What is the term for the lightness or darkness of a color?

The term for the lightness or darkness of a color is referred to as value. In the context of color theory, value is an essential component that describes how light or dark a color appears. It is crucial for artists because it helps to create depth, contrast, and dimension in their work. Value can be manipulated to create highlights, shadows, and mid-tones, effectively contributing to the overall composition and mood of an artwork.

Hue refers to the actual color itself (such as red, blue, or green) and does not address the lightness or darkness aspect. Saturation indicates the purity or intensity of a color; highly saturated colors are vivid and bright, while desaturated colors appear more muted or gray. Intensity, closely related to saturation, denotes the brightness or dullness of a color. However, none of these terms focuses specifically on the concept of how light or dark a color is, which is why value is the correct choice.