Saturation in Colors

Then what about saturation? Saturation refers to how rich and vibrant a color is in being, well, colorful. The same color can have varying degrees of saturation. For example, red is still red whether it is muted or vivid in terms of saturation. Though, at some point, they may be given a different name.

Muted colors, which are those with low saturation, tend toward gray and can come across as more modest, as if withdrawn or refusing to stand out too much. They may also blend with a somber atmosphere composed of somber moods. Typically, they denote a degree of lifelessness.

Whereas, vivid colors, which are those with high saturation, tend toward the maximum expression of color and come across as more explosive, as if unable to hold themselves back and eager to make an impression. They may also combine with a hyper atmosphere composed of hyper moods. Typically, they denote a degree of liveliness.

Going all the way up in saturation can result in a practically unpleasant-to-look-at mess. However, going all the way down in saturation results in something that many can appreciate: black & white. Usually, black & white visuals take us back in time, given the history of photography, how colors could not be so easily recreated in images, so much was in black and white (and the grays between them). But it may also bring that touch of elegance often attributed to classics. Furthermore, it could be purposefully neutralizing so that the characteristics of colors with saturation become irrelevant and the focus can go to other aspects of what is visible. You may argue that it makes it more soulful too.

CREDIT: AI-Generated Examples done on Leonardo.AI