A specimen analysis system includes at least one processor to receive a set of image information that represents an image of at least a specimen validity portion of the specimen test article which includes at least one optical specimen validity marker, the color of which indicates the validity of the specimen; determine a set of color component values for one or more of a plurality of pixels of the image that are representative of the specimen validity portion of the specimen test article, the set of color component values including at least three color component values; and assess at least one specimen validity characteristic of the specimen based at least in part on each color component value of the determined set of color component values for the one or more of the plurality of pixels of the image.