looks brown, too.

[Mikeplyts]

Yeah, but when black things dry or fade they look brown. And if you look at a strand of someone's naturally black hair, it looks brown, too.

x2.

[Gigi]

Black and white are not colours.

I think you are both right in saying that black is the absence of and white is all and vice versa. The difference is this: Black is the absence of all LIGHT, white is every colour of LIGHT mixed together. Whereas black is every colour of paint/dye/tangible liquid mixed together, and white is absence of such colour. That's why primary colours for light is blue, red and green, and primary colours for painting is blue, red and yellow.

Although like Carrie says, I think true black and white are only theoretical; i.e. they don't exist in nature perfectly (except for black in outer space and white as in white light).

[Mikeplyts]

Black and white are not colours.

I think you are both right in saying that black is the absence of and white is all and vice versa. The difference is this: Black is the absence of all LIGHT, white is every colour of LIGHT mixed together. Whereas black is every colour of paint/dye/tangible liquid mixed together, and white is absence of such colour. That's why primary colours for light is blue, red and green, and primary colours for painting is blue, red and yellow.

Although like Carrie says, I think true black and white are only theoretical; i.e. they don't exist in nature perfectly (except for black in outer space and white as in white light).

very well said.

[mipadi]

YOU 100000000% SURE? I HEARD black is all the colors mixed, white is the absence of color.

Hells yeah, I'm sure. Read the explanation here.

[Gigi]

^ But Michael, do you think what I said about the differences between mixing light and mixing paint makes sense?

[mipadi]

^ But Michael, do you think what I said about the differences between mixing light and mixing paint makes sense?

Yeah; I already brought up the different between mixing light and mixing pigment here.

[Maccabee]

I think black is color but white is nothing.

[*KINGdinguhling*]

Hells yeah, I'm sure. Read the explanation here.

Alrite sir. Are you """if I was on who wants to be a millionaire and it was the million dollar question and I had one life line left, which was to phone a friend, and the question was what color is white and what color is black, and you had 15 seconds left to answer"""" sure?

[mipadi]

Alrite sir. Are you """if I was on who wants to be a millionaire and it was the million dollar question and I had one life line left, which was to phone a friend, and the question was what color is white and what color is black, and you had 15 seconds left to answer"""" sure?

Yes, I'd answer, "black is the absence of color, and white is the mixture of all colors." I'd bet on my mother's grave, were she dead.

[Mikeplyts]

Someone just told me today that white was a really really really really really really really really really really light red.

[*KINGdinguhling*]

Yes, I'd answer, "black is the absence of color, and white is the mixture of all colors." I'd bet on my mother's grave, were she dead.

alrite i trust you