Product Description

Blue has a long and topsy-turvy history in the Western world. Once considered a hot color, it is now icy cool. The ancient Greeks scorned it as ugly and barbaric, but most Americans and Europeans now pick it as their favorite color. In this entertaining history, the renowned medievalist Michel Pastoureau traces the changing meanings of blue from its rare appearances in prehistoric art to its international ubiquity today in blue jeans and Gauloises cigarette packs.

Any history of color is, above all, a social history. Pastoureau investigates how the ever-changing role of blue in society has been reflected in manuscripts, stained glass, heraldry, clothing, paintings, and popular culture. Beginning with the almost total absence of blue from ancient Western art and language, the story moves to medieval Europe. As people began to associate blue with the Virgin Mary, the color entered the Church despite the efforts of chromophobic prelates. Blue was reborn as a royal color in the twelfth century and functioned as a formidable political and military force through the French Revolution. As blue triumphed in the modern era, new shades were created, and blue became the color of romance. Finally, Pastoureau follows blue into contemporary times, when military clothing gave way to the everyday uniform of blue jeans, and blue became the universal and unifying color of the Earth as seen from space.

With an exceptionally elegant design and strikingly illustrated with one hundred color plates, Blue tells the fascinating history of our favorite color and the cultures that have hated it, loved it, and created great art with it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

True Blue
If you are absolutely crazy over the color Blue as much as I am, that is being particularly supercharged,cutting-edge,thrill seeker,tuned in,tuned out,frenzied,hyperactive,eagle-eyed,intense,no pretense,pushy,out-spoken,well-spoken,multi-processing,multi-tasking,multi gigabit per second mental clock rate,obsessive,recessive,demanding,unforgiving and most of all perfectionist lover of Blue, Please for your own sake buy this book. For the price and for what it gives,true value for money,and makes your glass of wine taste much better when you sip it while reading this book.

Antiquarian treasure
Thank you for providing me so quickly with a volume difficult to find! The condition of the book was pristine, the contents worth waiting for!

Peacock
Only a Frenchman could have written this. Gorgeously illustrated, divertingly precious, breath-takingly arrogant, and close to useless. Pastoureau speculates, tells us how shamefully others have speculated, and then speculates some more. His arrogance, Francophilia, and contempt for people whose previous work does not meet his standards (and lord knows what they are) all work to ruin what could have been an exiciting book. He has a point to make, and darned if chronology, sense, or vision will keep him from doing so. A true history of the color awaits. Hopefully it will come in as pretty a package.

A great readable scholarly book with pictures !
Thoroughly researched and compellingly interesting, the story of how the West's modern times favorite color emerged from the middle ages. Lively, vivid, a great & beautiful book.
YGG

From sacred blue to blue jeans....
Woad, Indigo, Azurite, Lapis, Copper Silicate, Blue Vitriol are some of the sources of the color blue.BLUE, THE HISTORY OF A COLOR, by Michel Pastoureau, is a beautiful art history book, whose organizing principle is the color--blue. Pastoureau's book is a bit "Francocentered" but nevertheless, who better to reflect on blue than a Frenchman. BLUE is both informative and entertaining and a must for any serious art book collector. The photgraphy of various works of art--including selected stained glass windows from the early church--is stunning. The book is loaded with illustrations showing pages from psalters, cathedral windows, figurines, and other art.

For millions of years, the major colors for artistic expression were Black-White-Red. Ancient tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood", "Snow White", and "The Fox and the Crow" reflect this primary triad. The Romans considered blue an inferior color, especially since the Celts up North had discovered the leaves from the Woad plant could be made into a beautiful blue "pastel" suitable for body painting. The liturgal colors of the Catholic Church date from Roman times and are red-white-black (green was added later). However, at some point between the time the Romans lost Europe and the Catholic Church reentered recorded history, blue became associated with Mary the mother of Christ. When Abbe Suger built St. Denis, blue began to rival red for supremacy within the church, although blue never became a vestment color. When St. Louis built his Chapel and the Capet family became the rulers of France with Mary as their patron, the fleur de lis on a blue background became the family standard and the flag of France (fleur de lis = lily of Mary, although it may be a blue flag or iris).

No sooner had blue become THE color of colors, than the Protestants (Pastoureau calls them "Chromoclasts") demanded everything be turned black to reflect sin and penance. After they smashed a few thousand church windows, these reformers, who have been linked to capitalism, turned everything else black -- from telephones to automobiles. As Henry Ford once said, the customer can have any color he wants as long as it's black. Black went on to became the dress of high society--from stove pipe hats to tuxedoes to the little black dress.

During the Reformation, red and white had been dismissed by the Protestants but the shot heard round the world gave them a second chance as the new red-white-blue and blue-white-red flags led to military pants and coats in similar colors. But red and white were a dismal failure as they made targets of their wearers. Blue blends into the horizon so it has lasted longer as a battle garment. Although jungle fatigues and black commando suits are more often than not seen on modern battlefields, mess dress is still blue-white-red for many, and UN soldiers wear fleur-de-lis blue helmets. Blue eventually replaced black on the social front as descendents of the "Puritans" gave up black frocks for navy blue blazers and jeans.

