A Perception-Based Model of Complementary Afterimages

Abstract

Complementary afterimages are often modeled as illusory Hering opponent hues generated by the visual system as a result of adaptation. Yet, the empirical evidence suggests a different picture—Complementary afterimages are localized RGB filtered perception based on complementary color pairs. The article aims to bring to the fore an ongoing ambiguity about red/green afterimages and then to address all cases of complementary afterimages. A simple model of afterimages based both on empirical data and the available literature is reconsidered and discussed: The afterimage color A depends both on the color stimulus S and on the ensuing background color B as estimated by the relation, A = B – k S.