What is hue?

Hue refers specifically to the color of an object as perceived by the human eye. It is the attribute of a color that enables us to classify it, such as red, blue, green, or yellow. Hue is a fundamental aspect in color theory and is used in various fields including art, design, and photography to convey emotions and create visual interest.

In terms of color theory, hue does not address the brightness, purity, or any reflective qualities of the color—those aspects are represented by different terms: purity is related to saturation, lightness or darkness to value, and reflection quality can be associated with gloss or sheen. Thus, hue's definition is essential for understanding color mixing and how colors interact visually.