The contribution discusses prerequisites of linguistic representation of colors and color perception. In its first part, it points out strategies of color naming that aim at designating particular shades of colors as precisely as possible. The second part deals with descriptions of regular effects of interacting colors, for instance effects of artistic color compositions. The endeavor of painters to develop a technical language to speak about artistic and psychological effects of color compositions is analyzed. It is shown that speaking of particular shades of color and designating regular, inter-individual color effects requires established forms of categorizing them. Cultural techniques of illustrating colors and specific color effects are of crucial importance.