An elaborated subjective color model is presented that includes the predictions of emulated Benham disk results and additional predictions that refer to local and remote achromatic illuminations on perceived subjective color shifts. A computer emulated Benham disk pattern was used as a stimulus to test the effects of remote illumination on its color sensation. An analytical model and its predictions are proposed in order to account for the results of the perceived hue shift, when changing either the remote illumination area or the stimulus illumination. This model is based on previous retinal color-coded cells responses which yield the subjective color, and on local and remote adaptation mechanisms. The similarity between the role and mechanism of remote illumination (achromatic or chromatic) in subjective and perceived color is also discussed. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.