Pastoureau covers iconography, iconology, symbolism, sociology, ethnology, the economic aspects of weaving, dyeing, and manufacture, and a host of other topics associated with the color blue. The book is incredibly rich in detail but far too short, and in the end it raises more questions than it addresses. Pastoureau points to many historical sources that have yet to be translated or fully examined, and art history majors looking for a thesis subject would be well advised to check out this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Color Chart addresses the impact of standardized, mass-produced color on the art of the past 60 years. Taking the commercial color chart as its central metaphor, this volume chronicles an important artistic shift that took place during the middle of the twentieth century: a frank acknowledgment of color as a matter-of-fact element rather than a vehicle of spiritual or emotional content. Collected here are more than 40 artists who explore in their works the double meaning of "ready-made color"--color bought off the shelf, rather than mixed on a palette, as well as color assigned by chance or arbitrary system rather than composed with traditional chromatic harmonies in mind.
Published to accompany a major exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, this volume begins with Marcel Duchamp's Tu m', the artist's final painting, made in 1918, with its long array of color samples looming across the canvas. This early recognition of color's commercial nature was fully explored more than three decades later by artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter and Alighiero Boetti, who in the 1950s to the 1970s, with a host of others, redefined the parameters of color from a matter of personal expression to one of arbitrary systems and random processes. The repercussions of this transformation continue to be felt into the twenty-first century, in work by artists including Sherrie Levine, Mike Kelley and Damien Hirst, as well as others who explore color in digital technology This volume traces the lineage of the questions provoked by color's new status, and the variety of answers that have resulted. ... Read more

Product Description
This innovative book presents new information, not previouslyintroduced to the masses on the use of color energy healing involvingnot merely physically applied color, but energetically produced color ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Must read
This is a excellent book for energy workers, reiki masters or anyone who has a true gift.

Rainbow Healing Blazes Across the Universe
I have just finished reading Alijandra's HEALING with the RAINBOW RAYS again.The concept can be summed up in one sentence.Getting one's colors lined up.However, that simple sentence barely touches on the complexities of getting one's self "lined up."Alijandra allows us to discover the multiple chromatics of our chakras and how to fine-tune them.As she so brilliantly describes the color hues of each chakra's location and how to personally tune this to our best well-being is a detail exploration of ones own self.Her ability to combine and explain the natural energies that emanate all around and through us, provides a detailed road map to help one understand themselves and others better.

HEALING with the RAINBOW RAYS requires a person to take a personal interest in their self.By utilizing Alijandra's teachings and techniques we will find our own unique power from within. And with any fine object that needs to be "tweaked" to stay in tip-top operation, Alijandra's HEALING with the RAINBOW RAYS is just the maintenance manual that our spirit needs to stay in perfect harmony with one's own self.

I look forward to reading more writings from Alijandra.


John Zarr: Lecture/writer of the ETBEINGS series, an autobiographical story about his wife Margie battle with diabetes: ANGEL BULBSY, and award winning screenplay writer. All proceeds for ANGEL BULBSY goes to the JDRFwww.outoftimeradio.org

Stellar Info on Healing with Color
Alijandra is a California-based healer, researcher, and author who is a pioneer in the area of working with the transformative power of color.

There are many practitioners out there working with color, and my sense is that this is the recovery of ancient wisdom that was lost to us at the end of the Atlantean period. New information is being revealed, though, to gifted healers like Alijandra, who are bringing forward this information so that we can all make use of it in our lives.

Healing with the Rainbow Rays is a clear, practical "How To" guide for starting to work with the healing properties of color in your own life. She covers a lot of ground in this manual. Topics covered include energy scanning, chakra balancing, dealing with psychic hooks (from other people,) working with sound and movement, the misunderstood "black" ray (too often abused by dark occultists and therefore earning a bad reputation!) the shadow self, advanced holographic healing, and more. The language of the book isn't so advanced that a 12 year-old couldn't appreciate it and put the techniques to practice. It's really a user-friendly type of book, accessible to all ages.

I found that I could enter into the material at the exact place that "synchronicity" guided me, getting right to work with some of the balancing techniques and grounding techniques she includes. There's a lot of great material here. Even experienced healers who work with other modalities will find something of use.

I'm sure you'll learn something interesting about the miraculous world of color from reading Alijandra's book. I know I did!

I need a new copy! I wore this one OUT!
I have so enjoyed Healing With the Rainbow Rays! I KNEW there was a missing link in all the info I have studied and now I found it! My husband laughed that he has not seen me read one book over and over like that in years. It is that good! Now I am off to buy the tapes and CDs so I can REALLY immerse myself in this program. I cannot believe this book was written in 1995 - YEARS ahead of its time!!!

Your Bright Rainbow Rays on Paper
Reading "Rainbow Rays" is an eye-opening exuberant experience. There is so much information in these pages that it really should be two volumes instead of one. Packed with procedures and techniques, this book gives you concrete ways to access the ethereal. Alijandra really knows her stuff and offers her years of insight into the energy work of which she is a master. Whether you wish to burst through the blocks in your life or connect to the rainbow light of peace; this book will be an invaluable aid in your photonic journey.

