We are surrounded by color, which has an impact on our moods, actions, and decisions. Understanding color theory is crucial whether we’re discussing art, branding, fashion, or web design. The HSL to RGB conversion is one method of expressing color in digital media.
While RGB stands for red, green, and blue, HSL stands for hue, saturation, and lightness. Although they use distinct parameters, both models are used to define and produce colors. RGB is the computer language, whereas HSL is more natural to people.
Why is it necessary to convert between them then? We must ensure that the colors we see or generate are consistent across all devices, platforms, and software because they all use various color schemes. We must communicate in the same language, in other words.
- Although the HSL to RGB conversion formula is simple, it does require some programming and fundamental math skills. This is how it goes:
- Divide the hue angle in degrees by 360 to get a value between 0 and 1.
- Divide the saturation and brightness values by 100 to convert them from percentages to decimals.
- By multiplying the saturation and the minimum difference between brightness and one-lightness, you may determine the chroma value.
- By deducting and adding the chroma times the absolute value of the modulus of (hue times 6 minus 3) minus 1 from 1, you may determine the intermediate values of X and M.
- Add the intermediate values to M to determine the red, green, and blue values.
- To obtain the final color code, multiply the RGB values by 255.
Here’s an example: let’s say we want to convert the color HSL(180, 50%, 50%) to RGB. First, we divide 180 by 360 to get 0.5, then 50 by 100 to get 0.5, and 50 by 100 to get 0.5. Next, we calculate the chroma value as 0.25, and the intermediate values of X and M as 0.125 and 0.375, respectively. Finally, we add the intermediate values to M and multiply them by 255 to get RGB(96, 192, 192).
Of course, you don’t have to do the math yourself, as there are many HSL to RGB converters available online. However, understanding the science behind color conversion can help you appreciate the complexity and beauty of this field.
