If Black is not a colour and it is a shade, then what is it a shade of?

Question

Often when people say 'my favourite colour is black!' there is always someone to say 'black isn't a colour its a shade!' People who say that always think that their Rocket Scientists who have just shared life changing information, however they can never answer my question 'what is black a shade of?'... 1 to me, 0 to NASA

Answer 1

Yeah, I'm with you on this one, dog, I find it annoying when people say that it's a shade, not a colour, it's just ostentatious, frankly.

When we see something as black, we are looking at the absence of reflected light, physically speaking. For all practical purposes, when people pointe out that black is a "shade" rather than a colour, they are simply regurgitating something they heard said elsewhere, and for the most part have no clue what the difference is.

Answer 2

I have never heard it described as a shade. In science I was taught that black is the presence of all colors and white is the absence of any color.

Answer 3

black is neither colour nor shade. It is the lack of colour. White is all the colours, together. Black is all the colours absent. I work for British Aerospace and I am fabulous.

Answer 4

Black is not a shade. Black is the absence of reflected light or where light cannot escape.

Answer 5

Just want to add that black is the absence of light and all color pigments combined. In the same way, white is the presence of all light but the absence of all color pigments.

Answer 6

Purple.

Answer 7

black is a shade?

i thought it was the absence of color...

Answer 8

black absorbes color so its not a color nor a shade

Answer 9

my mistake. learn something new everyday

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black

Answer 10

err.......grey?