--Joseph Ernest Martin is the author and artist for the best selling Quest Tarot and author of the book: The Compass. Joseph has been doing psychic/spiritual work for over 15 years and is an award winning artist. ... Read more

Product Description
Traditional color theory can be confusing to artists, especially when they try to use inaccurate color wheels as guides to mixing their colors. Now, Color Theory Made Easy presents an alternative approach that cuts through the tangle of established but contradictory concepts that gives artists a universal theory that really applies to their work. Most artists have been taught that red, blue, and yellow are the primary colors—hues that cannot be created from any combination of other colors. However, as a result of years of study, author and artist Jim Ames has concluded that the true primary colors are cyan (a greenish blue), magenta (a violet red), and a yellow that does not learn toward either cyan or magenta.



In Color Theory Made Easy, Ames explains the importance of these three colors as the basis for all our thinking about color. Using friendly, clear language and colorful diagrams, the author lays the foundation in Chapter 1 for applying his color theory in art. He shows that all colors in nature are composed of varying percentages of cyan, magenta, and yellow. Chapter 2 builds on this with a survey of the pigment colors artists actually use. Here the author offers an essential education concerning paint selection, and he lists currently available tube colors that are the most accurate in terms of the true primaries. The final chapter explores color mixing principles based on cyan, magenta, and yellow, and applies these principles through a series of watercolor demonstrations.



In this illuminating book, Jim Ames has broken new ground and given us a workable color theory that is both simple and indispensable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Color Theory made easy
This is a good referance material for comprehensive study of colors. I find it very useful when I have to use complementary colors and choosing colors from different brands. The author did in deepth study on how to mixing different colors with various outcome.It helps me a great deal to choose the colors I want to use in my paintings.

For Watercolor painters only ;(
Because watercolor colours name's aren't the same as acrylic and oil, it just doesn't make sense at all to me, and to say "made easy" I didn't think so, but i'm sure it's a great book for watercolorists!

An indispensable book on color theory
Combined with Michael Wilcox's book, "Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green," this book will help make sense of the enormous number of colors available to the watercolor artist today. Many watercolor artists recommend specific colors just because they've been using them for years, or they confuse the issue by trying to talk about staining versus non-staining, opaque versus transparent, granulating versus non-granulating. Those are all important qualities to know about a paint, but even more basic to that is what color it is and how it will mix with other colors. If you understand the color theory presented in this book and in Michael Wilcox's book, then you will be quite capable of creating a wide range of quite satisfactory colors from just a few well-chosen basics. (Not that you have to stick with just a few basics.)

What I found particularly valuable in this book is that the ideas *work.* I am not so sure about his theory about *why* they work, but the fact is that they do. The information in this book both overlaps to some extent and is complementary to Mr. Wilcox's book, so I highly recommend that you get both books. Between the two, you will have enough grounding in sound, applicable color mixing procedures that you will be able to confidently mix any two colors you want and have a very good idea what you will get as a result.

Great theory book!!!
I just finish the book. i am not a painter but this book gave the basic, and more, theory on colors and how to use them.
I study graphics and design in computers and today I can select colors and understand why i was selected them.
this book belong to all of those that want to know how to understand colors and how, for instanse, to make a deap design or how to manipulate your color in the artwork.
use this book!

Excellent book
This book teaches correct color theory and gives a great deal of useful information. The scientific explanation of cyan, magent, and yellow being the primary colors is very convincing and makes a lot of sense. There's a lot of practical information in this book. I don't know if there are any better color theory books, but at least this book is a good one and not a waste of money like Quiller's book, "Color Choices." ... Read more

Product Description
A complete revision of what is considered the classic introduction to color for all graphic designers and artists. This book provides a solid foundation for the development of personal color sense, and a practical examination of the myriad effects that can be achieved with color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Principles of Color Design (Purchased on 08/06/2010)
Principles of Color Design (Purchased on 08/06/2010)
by Wucius Wong--------I LOVE MY BOOK. THANKS AMAZON. HAVE A GEAT DAY.

Good for newbies
I haven't got any formal art background and have found this book to be extremely useful. However, it may or may not get much higher - I can't tell since I'm a newbie, but I keep in mind my experience with some other books on other subjects: while I was a beginner I found them great; now I think they're just fine for beginners.

OUTdated
This is not the best book out there.The first section of the 5 section book goes into form and shape theory, which although useful in design, is just filler to give the book more pages.The color theory sections are fairly basic.I think there are better books out there, especially for the price.

the truth about this book
It explains very well the color principle and some design techniques.It is a good book for beginning graphic artists with no formal art background (those who never studied art/GD in school). There are 5 parts to this book. Part one establishes desing principles, part 2 examines common color principles related to the use of color pigments, part 3 helps the beginner develop systematic color thinking with the aid of excercises, part 4 introduces priciples and techniques for generating colors on the computer and part 5 presents color sets and guides for attaining color harmony.

Note, however, that this book is a bit outdated.It showed when trying to explain certain design techniques using old version Photoshop tool bar.

Fabulous!
I actually perchased this book two years ago in college for an art class and have used it in almost every assignment and project I have completed there after. ... Read more

Product Description
An elementary work on color, dealing with traditional principles of harmony as well as advanced principles derived from modern studies of the psychology of human color perception. Mr. Birren tells a well-organized story of how to achieve harmony with color, beginning with a chapter on color circles and proceeding to a straightforward discussion of traditional principles of color harmony and how they were accepted in the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Must have #2
In this book, Birren fleshes out changing color theories over the ages, and the thinking that went behind the changes.

