<p>In terms of the HSV color space, <a href="http://designshack.net/articles/graphics/the-evolution-of-flat-design-muted-colors/">"muted" colors are those with lower saturation and/or value</a>.</p>

<p>"Deep" colors are saturated but not too high in value (e.g. <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=deep+red&amp;tbm=isch">deep red</a>) while colors with both high saturation and value might be called "bright" (e.g. <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=bright+red&amp;tbm=isch">bright red</a>).</p>

<p>"Colorful" is somewhat more vague; it might mean bright colors, but it also might mean having a range of different hues within an image or palette, such as including complementary colors or analogous colors rather than just variations on a single hue.</p>

<p>Note that these are general terms that would be understood by any graphic designer or artist, but the specific algorithms that Adobe Kuler attaches to these words are proprietary and only known to Adobe.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-18T03:34:44.603Z
This seems to be helpful .... Thanks cheers!!!!!!!1
Sandiip
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-13T22:52:26.323Z
2016-01-13T22:52:26.323Z
Nathan Reed
<p>I want to extract colors from images like in Adobe Kuler. When I select colorful or muted corresponding colors are shown. But what is the definition for colorful or muted colors? What do the words "colorful", "deep" and "muted" refer to? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-13T21:59:34.110Z
I've made some minor edits that hopefully do not change your original intention. Feel free to roll back anything that changes your question.
trichoplax is on Codidact now
<color>
What does "muted" mean in the context of color?
Sandiip
# What does "muted" mean in the context of color?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-13)

I want to extract colors from images like in Adobe Kuler. When I select colorful or muted corresponding colors are shown. But what is the definition for colorful or muted colors? What do the words "colorful", "deep" and "muted" refer to?

**Tags:** color

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've made some minor edits that hopefully do not change your original intention. Feel free to roll back anything that changes your question.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-01-13. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

In terms of the HSV color space, ["muted" colors are those with lower saturation and/or value](http://designshack.net/articles/graphics/the-evolution-of-flat-design-muted-colors/).

"Deep" colors are saturated but not too high in value (e.g. [deep red](https://www.google.com/search?q=deep+red&tbm=isch)) while colors with both high saturation and value might be called "bright" (e.g. [bright red](https://www.google.com/search?q=bright+red&tbm=isch)).

"Colorful" is somewhat more vague; it might mean bright colors, but it also might mean having a range of different hues within an image or palette, such as including complementary colors or analogous colors rather than just variations on a single hue.

Note that these are general terms that would be understood by any graphic designer or artist, but the specific algorithms that Adobe Kuler attaches to these words are proprietary and only known to Adobe.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This seems to be helpful .... Thanks cheers!!!!!!!1  

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