Chroma

Plural:

Chroma definition

Chroma is the degree to which a color differs from a neutral gray of the same value.
It describes the intensity or purity of a color, independent of its lightness (value) and color family (hue).
A color with low chroma appears dull or muted, while a color with high chroma appears vivid, saturated, and strong.

Examples

A bright, pure red straight from the tube has high chroma.

The same red mixed with a gray of equal value becomes progressively lower in chroma, appearing more muted.

Earth colors like Yellow Ochre or Raw Umber typically have low chroma, while pigments like Cadmium Red or Phthalo Blue have high chroma.

Context

In painting, chroma is one of the three fundamental dimensions of color, alongside value and hue.

Understanding chroma allows the artist to control visual impact and hierarchy:
• High chroma areas attract attention and feel energetic.
• Low chroma areas recede and create calm, balance, or atmosphere.

In systems like the Munsell color system, chroma is measured on a scale that begins at 0 (neutral gray) and increases outward. There is no strict upper limit, as new pigments and materials (including fluorescent ones) can reach extremely high chroma levels.

A key practical insight:
Two colors can have the same hue and value but feel completely different depending on their chroma.

Core Principles

Derivation

From Greek chrōma meaning color.
In modern color theory, the term evolved to specifically describe the intensity or saturation dimension of color, distinct from hue and value.

The Lexicon by Alex Righetto