For the Color Scholar: Out-of-Print Classics

The below is a list of notable out-of-print books in .pdf form. Each text has its own unique interpretation on color application, general theories, etc.

Source: Theory and Practice of Color

The oldest text of the group is Elementary Color (1895) written by Milton Bradley the same Bradley who is synonymously linked with The Game of Life, Candyland, and Battleship. This was not Bradley's first attempt into the forays of color. Prior to this publicaton he had addtionally authored Color in the Schoolroom and Color in the Kindergarten.

Faber Birren’s Selling With Color is a book that ...“ has been written to be of practical benefit to modern business, to assure the effective development of consumer products, merchandising, advertising, packages, displays”.

Regardless of when any of these were published, these texts still retain color standard information of which can still be found in practice today.

Colour Aesthetics: Combinations of Colors with Tints and with Shades
by F. Louis Barber (1900)

Selling with Color
by Faber Birren (1945)

Itten, The Elements of Color
Edited by Faber Birren (1961)

Elementary Color, 3rd Edition
by Milton Bradley (1895)

Goethe’s Theory of Colours
Translated by Charles Lock Eastlake (1982)

Color Balance Illustrated
An Introduction to the Munsell System
by A.H. Munsell (1919)

Color Notation
by A.H. Munsell (1913)

Theory and Practice of Color
by Bonnie E. Snow, Hugo B. Froehlich (1920)

Munsell’s Crusade to Instruct the Masses

We often take for granted the past work done by pioneers such as Albert H. Munsell. Painter, teacher, and inventor, Munsell created the most influential color-modeling system for its time. His efforts devised a “rational way to describe color” through the of use clear decimal notation; using hue, value, and chroma into uniform yet independent dimensions within a three-dimensional space. This idea broke with the traditional approach of identifying colors through a naming scheme, which Munsell thought was “foolish” and “misleading”. Munsell Color System, Atlas of Color Charts. The color system Munsell built back in the 1900 ’ s continues to serve educators, visual artists, and the industries who depend on color matching technologies to produce their products and services. The Munsell Color Company website has a historical overview of Munsell’s legacy as well as examples of company projects that continue to advance the process of achieving accurate color. To peer inside the

It's All About Orange - Pantone's 2012 Color of the Year

The annual hue-of-choice made its début this past week. World renowned color authority Pantone named Tangerine Tango 2012's color of the year. Pantone believes that this vivacious orange can “...provide the energy boost we need to recharge and.” Perceived more often as an autumnal choice, orange was seen on the runways of Fashion Week this year amongst other robust colors. Dubbed by Women's Wear Daily “..as the most popular color at spring Fashion Week”, tangerine like any other color has the potential to leave the catwalks and make its way into the likes of retail sectors which include areas of industrial design. The last time orange was used with abandon, was during the late 70’s. The avocado/harvest gold/brown combinations reigned supreme in kitchens across America. Often incorporated into Formica counter tops, vinyl flooring, and matching appliances, fake as well as real wood-grain themes was the style that permeated home furnishings. With international economic w

Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers

If you are either an educator in need of color theory assignments, or an artist looking to exercise your color “muscle”, this text will fill that void. Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers (2nd edition) by David Hornung offers an approach to color theory with projects that build understanding as you advance through the book. With assignments that are primarily geared toward painters, it is possible to adapt some of the lessons for use on the computer (with a little work). This is one of those a texts whose strength is not derived from historical, cultural, or psychological references. If your intent is to obtain a book that uses (only) practical approaches to cement color concepts—this one’s for you! *Note to the editors: Please correct the misspelling of Munsell’s name!

All Color Matters

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