🔬1. Scientific background: opponent colour theory
The foundation of NCS is the opponent colour theory, developed by the German physiologist Ewald Hering.
This theory states that colour perception operates through six elementary perceptions: white, black, yellow, red, blue and green. NCS uses exactly these six as the basis for its colour model.
W – White
S – Black
Y – Yellow
R – Red
B – Blue
G – Green
Crucial starting point:
Colour had to be described as we visually experience it — not through pigment or light mixing models.
👨🔬2. Development by Hård, Sivik and Tonnquist
In Sweden, researchers — including Anders Hård, Lars Sivik and Gunnar Tonnquist — began in the 1960s with psychophysical research to scientifically underpin perception, colour vision and human colour classification.
The three founders:
Anders Hård
Psychophysical research on colour perception
Lars Sivik
Scientific foundation for colour classification
Gunnar Tonnquist
Perception and human colour experience
This scientific approach ultimately led to a practical colour model usable in design, production and communication.
📘3. First publication and standardisation
1979
Publication of the first NCS Atlas
The actual NCS system was published in 1979 with the first NCS Atlas (colour collection).
Global standard:
From that moment, NCS could be used worldwide as a standardised language for colour — independent of material, production process or geographic location.
📈4. Expansion to 1750 / 1950 / 2050 standard colours
1979
First edition
~1750 colours
First standardised set
1995
Second edition
1950 colours
Expanded standard
Today
Current standard
2050 colours
Refined and expanded
This standardisation makes NCS a reliable and reproducible reference for colour communication.
🏢5. Commercial publication and management by NCS Colour AB
The publication of NCS atlases and samples is handled by the Swedish organisation Skandinaviska Färginstitutet AB.
Organisation structure:
Skandinaviska Färginstitutet AB
Publication of NCS atlases and colour samples
NCS Colour AB
Commercial management and operation (Stockholm)
Since further development, the management of commercial operations has been transferred to NCS Colour AB, based in Stockholm.
With this structure, NCS is available worldwide and quality and consistency are maintained.
💡6. Why this history matters for users
Scientific foundation
NCS is not an arbitrary or fashion-sensitive system — it is rooted in scientific research into perception.
Systematic structure
The standard colours are carefully chosen and systematically structured, enabling reproducibility and communication.
Universal applicability
Thanks to its perceptual basis, NCS is universally applicable: to paint, textile, plastic, coatings, print, etc.
Professional standard
For professionals in design, industry and production, NCS offers a stable, reliable and internationally recognised standard.
NCS Development Timeline
Ewald Hering
Develops the opponent colour theory with six elementary perceptions
Swedish researchers
Hård, Sivik and Tonnquist begin psychophysical research
NCS Atlas Publication
First official NCS system with ~1750 standard colours
Second Edition
Expansion to 1950 standard colours
NCS 2050
Modern standard with 2050 colours, managed by NCS Colour AB
Work with the scientifically grounded NCS system
Use the official NCS colour fans and samples that stem from decades of scientific research.
View NCS products →Learn more about NCS and colour theory
Take the comprehensive Online NCS Colour Course from the Netherlands Colour Institute via the Kleurenschool.
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