About color models

Color models provide different ways of creating colors. Each one is based on a different aspect of color or a different way of viewing color. LiveMotion uses the following color models:

Saturation View

Sometimes called chroma, saturation is the strength or purity of the color. Saturation represents the amount of gray in proportion to the hue, measured as a percentage from 0% (gray) to 100% (fully saturated). On the standard color wheel, saturation increases from the center to the edge.


Standard color wheel A. Green B. Yellow C. Red D. Magenta E. Blue F. Cyan

Value View

Represents the relative lightness or darkness of the color, usually measured as a percentage from 0% (black) to 100% (white).

Hue View

Represents the color reflected from or transmitted through an object. It is measured as a location on the standard color wheel, expressed as a degree between 0° and 360°. In common use, hue is identified by the name of the color such as red, orange, or green.

HSB View

Consists of hue (color) values from 0° to 360°, saturation (the strength or purity of the color), and brightness (lightness or darkness of the color) values from 0% to 100%. The angle for hue is defined as an angle relative to pure red on the color wheel.

RGB View

Assigns an intensity value to colors ranging from 0 (black) to 255 (white) for each of the red, green, and blue (RGB) components in a color image.

CIE L View

Represents a subset of all visible colors that can also be displayed by color monitors. The palette has a range of saturation. As the saturation changes, the range of visible colors within the limit of that saturation changes. Colors within a range that cannot be displayed by color monitors are represented as white space.

Web Safe

Is the set of 216 colors most often used by Web browsers. This set is a subset of the Windows and Mac OS system palettes. Only Web-safe colors are shown in the Color palette when you click the Set Web Safe Colors option.

Note: Applying distortion or 3D effects, tints, or gradients might produce colors that are not Web-safe.

To specify a color using the Color palette:

1. Select the object you want to work with, or the foreground or background.
2. Choose Window > Color if the Color palette is not open.
3. Choose a color model from the Color palette menu at the top right of the palette. If you want only Web-safe colors shown, click the Set Web Safe Colors option in the Color palette.
4. Specify a new color:
• Drag the color sliders.
• Enter values next to the color sliders.
• Click the color bar.
• To specify a new Hue, Saturation, Value, or CIE L color, use the color slider and the color field to select a color. The vertical color slider displays the range of color levels available for the selected color (for example, Hue). The color field displays the range for the remaining two components--one on the horizontal axis, and one on the vertical.