MUNSELL NEUTRAL VALUE SCALE

Correct color perception in a video viewing environment is ideally enhanced and preserved by providing a neutral-colored surround within the field of view of a monitor's screen. Popular home theater magazines have consistently featured stylish viewing environments that look great with all the lights on. Unfortunately, these colorful design scapes tend to contaminate the image produced by the video display when it's time to watch a program. Rich colors near the screen skew the viewer's perception of the image on the display in a subtractive manner. Flesh tones can be perceived as slightly pink, green, yellow, blue, etc., depending on the color of the surround. Other picture elements, like grass and sky, can take on an unnatural hue that disrupts a sense of realism.  The careful efforts of program producers and cinematographers to set a mood, via the subtle use of color, can be rendered ineffective.  For these reasons SMPTE states that it is most critical that areas in the field of view be devoid of vivid colors.  Similar problems occur in front projection theaters, even though they typically are used with no lights on.  Light from the screen itself during bright scenes will illuminate the entire room.  Tinted light will bounce back onto the screen when room surfaces or major furnishings are vividly colored.  The ruling decor used in a front projection theater should be neutral or nearly neutral, and dark  Some vividly colored accents can be used to add interest but should not dominate the room. 

This fan deck is composed of 31 steps of gray, from flat white to flat black. It is a valuable tool in judging the choice of paints, fabrics and finishes to be used in designing the "ideal viewing environment". The Kodak 18% gray card has been recommended for years as a low-cost, visual reference for choosing materials used near direct-view TVs, rear projection big screens and flat panel displays such as gas plasmas and LCDs. This neutral value scale makes it easier to identify the suitability of more varied shades of gray decor. The gray card is equivalent to a Munsell notation of N 5. This Munsell Neutral Value Scale runs from a matte white notation of N 9.5 (90% reflectance) to a matte black notation of N 2.75 (5.5% reflectance).

MUNSELL 10-STEP NEUTRAL VALUE SCALE

Munsell Neutral Gray Matte References
10 Steps: N2.75 Black - N9.5 White
Each gray sample is 1 5/8" X 3 7/16"

THE MUNSELL BOOK OF COLOR: NEARLY NEUTRALS COLLECTION

This reference resource is a valuable tool for professional designers of video viewing environments and state of the art custom home theater interiors. SMPTE's Recommended Practice Document #166, titled: "Critical Viewing Conditions For Evaluation Of Color Television Pictures" makes reference to the Munsell 'nearly neutrals' as being preferred where a change from neutral gray is desired. They specify that they are only appropriate for use in areas outside the field of view of the display.

The color chips are arranged according to the Munsell color-order system. Each page represents one hue, and there are 20 pages, 5 hue steps apart, displaying about 1100 chips. On each page, the chips are arranged by Munsell value and chroma. An additional page displays a gray scale of value (dark to light) from 6 to 9.5, in steps of 0.5. Also on this page is a 20-step hue circle called Nearly Whites.

Munsell color standards are made by applying a stable coating to a paper or polymer substrate, using the most stable colorants available. Samples of each production lot are measured by spectrophotometry and are visually inspected at the time of production and periodically thereafter. The manufacturing tolerances for the colors are +0.05 in value, +0.2 in chroma, and +2/C in hue (where C is the chroma).

Full size 8.5" x 11" sheets are available for all the colors in the Nearly Neutrals Collection by special order. Quarts and gallons of Munsell notation paints (acrylic lacquer) are also available by special order but are very costly. Munsell paints are only necessary for ultra critical applications. Paint chip scanners in many paint stores can match munsell samples for most applications.