Not a book for light reading, Color and Design will satisfy any design practitioner, or scholar seeking to gain a more expanded view of how humans respond to color. Editors Marilyn DeLong and Barbara have curated a selection of essays which are organized into subjects ranging from color psychology to marketing and trend influences.
Since these are essays, the reader should not expect this book to offer a cultural analysis of primary/secondary colors nor an explanation of basic color theory. What the text does offer is specific examinations on various topics that center around sociological approach of how color is assimilated within a culture, its art, folklore and consumerism. Outwardly this can seem to be a real bore. I did however find a pearl or two that can potentially be assigned as required reading for my students.
For example in Part III: Markets and Trends, I found an informative essay by Alex Bitterman (Color the World: Identifying Color Trends in Contemporary City Brands). Bitterman is able to synthesize the use of color by city conclude how they don't necessarily reflect their physical environment; “The use of color in the development of city brands seems haphazard and largely driven by technology designers use to create these brands...”
I'm always wary of any book on color that has black and white photos. I normally wouldn't waste my time paging though it. However, should this book have a second printing, I advise the editors to ditch the black and white photos and move the color plates out of the center of the book. Reading each essay and then having to page through the middle of the book to find the referenced “plates” was arduous at times. Note to publisher; relocate color plates closer to the related text!
Since these are essays, the reader should not expect this book to offer a cultural analysis of primary/secondary colors nor an explanation of basic color theory. What the text does offer is specific examinations on various topics that center around sociological approach of how color is assimilated within a culture, its art, folklore and consumerism. Outwardly this can seem to be a real bore. I did however find a pearl or two that can potentially be assigned as required reading for my students.
I'm always wary of any book on color that has black and white photos. I normally wouldn't waste my time paging though it. However, should this book have a second printing, I advise the editors to ditch the black and white photos and move the color plates out of the center of the book. Reading each essay and then having to page through the middle of the book to find the referenced “plates” was arduous at times. Note to publisher; relocate color plates closer to the related text!