metamerism
A colour is always composed of light of different wavelengths. Just as sunlight can be deconstructed to the colours of the rainbow, the colour of paint can be deconstructed in a spectral analysis.
This is the spectral analysis of a certain shade of red.
This is the spectral analysis of almost exactly the same colour red. There’s something very peculiar about these two colours: they are metamer. Which means that perceived in a certain light, in this example sunlight, they will appear exactly the same to our eyes. But under another source of light, say an electric bulb, they will appear different.
Metamerism is a quite common phenomenon that can cause problems in colour schemes. If, for instance, the same colour is ordered from different manufacturers, there’s a distinct possibility that they will be metamer. Which means they will not be the same in all circumstances. This is because different manufacturers use different pigments.
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