Understanding Color: An Introduction for Designers

by Linda Holtzschue

Make Sound Color ChoicesNow in an updated Fourth Edition, "Understanding Color" helps you connect the dots between your emotional, intuitive responses to color and the theories that explain them. From this authoritative and easy-to-follow resource, you'll learn how to use color more comfortably, creatively, and effectively than ever before.Take your work to the next level by exploring how different light sources affect color rendition, how placement changes color, how to avoid costly color mistakes, and how to resolve the color problems that frequently confront design professionals. This edition is full of powerful new features that reflect the latest issues in color and design, and revised content in nearly 35% of the book.Coverage of a broad range of design disciplines.Ideas from the major color theorists that reinforce content, rather than emphasizing what is correct or incorrect.Discussion of color created by traditional media and digital design, and the issues that arise when design moves from one medium to another.Innovative coverage of color marketing issues.Helpful tips for using color in the working environment.An online workbook with valuable exercises that reinforce color concepts."Understanding Color, Fourth Edition" is an unparalleled source of authoritative information and practical solutions for students and professionals in all fields of design.

Genres: Design, Art, Nonfiction, Reference

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 1994

Reviews

[Narjes · Rating 4 out of 5]

برای دیزاینرها، نقاش‌ها و هر رشته‌ای و ذائقه‌ای که علاقه‌مند و نیازمند به دانش رنگ هست، به شدت کمک کننده‌اس.

[Anisha Inkspill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does as it says – understanding colour. Colour interests me as I continue to stretch my artistic voice.

I really liked how this was easy to follow, even when it got a bit sciencey to explain the development of colour theory. I think a big reason for this is how the book is organised from chapter to chapter.

I also liked how it plotted a journey showing how colour theory has developed starting from the ancients to Newton to Goethe to Josef Albers). And it was helpful how it showed colour working with different materials and mediums.

As books go, this is more a text book than a leisurely or interesting read, I didn’t mind this as the ground it covers gave me enough of a foundation to keep building my understanding of how colour works.

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book isn't really about design. It is more of a color theory book with some parts on color reproduction. So, there aren't many examples of how colors are used in design projects, and there is very little discussion about the psychological effects and symbolic or associative meanings of colors. If you're hoping to learn more about those things, then this book is not the one you are looking for.

One note--there is a section on the digital reproduction of color. The examples of the color selection tools are from the 2010 version of Photoshop, which is a bit dated. Also, there are some examples of digital art that look old as well. Perhaps it is time for the publisher to print another edition of this.

[Jordan A. A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the text for my Color Theory class, it is a good introduction to the basic information of additive and subtractive color mixing. Covers more than just the fundamentals by discussing business, science, physiology and vocabulary. Her writing style can be a bit redundant and often over explains concepts which can become confusing for my students. Overall, I like it as a beginning text that can reach the variety of majors I teach: fashion, interior design, fine arts, art therapy, art education, and graphic design.

[Story of Choice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and thorough introduction to color for any application: clearly written, illustrated, and designed for maximum readability and focus on content. The author's voice is both professional and conversational.

[Mad Hab · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book. Everything you need to know about the colors.

[Zan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to rate, as it's sorta more a utility than a learning text - about as engaging as reading the dictionary, but if you sit down, focus, and parse through the dry language, it's going to tell you exactly the facts. Lot of good here, and would, I think, be a good classroom resource or reference guide.

I did, as a note, read this as an eBook so many of the example images were lost on me - An interesting exercise reading a book about color in black and white, but not one I'd suggest if you can avoid it.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for an overarching explanation of colour and the theory of colour, then this might be the book for you. However, if you’re looking for something focusing on the application and technical use of colour, I would look elsewhere.

Understandably, colour is a massive topic, so this book just skims the surface. It does a good job explaining the history of colour, a basic intro to the colour wheel, colour mixing, and it’s use in certain industries, but I would recommend investing in colour theory books specific to your industry first.

[Sage · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really weird mix of massively useful information and over-the-top pedantry. The prose is basically terrible, with most paragraphs comprised of stacks upon stacks of simple sentences written in an identical brain-lulling rhythm. The content bounced right off when it didn't put me to sleep, but then she would randomly slip into a conversational mode for a few lines and everything became fascinating again. (It should not have taken me so long to finish this.)

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was great and informative in a lot of ways. But don't call it a book "for designers" unless you're going to use the professional color methods used in commercial printing = Cyan Magenta Yellow Black. I couldn't use this book to teach color theory to my design classes because of this incorrect use of designers' vocabulary and industry standards.

[Glenn Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy read, well organized, but is now(2015) a little out of date. I have reviewed newer editions and the author seems to have gone off the deep end trying to make it more complete. Love this book.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it interesting, but I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been reading it on a Kindle without colours! Just something to keep in mind if you're looking to read this on an e-reader -- you won't be able to see any of the examples.

[Habibie yukezain · Rating 3 out of 5]

buat klian yang ksuliatan ama coloring, beli deh

[Habibie yukezain · Rating 4 out of 5]

my inspiration color, coba aja kali2 klian gitu jg

[Tysseer Harak · Rating 4 out of 5]

ظريف وبسيط ومناسب للي زيي ملوش في الألوان ولا يعرف حاجة عنها :)