What is the process of approximating a color on a computer using RGB values called?

The process of approximating a color on a computer using RGB values is called dithering. Dithering is a technique that involves the deliberate placing of pixels of different colors close together to create the illusion of a wider range of colors than is actually available. By blending the values of red, green, and blue through varying combinations and placements, dithering allows for the representation of tones and shades that might not be feasible with a limited palette.

Dithering is especially useful in situations where color depth is low or where a limited number of colors are available for display. By using small, patterned clusters of pixels in different colors, it tricks the eye into perceiving a different color, thus achieving a more nuanced visual representation.

While color matching deals with aligning colors to be consistent across devices or mediums, color blending involves combining colors to create new ones, and color correction typically refers to adjusting colors for accuracy. None of these processes involve the specific approximation of colors through pixel manipulation in the same way dithering does.