Colours are all around us and they affect our daily lives, but what exactly are they and what is their function? A closer look at colours raises many questions: Can colour be measured? How does changing illumination affect the perception of colours? What is colour harmony? Do colours affect our emotions? Colours in the Visual World provides answers to these and other questions. It inspires the reader to discover and creatively use colour by tapping artistic knowledge and recent findings of perceptual science. Colours in the Visual World is a resource of colour facts and phenomena for students of art, design, and architecture, as well as all those interested in the world of colour. The book is based on the author's over 20 years of experience in teaching, researching and creating with colour. Each chapter includes assignments that serve as a starting point for independent study and experimentation. A glossary helps to clarify colour concepts and terminology.