Harmony
Another essential book on colour for all colour artists from Faber Birren. This book deals principally with achieving harmony in colour. 96 pages of theory and practical suggestions for a fuller understanding of colour. My only criticism is that I would have liked to have seen more colour plates instead of the black and white illustrations used throughout the book. This is redeemed somewhat by a few colour plates at the end of the book.

Excelent Treatise
I bought it with other Faber Birren's titles, it is simple, clear, has lots of images, highly recommended to painters, always useful!

A fascinating history and theory of the use of color in art
Birren has thoroughly researched the use of color in art and the theories of how color and its combinations work. Here you can find how color is used in diverse applications from old masterpieces to optical art, and learn how to combine colors to achieve luster, luminosity, etc. Interesting theory with practical applications. ... Read more

Product Description
Open this book and enter an imaginative world of drawing, where you can learn to create fantastic works of art, step by step! Inside you'll find a collection of awesome projects, from radical skateboarders to adorable pet portraits. Just trace the patterns at the back of the book to get started. Then follow the steps to learn exciting new techniques with wax crayons, oil pastels, and colored pencisl! Full of colorful illustrations and simple instructions, this book makes learning to draw an ultra-enjoyable adventure! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For young children
As I have grandchildren who like to draw and they are at various ages, I found this perfect for one of the younger ones.I will send it along with drawing and painting supplies for one big surprise.The book came right on time and in excellent condition. ... Read more

Product Description
Crafters can explore colors with confidence in a variety of mediums with the advice in this book. The principles of color theory are clearly and simply explained and applied to knitting, spinning, weaving, surface design (including stenciling and rubber stamping), hand and machine embroidery, beadwork, and paper collage. Basic color concepts are presented in sections on color description, values, contrasting and complementary colors, warm and cool colors, undertones, and using color relationships. A pull-out color wheel and handy color chips in perforated format that are easy to remove and use for planning, matching, and shopping for supplies are included.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Like a university color class, without the compulsory homework.
In "Color Works," Deb Menz clearly presents the theory necessary for building a solid understanding of color use.The book is written specifically for fiber artists, which is important since color books aimed at painters, printers and photographers really can't address the unique ways in which light interacts with fiber.

Since the study and use of color is a science as well as an art, this book is organized methodically, in a progression similar to a university color class.Ms. Menz explains each principle in words, and then shows on the facing page examples in color worked in various media:spinning, knitting, weaving, hand embroidery, bead embroidery, surface design, machine embroidery, pieced quilting, and paper collage. Despite the structured presentation, the book is truly inspiring due to the beauty of the color plates and the reproductions of finished art pieces scattered throughout.

Although the author does not offer explicit exercises per se, the reader can easily work with the book hands-on by going through each section and making samples in her chosen medium the way the author has done.The spiral binding is wonderful for this (I wish more fiber books had that feature), since it lays flat, so you can look at it while you're working an exercise or a project.Serious, determined people can work from beginning to end with good result, whilst people who like to "play" more can gain a lot by working sections out of sequence, as the spirit moves them.

Ms. Menz has provided auxiliary aids at the back of the book, such as value gradation charts, color charts, a color wheel, and templates for choosing harmonies from the color wheel--all easily removed via pre-stamped perforations.She has even included a storage pocket on the inside cover to place all this stuff after you've removed it from the book. The charts are really useful and are made to last on sturdy cardstock.

So many of us take color for granted -- we see it every day.But our colorful world is truly miraculous, and the more we think about color, the more we can notice and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.Ms. Menz's book is an excellent guide to learning to perceive and use color with a more practiced and appreciative eye.

The key to Color
This is a book all crafters should have on their bookshelf. If you have ever struggled with colour, and let's face it, most people do - let this book be your guide. It's for all levels of crafters from beginner to experienced and will no doubt improve your work as colour is often the key that holds a piece together. I like the spiral bound format - it lays flat whilst you experiment. You can conquer your fear fo colour with this brilliant book.

Excellent Service
The book is very comprehensive.I received the book promptly after ordering it online.

100% digestible
This is a book you must slowly absorb over time.It is a wonderful learning journey.This takes a process that is really an art and helps to make it into learned skill by using rules.This only makes you better at using color.

The only book on color you'll ever need!
Really, this book covers all you'll need to experiment with color.I never knew that so much was involved when making color choices.It's not hard to understand, but it took me a bit to understand the chapter on value.Once I read it through twice, though, it all started to make sense.

It also contains a color wheel with punch out overlays to help you choose colors.I did find them hard to punch out, as another reviewer stated, and ended up using scissors to cut the perforations.

This book is just packed with information.If you are interested in exploring color, you'll find this book very helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
This beautifully produced and lavishly illustrated introduction to contemporary color offers working artists valuable insight into traditional color theory while examining the effective use of color in digital applications and 3D design work.Written by a leading design educator whose work is widely exhibited, Contemporary Color features a balanced examination of theory and its practical application in a technology-driven world.Topics range from color perception, color harmonies, pigments, colorants, and paints to digital color and 3D design.An intriguing discussion of the psychological impact of color and the future of color add a stimulating dimension to the book.Thoughtful contributions on creativity and best practices round out the inclusive coverage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Quick Shipping!
They were quick to ship the item and the book was in PERFECT condition! Will shop with them again,

Great book!
I somehow just love this book. Very interesting and easy to read. Great condition, too!

