# Perceptual colour compatibility poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 12, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847 "2004-02-12T15:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/1 "2004-02-12T15:15:27Z")
I’d like as many people as possible to take part in this poll. Please take a look at [this](http://www.eat-it.freeserve.co.uk/images/colours.bmp) image; there are three columns of coloured spots - one for each of the RGB primary colours, blending into each of the secondary colours (in no particular order). What I want you to tell me is, for each column, which numbered spot represents the best blend, so if you think that for the red column, spot number 2 is the most natural blend, answer R2; so answers should be given in the form RnGnBn. If you want to explain your reasons for choosing that blend, please enclose your explanations within the [sp[FONT=Arial]oiler] and [/spoiler] tags, to avoid, as much as possible ‘persuading’ other participants. Participants, please don’t read any spoilers until after you have posted your results. Thanks all.[/FONT] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/2 "2004-02-12T15:19:57Z")
Note: I’m specifically looking for _subjective, aesthetic_ judgments here; tell me which blend you think is _most right_, for each primary colour. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/3 "2004-02-12T15:26:52Z")
R3 G2 B1 No explanation, but G1 is the ugliest thing i have seen today. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/4 "2004-02-12T15:32:45Z")
R3 G3 B3 No real conscious reason for that though. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/5 "2004-02-12T15:38:39Z")
R3G2B1 as I now see (I didn’t read ahead) same as **kellner** just seemed more ‘right’. ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/6 "2004-02-12T16:44:13Z")
R3G3B3 Also no really definable reason, they just seemed most right. ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/7 "2004-02-12T16:51:02Z")
R3 G3 B1 meep! (to fill up character requirements) ---
**Author:** ![Sionach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Sionach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sionach)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/8 "2004-02-12T17:25:03Z")
R3, G2, B3 My initial decisions were intuitively based, but I took a second look to figure out why I preferred certain colour combinations: R: pink & red clash, while red to turqouise is jarring - red to yellow is a “smoother” transition. G: green & purple clash, green & turquoise are too “cool” (not enough contrast), while the green to yellow is a smooth transition with a decent contrast. If the turqouise had been a true dark blue like the B column, I probably would’ve chosen that with the spring (yellowish) green colour. B: blue on turquoise is fine, but too “blue”; blue to yellow is also alright, but doesn’t blend as well as blue to purple/pink. I also just realised my colour preferences are 2 out of 3 a combo of primary colours which blend into a mixed colour (red & yellow w/ orange, blue & pink w/ purple), which probably had a lot to do with my selections. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/9 "2004-02-12T17:26:51Z")
R3, G2, B1 ---
**Author:** ![Innanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecd19e/32.png) [@Innanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Innanna)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/10 "2004-02-12T17:46:52Z")
R3 G2 B1 You don’t want any participation info (age, gender, region)? ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/11 "2004-02-12T18:00:22Z")
R3, G2, B3 With no particular definable reason. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/12 "2004-02-12T18:18:25Z")
R3 G2 B1 R3 is like a sunset. The others are like spheres. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/13 "2004-02-12T18:47:25Z")
R1 G2 B1R1 & B1 look the smoothest to me. G1 looks like it should have gold between the green and purple. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/14 "2004-02-12T18:54:25Z")
R1 G2 B1 Are there any real conclusions that have been drawn from these dots, or is this just for fun? ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/15 "2004-02-12T18:54:57Z")
R3, G2, B1 ---
**Author:** ![IrreverentTone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@IrreverentTone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IrreverentTone)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/16 "2004-02-12T19:19:41Z")
R1, G2, B1 ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Badger\_Racing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@Atomic\_Badger\_Racing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Badger_Racing)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/17 "2004-02-12T21:23:30Z")
R3, G3, B1 ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@AmericanMaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmericanMaid)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/18 "2004-02-12T21:37:59Z")
R3G2B3 R3 looks like a summer sunset, G2 makes me happy because it’s so bright and pretty. B3 looks like a winter sunset plus I’m always a sucker for purple ---
**Author:** ![MinniePurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MinniePurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinniePurl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/19 "2004-02-12T21:47:52Z")
R3, G2, B1 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/20 "2004-02-12T22:27:16Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > R1 G2 B1 > > Are there any real conclusions that have been drawn from these dots, or is this just for fun? I do intend to analyse the results, but I need quite a few more responses yet before I can say anything. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847.md?page=2)