A method for assigning a color symbol to an image pixel comprises selecting a
luminance
value from a discrete set of quantized luminance values; selecting a chrominance
value from an ordered discrete set of quantized chrominance values; and composing
a color symbol from an index of the selected luminance value and an index of an
ordinal position of the selected chrominance value. In particular embodiments of
the invention, each discrete chrominance value is selected from a Fibonacci lattice
on a constant-luminance plane in a perceptually uniform color space such as Lab
or Luv.