Generally A Good Textbook
This book, like many textbooks on the subject, is slightly biased and some information is based on scientific theories about the human body and psyche, and are not explained as such. Although, this book makes it much more enjoyable to read about color theory on the whole! Information is presented in an easy-to-read and easy to comprehend manner.

Wealth of Info - Easy Read
This book is packed full of useful information, and is laid out in an easy-to-read interesting way.I actually look forward to reading assignments in the class this textbook is for!

Commentary on Contemporary Color
I found this to be an ecellent book on the subject of color and it's relationship to the art, graphic, and design world.
I would have loved to have taken the course which uses this book as their study guide art the Art Institute of Tampa, but they only deal with Degree seeking students.
You will find it very relative to the use of color in the Art, Graphic, and Design areas, especailly in the practical use of color in the real world.

... Read more

Product Description
America's leading color expert shows how to choose the right color combinations for all your rooms based on Color Moods from your own personality, nature, and travel. Most decorating books start out telling readers how to achieve someone else's notion of how a room should look. This book is different. It helps you determine how you want yourself, your family, and your friends to feel when entering each room in your home. It combines psychology with a practical how-to and reveals which colors and color combinations will achieve the feeling and personal style you want to project in each room. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Understanding the Effects of Color
If you've ever wondered why you love one color and hate another, Colors For Your Every Mood is the book for you.It begins with a test requiring you to list your reactions to a list of colors.Don't worry, it's not something you can fail.There's no teacher looking over your shoulder.Then Eiseman examines each color providing historical contest was well as known psychological and physiological reactions to the color.Finally, she explains the connotations involved with the choice of colors in decorating individual rooms within a home.Colors For Your Every Mood also offers tips on color selection, matching, and balance.Whether or not you agree with her findings, Eiseman's explorations of each color are interesting.

Color mood answer book
In my opinion this Leatrice Eiseman book is much better than the "Colors for your every mood" (L.Eisman). You will find plenty of color resources and answers. Some time she is very focus in psychology and emotional reactions and forget the practical side.

No one who has seen this book has been able to put it down
This is a fun book on color that seems to appeal to just about everyone who sees it.The ability to step outside one's own sphere of personal preference and appeal to a wide variety of taste is, I think, one of the most difficult challenges to the design book author, and that is the greatest achievement of this book.I was drawn to the soft pastels of what the author classifies as "Romantic" and "Nurturing," as well as the icy blues of "Winter Frost".I am always amazed when someone picks up the book and pours over the insufferably ugly "Traditional" palate featuring a red carpet, forest-green walls and a plaid couch, but there you go.Something for everyone.

The author pairs photos of interiors, exteriors, and nature with a paint chips that approximate the look-and-feel of the illustration, which I found to be a fun approach."Parisian Cafe" and "Marrakech" are two intriguing examples of using a certain place to inform color selection.The essays on color are a little cliched, too ofen embroidering the obvious (blue is "the color of the sky," we are told; pink is "soft and innocent" and red is "the color of excitement") but the photos are lovely and the general approach teaches one how to deconstruct an image or aplace into a palette that can be used in an interior.

Color Me
This book explained things I never did know about colors and served a a tool when creating my web site.The author take you through the history and usage of colors.It is truely a worthty purchase.

Web Developers with no sense of color look no further...
As a web developer I spend most of my day writing code and worrying about the code working on all browsers, etc. Up until recently I had no desire to learn about color and the feelings behind it. If you are in a similar situation look no more. This book has made a permanent position on my desk and will continue to help me with the design and development of my future projects. Hats off to the authors....
I have fully recommended this book to the entire Long island Flash User's Group (LIFUG). ... Read more

Product Description
This exciting and complete instructional package starts with the basics and progresses through step-by-step demos that take readers from line art to full, awe-inspiring color. Readers will get instruction on equipment, scanning, setting up pages, color theory, flatting, rendering, special effects, color holds, color separations, and even details on the business of becoming a professional colorist. The CD-ROM includes Photoshop tools and actions that artists can use to streamline their coloring work, plus sample Photoshop files so that readers can work along with the demonstrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Highly Recommended
I got this book to learn about coloring techniques in photoshop for various types of art.
This books proves to be very helpful for that too, not just for comic book coloring.
It is entry-level (not just for photoshop experts) and has useful tips and tricks.
The book also comes with a CD that contains very, very, very handy scripts for photoshop, as well as examples and presets.
There is also a chapter on color theory and rendering, so again, no need to be an expert in this stuff, this book will lead the way.
I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to learn or improve in digital coloring.

