Charts and tables, pyramids and grids, circles, wheels, and globes

July 25, 2024 11:20 AM

Color, with all its attendant theories, is one of the most basic components of art-making. Humankind has been preoccupied with its development and analysis for millennia, refracting it into a veritable spectrum of charts that articulate its practice. Whether you’re looking for the key to Paul Klee’s evocative interplay of line and color, curious about the ancestors of modern paint swatches at Lowe’s, or even searching for a captivating hue to inject into your next work of art, three new books give new meaning to the phrase “full color” by guiding us through its fascinating history. from The Delightfully Saturated History of Color Charts [Hyperallergic]
posted by chavenet (7 comments total)

Oh, this is right up my alley...I love the colors and how they have sometimes gently faded. The paper stock is delightful. The handwriting. Imagining some entry level clerk/artist from those decades doing this late at night, because it has to be ready for an important meeting at 9.00 am!
posted by Czjewel at 1:24 PM on July 25 [1 favorite]

Also: if this sort of thing is your jam, you should follow @color.nerd on tiktok for even more breakdowns of the various ways we conceptualize color
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 1:31 PM on July 25 [3 favorites]

aims to be the definitive tome on “the human history of capturing color in words and images.” Volume one addresses the legacy of color collecting and standards between 1686 and 1963
any ancient polychromy? [met]
posted by HearHere at 1:55 PM on July 25 [1 favorite]

color theory makes my head hurt every time I try to figure out how it all works, but thank you for this, I enjoyed it!
posted by humbug at 2:14 PM on July 25 [1 favorite]

Ahhhh, love it! If I could have a life do-over, I would have spent a lot more time in school focusing on chemistry and physics tied to the visual arts. Color and its history and all the different approaches to understanding it in different media—wonderful.
posted by cupcakeninja at 2:31 PM on July 25 [3 favorites]

Several years ago I read book on Blue, I think followed by one on... Maybe the color white, although maybe it was broader than that. I've found fabric and wallpaper sample books in university libraries (avoiding early greens!) and I came here from looking up a some palette creators to try to deal with my kitchens blues and greys vs my red appliances. Man I love colors. Wishlisting some books now...
posted by cobaltnine at 3:58 PM on July 25 [1 favorite]

No discussion of color and charts is complete without mention of urine color/flavor wheels.
posted by Richard Saunders at 4:20 PM on July 25 [2 favorites]