Venn Diagram of Pool Ball Colors

[Patrick Johnson]

Pool Ball Colors Logic

Primary colors (no mixing): 1/9, 2/10, 3/11
Secondary colors (2 primaries mixed): 4/12, 5/13, 6/14
Tertiary color (secondary & primary mixed): 7/15
No color (black): 8
All colors (white): cue ball

pj <- I know you were wondering
chgo



P.S. The maroon color of the 7 & 15 balls isn't actually a mixture of all three primary colors as the diagram suggests - that would actually look black. Maroon is just purple (red + blue) with more red.

 

[straightline]

http://nautil.us/blog/-the-math-trick-behind-mp3s-jpegs-and-homer-simpsons-face

Good for aiming and other things. Ahmma try flying.

 

[pt109]

Pool Ball Colors Logic

Primary colors (no mixing): 1, 2, 3 - 9, 10, 11
Secondary colors (2 primaries mixed): 4, 5, 6 - 12, 13, 14
Tertiary color (secondary & primary mixed): 7 - 15
No color (black): 8
All colors (white): cue ball

pj <- I know you were wondering
chgo

View attachment 558411

I read long ago that in LIGHT, white is the presence of all colors and black is the absence.
But in SOLIDS it’s the opposite.

 

[bbb]

Pool Ball Colors Logic

Primary colors (no mixing): 1, 2, 3 - 9, 10, 11
Secondary colors (2 primaries mixed): 4, 5, 6 - 12, 13, 14
Tertiary color (secondary & primary mixed): 7 - 15
No color (black): 8
All colors (white): cue ball

pj <- I know you were wondering
chgo

View attachment 558411

Very interesting and informative :smile::smile::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I read long ago that in LIGHT, white is the presence of all colors and black is the absence.
But in SOLIDS it’s the opposite.

I think you're right about which pigments to mix in a solid in order for it to look black or white - but the color composition of the reflected light is what we actually see (hence my choice of descriptions).

pj
chgo

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Very interesting and informative :smile::smile::thumbup::thumbup:

Glad you like it, Larry.

We've talked about the use of primary, secondary and tertiary colors here in the past, but without the Venn Diagram concept - I think that helps to see the logic in the color choices.

pj
chgo

 

[SSDiver2112]

Pool Ball Colors Logic

Primary colors (no mixing): 1, 2, 3 - 9, 10, 11
Secondary colors (2 primaries mixed): 4, 5, 6 - 12, 13, 14
Tertiary color (secondary & primary mixed): 7 - 15
No color (black): 8
All colors (white): cue ball

pj <- I know you were wondering
chgo

I love it when you find out there is a logical reason for something you either didn't think about or just assumed it was random.
Thanks

 

[JT4Annapolis]

Maybe we should send this to Dynasphere, looks like only one of their sets match up color wise.

 

[dr_dave]

Pool Ball Colors Logic

Primary colors (no mixing): 1, 2, 3 - 9, 10, 11
Secondary colors (2 primaries mixed): 4, 5, 6 - 12, 13, 14
Tertiary color (secondary & primary mixed): 7 - 15
No color (black): 8
All colors (white): cue ball

pj <- I know you were wondering
chgo

View attachment 558411

That's much better than your previous version. FYI, I've updated the quote here:

pool ball color resource page

As always, good work,
Dave

 

[boogieman]

Neat. I never realized there was a method to the madness.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

That's much better than your previous version.

Yeah, a Venn diagram is the obvious way to illustrate it. And it only took me a few years to realize it.

FYI, I've updated the quote here:

pool ball color resource page

As always, good work,
Dave

As always, it's a compliment to be included in your stuff.

pj
chgo

 

[pt109]

Yeah, a Venn diagram is the obvious way to illustrate it. And it only took me a few years to realize it.


(As always, it's a compliment to be included in your stuff.)

pj
chgo

You deserve it.

 

[ChrisSjoblom]

I love it when you find out there is a logical reason for something you either didn't think about or just assumed it was random.
Thanks

Me too! Thanks pj!

 

[fastone371]

Pool Ball Colors Logic

Primary colors (no mixing): 1/9, 2/10, 3/11
Secondary colors (2 primaries mixed): 4/12, 5/13, 6/14
Tertiary color (secondary & primary mixed): 7/15
No color (black): 8
All colors (white): cue ball

pj <- I know you were wondering
chgo

View attachment 558411

P.S. The maroon color of the 7 & 15 balls isn't actually a mixture of all three primary colors as the diagram suggests - that would actually look black. Maroon is just purple (red + blue) with more red.

OOhh, oohh, oohh, can you do a skittles diagram next??? :grin::grin:

In all seriousness, cool diagram, thanks for sharing. :bow-down:

 

[pwd72s]

Somebody send this to matchroom sports, attn: Emily Frazer!

 

[alstl]

Speaking of ball colors am I the only one who sees no need for the pink 4/12 in some sets and the light blue 7/15 in others?

What's wrong with the standard colors?

 

[oknazevad]

Speaking of ball colors am I the only one who sees no need for the pink 4/12 in some sets and the light blue 7/15 in others?

What's wrong with the standard colors?

The issue was old TVs, especially in poor light, could have trouble distinguishing the dark shade of purple traditionally used for the 4 & 12 from the black of the 8 ball. likewise, the use of maroon (really a dark red) as the brown for the 7 & 15 could either look black or red, depending on the lighting. The specific versions of those shades traditionally used owe more to turn of the 20th century manufacturing ability than any attempt to stick to the concept in the diagram; the ability to really consistently make a purple pigment that could survive high temperature uses and didn't look either too red, too blue, too light, or, as in this case, too dark didn't really emerge until the latter part of the 20th century. That's why bright purple and bright teal were the trendy colors of the late 80s and early 90s (see the original uniforms of the Charlotte Hornets and Anaheim Ducks for a couple of examples of their use).

However, in the 1970s, before those pigments were readily available for the purple, Aramith came up with swapping the purple with the pink (and the dark maroon brown with the much lighter brown) used on snooker balls to make them easier to identify on TV, and it's become something of a tradition in its own right.

 

[straightline]

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