Should be a textbook...
But not that kind of textbook. This is anything but "old and stuffy". Brian and the Hi-Fi crew have created a perfect companion to any professional comic coloring class, complete with all the resources and tutorials to take you from novice to trained professional in no time flat. Thankfully, you don't need to attend a class, as the book is loaded with valuable walk-thrus and lessons proven to work time and time again. Hi-Fi Color for Comics belongs on the shelf next to the DC Guide to Writing Comics, How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way and Comics & Sequential Art.

ot exactly my style, but does its job well.
I'm currently working on a web comic.My one problem was properly scanning in my line work and coloring it for that matter.This book covers in-depth scanning for line work that doesn't need to be retraced in Photoshop, setting clean flats, and stylizing plus adding effects.This book uses Adobe Photoshop CS3, so you have been warned.There are homework assignments, little notes, and small quizzes to make sure a reader is getting the material okay.Sometimes the coloring looks a little blocky or it could have been blended better.Also, some of their rendering of people isn't the best.They encourage people to come up with their own solutions, but in some cases (especially concerning detailing) they have a certain set of specifics you need to follow for brush settings.

If I had one other qualm is that this book encourages people to take advantage of some Photoshop shortcuts.I for one am for trying to make something like as natural as possible or at least not look lazy.The book comes with a CD that even provides royalty free textures for people to use, but they look out of place depending on what look you're trying to go for.This is also where a huge stock of professional artists donated work for use in assignments.I guess a good way to put it is "sometimes it's painfully obvious it's digital".

That aside, it's a good book to use for starting out and with practice you can go beyond or do your own thing.

Not Just a Book, A Beginner's Course
I will add my voice to the glowing reviews of this book.
But, it isn't really just another "how to" book, it is a step by step course for the beginning colorist.The author also encourages the reader to expand on what he shows, and experiment, (some homework assignments actually are to experiemnt and experience for yourself which way works better) rather than lock you into a set way of doing things, or claiming to be the end all of coloring.
The pro and time saving tips alone are worth the price, add in the lessons and CD extras, it is worth much more than the purchase price.
I can't recommend this book enough for the subject, and wish there were others like it on other aspects of digital artwork.

Must have for learning digital coloring.
Well written and thorough. Step by step instructions from scanning line drawings to printing the finished page. Worth the price alone for the included photoshop scripts. ... Read more

Product Description
Mastering Color takes artists beyond the color wheel for a deeper understanding of the emotional and practical uses of their palettes. It features inventive, yet easy-to-understand, concepts and techniques that apply to every subject, medium, and painting level, with:

-An in-depth section on the properties of color, including color density, mother colors, and transition colors

-Examples, charts, mini-demos, demos, and comparisons to illustrate color theory

-Advice for maximizing color as it relates to value, design, light, shadow, and mood

Artists will appreciate this in-depth look at color theory -- one that's sure to maximize the beauty and appeal of their next paintings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Mastering Color
I am a beginning artist.This book is my favorite.It is concise and easy to use.I love impressionist style and this book is very much fun and informative.

Mastering Color





Although I have several years of painting experience the color mixes illustrated gave me new ways of using color and from this my work has become more sparkling.

Please don't waste your money
I, too, wish I hadn't bought this book.I didn't learn a thing, and instead became annoyed me with the author's flippant attitude and the very poor editing.Sure, she's a great painter.But teacher she is not.Don't waste your money.

Mastering Color
This is a very informative book. The artist shared lots of information in a very understandable way. The book is well organized. The paintings of the author helpillustrate the information. I teach oil painting and think the author got her information across quite well. I refer to the book often because of the authors very up beat love of painting. I think, however,that the editor should have done a better job in sorting out some of the writing.

Interesting and Helpful
I liked Ms. McMurry's approach with how she both wrote the book and what she decided to share in regards to her knowledge with oils. I would really give this book 4 and a half stars because in order to be a five star it would have to include even more info, however the book is well-printed, the examples excellent and it includes lots of photographic information along with the written descriptions. One of the better oil painting books out there. I wasn't disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
The author demonstrates in Creative Color his exciting thesis: A knowledge of perception is the springboard to a far more inventive use of color in art today. By following Creative Color and performing the interesting experiments at the end of every chapter, you learn how to produce--consistently--effects that artists have rarely achieved, and then only by intuition, accident or painful trial-and-error. The illustrations are not meant to be art. They are experiments in producing color effects according to known principles of perception. If such striking effects can be achieved without the slightest attempt of art, think how much more the artist can do with the same knowledge! The author has usefully included a list of Numsell-coded palettes by which his extraordinary color effects may be precisely duplicated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

creative, practical and different
This work has become a standard classic for any student of colour, and has relevance beyond that for the art student alone, being useful for other artistic and creative disciplines. Birren looks at colour theory and argues that in most cases, little consideration has been given to personal preferences and how they affect the use of colour. This 128 page book clarifies the theories and use of colour like no other book I know. Apart from reading it, the reader is encouraged to practice, in this way, you learn about colour and your preferences. I found this book very interesting, if at times I had to read things twice. What lets it down are the illustrations - they are simply not very professionally conceived and executed.

Excelent, a must!
It is among my dearest books, I came into it as recommended by a reknowned american artist, extremely useful, rules for painters, harmonies, etc.. Buy it! It will never be deceptive

Review of a 1980s (I think) edition
There is an overall sort of 1961 beatnik look about this book that reminds me of a style that has been showing up in animated cartoons for the past 15 years.The text is very densely packed with information, and there is more text than illustration.

Some of the presented effects are ordinary, and there are others that are like nothing I've ever seen.

