Abstract: The methods according to the invention include converting the three digit decimal red, green, and blue values (000-255) to two digit decimal values (00-25), representing each two digit decimal value as an alpha character, and encoding the alpha character using the standard UPC alpha character codes. A rounding algorithm is provided for rounding up the least significant digit in different ways depending on the range of the value when encoding and decoding. The methods of the invention may be used to express RGB values as three alpha characters rather than as 24-bits (8-bit R, 8-bit G, and 8-bit B) in applications other than bar coding.