As an artist, I've spent much time contemplating colors. I have always wondered about the inconsistencies I've noticed surrounding magenta. Sometimes it is shown pasted onto the end of a spectrum next to violet, other times you'll see it as a sliver between orange and red.
When we chart the visible spectrum as a wheel or field as above, it's easier to see it as the 'bridge' between violet and red. The visible spectrum is a linear chart with violet and red at opposite ends, however, and doesn't 'circle back' to the beginning.

Our brains seem to be making this color up out of thin air, which is fascinating to me.

Artists, especially those who work in two dimensions, are illusionists. We 'i...

As an artist, I've spent much time contemplating colors. I have always wondered about the inconsistencies I've noticed surrounding magenta. Sometimes it is shown pasted onto the end of a spectrum next to violet, other times you'll see it as a sliver between orange and red.
When we chart the visible spectrum as a wheel or field as above, it's easier to see it as the 'bridge' between violet and red. The visible spectrum is a linear chart with violet and red at opposite ends, however, and doesn't 'circle back' to the beginning.

Our brains seem to be making this color up out of thin air, which is fascinating to me.

Artists, especially those who work in two dimensions, are illusionists. We 'imply' a lot. We use dotted lines to 'imply' an edge or shape. We use blue haziness to 'imply' depth. We use hatch marks to 'imply' shadow. Now I find that I've been implying a non-existent (not just invisible like infra-red) color all along. It happens to be my favorite.