Concerning the exercises:If you actually do what he tells you to do (a daunting task), your art will probably be drastically affected for the better.If nothing else, you will be a whiz at mixing color, for you will be doing a LOT of that.It's like a color boot camp.This is not a book to be skimmed through for pretty pictures.It's about work.

One other unusual and appealing thing:The book is sprinkled with humble disclaimers in which the author says that he realizes how academic the ideas are, and emphasizes that art is about much more than color charts.If you look hard you might see some dry humor in these disclaimers.

I can't comment on the color reproduction in current editions.My copy is from the 1980s, I think.

I love it.

A More Positive Opinion
Kim Vlaun has written a good review, and I don't disagree with anything she has said. I have not seen the current edition she's talking about, so I can't judge how bad the reproduction quality is. I just want to add a more emphatically positive opinion about the value of the book.

It makes a unique contribution. In addition to covering the conventional fare of color theory and color harmony (which you can find in many other sources), Creative Color also addresses topics I have not seen treated anywhere else. In particular, chapters 14 through 24 address a topic Birren calls Perceptionism, or the study of how humans perceive color under various environmental conditions. In these chapters he provides truly valuable insights into the perception of luster; iridescence; luminosity; chromatic light; chromatic mist; luminosity in mist; transparency, texture and solidity; and highlights and shadows. Although the topics sound a little academic and sometimes are, the chapters are loaded with practical advice on how a painter can represent such effects in pigment. Each chapter is followed by a series of recommended experiments.

Birren states no personal preference for representational or nonrepresentational art. Serious painters or designers of eithershould be able to benefit from understanding these ideas.

As a painter interested in representation of natural effects, I find Birren's discussions to be of indispensable practical value. I think they are likely to be of equal value to anyone who works in oils, acrylics, pastel, gouache or other opaque media.

I have two complaints:

1. The diagrams are sometimes hard to follow. Diagrams and the references to them in text sometimes do not match. This causes confusion, but with patience you can extract the value of the message.

2. The color plates Birren uses to demonstrate the application of his concepts are pretty barfy, even in the 1961 edition I own. It's not a question of quality of reproduction. It's a matter of some bad-looking illustrations Birren himself appears to have designed. I think his aim may have been to prevent the quality of his illustrations from distracting the reader from the content of the point he's trying to make. But for me he sometimes fails in the oppposite direction. The poor artistic quality of his illustrations can make it hard to get past thinking that the effect he's trying to demonstrate just looks bad esthetically. Maybe some painters will be spurred to show how much more tastefully they can apply the concepts Birren illustrates.

In summary, for serious students of color theory--especially ones interested in understanding and applying color in unusual or challenging lighting conditions--I know of no better or more practical source. ... Read more

Product Description

Designers and architects have to make decisions regarding color every day. But how does one find the necessary inspiration? The appropriate color? How do other designers and artists deal with the issue? With "Chroma," the Greek word for color, as its title, this illustrated book provides answers to these questions and makes it clear that color is much more than mere decoration it is one of the central problems of creative work. In the process, "Chroma" embraces the sensuous experience of color, inspiring and seducing the reader with unusual projects, from industrial products to color field painting. The book presents works by younger designers like Stefan Diez and Arik Levy as well as famous artists like Ellsworth Kelly.

Product Description
One of the most influential books on colour ever published, Josef Albers' "Interaction of Color" is a masterwork. Originally issued in 1963 as a limited-edition set of commentary and 150 silkscreened colour plates, the book introduced generations of students, artists, designers, and collectors to Albers' unique approach to complex principles. While the original publication has long been out of print, this beautiful new edition now brings Interaction back into classrooms, studios, and on to bookshelves, where it will find an eager new audience. Lavishly produced as a two-volume slipcased set, this book replicates Albers' revolutionary exercises, explaining concepts such as colour relativity and vibrating and vanishing boundaries through the use of colour, shape, die-cut forms, and movable flaps that illustrate his astonishing demonstrations of the changing and relative nature of colour. Also included for the first time are new studies from the Albers archive, produced by the artist's students in the early 1960s. A celebration of Albers' legendary achievements, this beautiful publication is an essential addition to any serious art library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

INTERACTION OF COLOR: NEW COMPLETE EDITION
In 1964, we gave our painting teacher John Opper a going away present of the original screen printed volumes of this first edition of Interaction of Color when he retired from NYU. He had studied with Josef Albers at Yale. It was an exquisite edition that I will remember for the rest of my life. The colors and plates were breathtaking. Opper was thrilled. The reason why I recently bought this new version was because of my remembrance of this event and thought that owning this book would aid me in my teaching various color courses at FIT's School of Continuing Education. After studying the new and expanded version of the paperback edition issued in 2006, I think it is not necessary to buy these two new hard cover volumes, unless you like to collect books. I imagine, if I never saw the original, I would be content. It is extremely reasonably priced at Amazon.com.

beware of bad copies
This review is not about the value of the work-itself of Josef Albers. What I 'm going to say concerns the particular edition. When I first received the package, I was delighted by the good printing quality of the first book with the plates, but unfortunatelythesecond text-book was a bad copy with 8 pages double printed.
I paid half the price of the book to send it back (I live in Greece) for replacement. Now, I have just received a new copy and I have found that while the text-book seems ok, the printing quality of the plates of the first book is not as good as in the one I have returned, in fact it is much inferior with apparent crosscoverings and mudy washes on the edges of colors. I feel frustrated and I don't even khow if I have a poor quality copy or a bad copy, because I don't have a prototype to compare.

