WHAT IS LOCAL COLOR? Color can be defined in several different ways. It is often considered an element consisting of three properties: hue, intensity, and value. It is the aspect of an object caused by different qualities of light reflecting from it. It can be vibrant or muted, and as Stewart White points out, “Simple color has vast emotional content. “ The word ‘Color’ is also used to reference the character, nature, vitality, or interest of a person, place, or thing.