Hexadecimal Color Theory
Pixel-based color generation has been around for almost as long as computers themselves. And with the advancement of faster and ever more capable computers comes a higher level of sophistication in the creation of colors on your computer monitor. In order to create a vast number of colors on computer screen, web programmers turn to the hexadecimal color theory.
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The Facts
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In any pixel-based display format, images (or the illusion of images) are created by the manipulation of hundreds and thousands of dots called pixels. In regards to colors on the Web, the illusion of color is created by the CPU by turning subpixels on or off, or by giving a pixel a percentage of alpha fading.
Function
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The hexadecimal system tells a computer at what level of intensity to display a particular color. In this respect, the nature of hexadecimal color theory is related to the psychological theory of color effects on perception: Mixtures of colors and differing intensities cause the eye to see new colors. The hexadecimal code contains specific instructions for a particular pixel to display a certain way. And what the eye sees has more to do with the "feel" or contrast of the color as it relates to other colors.
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Features
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Hexadecimal values are a six-digit combination of numbers and letters (usually used with the # sign prefix) which contain the instruction for certain colors. The technical calculation of a particular color can become pretty complex, which includes calculating value of individual digits in their relationship to others. But put in simple terms, the color values run from white (whose value is #FFFFFF) to black (whose value is #000000).
Identification
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The system is based on 16 digits. These digits go from 0 to the number 9 and continue with the letters A through F. Each number and letter is assigned a numerical value from 0 to 15 and a CPU uses the combination of these values to create a certain color. In this system, the numbers represent their numerical value and the letters represent numerical values above the number 9. For instance, the letter A, B, C, represent the values 10, 11, 12. The bytes of information in the system represent variations of the red, green, and blue components of a color. Each component has a value from 0 to 256; 0 being the lowest level of intensity and 256 being the highest. This makes the total number of possible colors to be 16,777,216 or 256 x 256 x 256.
Benefits
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The use of the hexadecimal color theory allows for the creation of countless types of images in various hues. Being able to use a palette of colors makes for more interesting displays of information, web animation and more. Also since the hexadecimal system is so sophisticated in its structure, it allows for a great amount of specificity and color variation.
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