Stunning collectors' edition
This is an unbelieveably gorgeous and lavish edition of Josef Albers's original book. Movable flaps within the color plates lift up to show the magic of Albers's legendary exercises: how the same color appearing on two different backgrounds can look so different, and vice versa. A real collectors' item for people who love fine art publications. ... Read more

Product Description
Open baby's eyes to the magic and beauty of color in the world around them.This unique visual board book features a Peek-A-Boo window that invites young children to see all the amazing things each color can be!Bold photos of colorful real life objects, accompanied by photographs of art masterpieces create a unique and pleasurable learning visual experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Um...Where is the purple?
I like this book, my daughter likes this book, but I don't understand why they would include all of the primary and secondary colors except purple? Well, ok, the Zebra on the front is purple. The Baby Van Gogh dvd has a whole section on purple...other than that, its a very nice book...

beautiful and creative
We checked this out at the library and it is my favorite Baby Einstein book.My almost 2 y/o son seems to really like the cut outs and pictures too.It's nice to see famous art included as well as photographs.Illustrations some times seem a little too infantile, even if they are for infants, to learn to identify real things.This book is fun for kids and can be used to teach all kinds of things.

My baby sticks to this book.
My boy is 4 months old. He is very energetic.
He is very quiet when he reads(?) this book.
It has good color and mood. It is not simple so we can use long time.

Contains Adult Themes
This book is absolutely lovely with its art and display of colors. However, and I'm not one whose mind travels to lascivious thoughts in many situations, much less reading a children's book, the color red is portrayed in en extremely sexual manner. Just something to keep in mind.

Wonderful Book For Learning Colors...
I bought this book so I can start teaching my 18 month old daughter colors.I think it's fantastic.Each color has a piece of artwork that goes with it; which I love and then it shows different items that go with the color.Not only is it good for teaching colors, but it's good because it teaches words for everyday objects.My daughter can point out various things in the book.I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Product Description
The aim of this book is to assemble a series of chapters, written by experts in their fields, covering the basics of color - and then some more. In this way, readers are supplied with almost anything they want to know about color outside their own area of expertise. Thus, the color measurement expert, as well as the general reader, can find here information on the perception, causes, and uses of color. For the artist there are details on the causes, measurement, perception, and reproduction of color. Within each chapter, authors were requested to indicate directions of future efforts, where applicable.

One might reasonably expect that all would have been learned about color in the more than three hundred years since Newton established the fundamentals of color science. This is not true because:

• the measurement of color still has unresolved complexities (Chapter 2)

• many of the fine details of color vision remain unknown (Chapter 3)

• every few decades a new movement in art discovers original ways to use new pigments, and dyes continue to be discovered (Chapter 5)

• the philosophical approach to color has not yet crystallized (Chapter 7)

• new pigments and dyes continue to be discovered (Chapters 10 and 11)

• the study of the biological and therapeutic effects of color is still in its infancy (Chapter 2).

Color continues to develop towards maturity and the editor believes that there is much common ground between the sciences and the arts and that color is a major connecting bridge.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Definitive Book on Color
I conduct research using color as a variable and have had a very difficult time finding accurate sources of information. This book is not only the most accurate book I've seen on color, it is the ONLY accurate book I've seen. It takes you through the basics of defining color as well as the science behind color. ... Read more

Product Description
This practical resource explains the basic of color theory and demonstrates how to mix more than 450 colors for oil and acrylic painting. The book includes a Color Mixing Grid for accurate paint measurement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Not what expected!
Am very disappointed with this book.I expected primary color mixing only.Tubes of premixed paint are very expensive.The author is using too many premixed paints, therefore not teaching much at all.

painter's best friend
I am new to acrylic painting, and although I am familiar with colors, this book really is a blessing when it comes to "recipes" for mixing colors.Well laid out and easy to use, this little guide to color mixing is complete and comprehensive, to boot.It's great, and I'm sure it will be my constant companion for some time - or at least until I'm a little more comfortable with mixing my own colors and getting something other than "mud."

very accurate
I got this for airbrush painting and I usually use acrylic paint. It is very easy to understand and it even taught me a couple of little tricks I never heard of and I went to a fine art college.I didn't find any of the typos someone else pointed out, but I may have bought a revised edition.It has a small section on mixing skin tones, but the other book in the series devoted to portraits is invaluable and should be considered a purchase with this book.

A Complete Gem
I am in a painting class (my first one to be exact)and I am totally stumped on the mixing (tone, tint and shade). I was looking for a book that wasn't overwhelming but easy enough for a newbie like myself to understand. Well I got more than I bargained for with this fanastic book. It breaks it down to the barest essentials for me. I know for a fact that once I get better in painting this book will always be my go to book because it is such an excellent resource.

Color Mixing Recipes
Good review for color mixing theory and best of all actual recipes for hundreds of color variations- find the exact color and be able to replicate it.Indexes color by photo and name, as well as a conversion chart for acrylics.Great help.Love itColor Mixing Recipes ... Read more