May Recommended Resources: Color Inspiration and Theory
Theoretical Books | Inspirational Books
Estimated Read Time 3 Minutes
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This month I’m going to talk about one of my favorite aspects of design – color! I have always loved seeing how prominently color factors across so many different sectors. There are so many possibilities of individual colors and color combinations to bring ordinary objects and otherwise boring documents to life. Just looking out the window shows the kaleidoscope of color interactions and inspirations available in the natural world. It’s no secret that I get a lot of color inspiration from nature. I also love looking to the worlds of fashion, visual arts, and interior design for more color ideas. There’s a comfort in tried-and-true classic color combinations like blue and white and an excitement in unexpected color combinations.
Of course, not all colors play well together, so to make good color combination choices, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the color wheel and of the different variations of each color. I have found that most clients have strong personal color preferences and connotations, sometimes even without realizing them. Cultural associations and personal experiences can make a person associate a certain color positively or negatively, even if it theoretically looks great in a color scheme. It’s always a good idea to really spend a good amount of time working out the color part of a new brand or design. If you want to explore the world of color, either for inspiration in your own creative processes or to learn more about basic color theories, here are some of my favorite resources for learning, and for inspiration to spark creative ideas. Click on the titles or pictures to learn more about each book.
Book Recommendations to Learn More About Color
The Complete Color Harmony – Pantone Edition – Leatrice Eiseman
If you are looking for a concise way to learn about the basics of color and color theory, this book does a great job. The layout is clean and modern with large, beautiful pictures and graphics. The first and last parts of the book are devoted to learning about technical color information and the psychology of color. Both fascinating topics! The middle part of the book is devoted to color palettes based on various moods – romantic, powerful, reliable, etc. Each mood has a large selection of color palettes. The palettes are built on color theory and the idea that certain colors will widely communicate various moods and feelings.
Color – A Course in Mastering the Art of Mixing Colors – Betty Edwards
This book uses a textbook-format approach to learn about color. It doesn’t feature color palettes, or other design resources. Instead, it focuses on really learning about color, why we see things the way we do, and how to understand the interactions between colors with their shades and tints. It also has many helpful, practical exercises and examples to facilitate hands-on learning. Whether or not you choose to do the painting and other exercises, you will definitely acquire a good technical knowledge of the function and usage of color in the world around you by reading this book. The author has also written several other books about learning how to draw, so some of that background is reflected here as well.
Color Inspirations – Darius Monsef
Looking for a big book of color palettes? This is one of the most comprehensive encyclopedias of color palettes I’ve come across. The beginning briefly goes over color theory and then moves into color palettes arranged by main color family. Each color has a collection of monochromatic, analogous, triadic, split-complimentary, complementary, and “other” palettes. The colors used in each palette are given in CMYK, RGB, and HEX codes. The palettes also show the amount of each color that works well in each situation, for example most of the time all colors won’t be used equally in a palette – rather there will be dominant and secondary colors. This book is a great way to see many different color palettes at once and to get a feel for how colors work together.
Book Recommendations for Color Inspiration
The Secret Lives of Color – Kassia St. Clair
I was intrigued by the title of this book, which gives colors a mysterious life of their own. Given that colors move human emotions and create deep feelings, it doesn’t seem that farfetched. The book begins by talking about some basic theoretical facts of color and then moves on to sections each devoted to a specific color family. Each section begins with a few pages on the color family, for example the color white. Next follows a collection of short essays about a few of the unique shades of the family, for example different types of the color white and their histories and uses. If you have ever wondered about the background of the color heliotrope or the color archil, this book will make you an expert! Each color essay is entertaining and just a couple of pages. It is interesting reading to expand your knowledge of the world of color and to learn about new colors you may have never heard of before.
Paris in Color – Nicole Robertson
A few years ago, I went on my first trip to Paris. Although I had lived in NYC for several years, I definitely felt an affinity for Paris and its beautiful historic details and charm. This is a book of Parisian scenes, shot by American photographer Nicole Robertson. The photos are arranged into sections by color. So, if you are looking for inspirations using the color red, you can go to the red section and see a selection of pictures featuring that color prominently. I also love that the photography captures architectural details and little touches naturally occurring in nature. It shows a gritty side of the city while showcasing its vibrant color and historical charm.
This is another book by photographer Nicole Robertson but focused on New York City. I recently discovered this book while looking for color inspiration books like her book, Paris in Color. Living in NYC for many years and now living on the city’s outskirts, I was interested to see what she would showcase from the colorful landscape of New York. This book is similar to her other book in layout – the photos are arranged in collections by color. This is also a great book to see the use of colors highlighted in everyday city life. If you don’t live near New York it’s worth picking up just to get a stay-at-home vacation feeling of entering into one of the great cities of the world.
Paris in Bloom | New York in Bloom | London in Bloom – Georgianna Lane
These three books of photos are by Paris based photographer Georgianna Lane. If you are looking for nature-based color inspiration surrounded by beautiful historic architectural details, these books are fantastic. Yes, they are focused on flowers, but the photography is stunning, and the color palettes naturally created are harmonious and equally beautiful. The travel photography theme seems to carry over well into the design/color inspiration world. The three books are sold separately but very much also work together as a set. They would also make great coffee table books or gifts.
The state of Rajasthan has been a historic center of culture and color in India. In this book, American photographer Christine Chitnis, captures the colors and details of the area with beautiful photos. The color combinations are sometimes unexpected and are vivid and lively. The book also showcases traditional Indian patterns, which have recently become very popular in women’s fashion and home decor. The book is divided into sections by a few different colors that feature prominently in the photos. This book also continues in the vein of travel photography lending color inspiration. I happen to think that it’s also one of the best ways to learn about the world around us and to develop a multi-dimensional understanding of and approach to color! The author’s website says that she is currently working on a similar book on the patterns of Portugal which I am really looking forward to seeing.
Have any great color resources to add to this list? Click here to email me directly and share your recommendations. After reviewing them, I’ll pass them on to the Lynx Point Creative community!
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