Is there a definitive book on color theory?

[dnanoodle]

What I'm looking for is a book about color in general, not one specifically about modeling. Is there "that one book you just HAVE to read" on this subject?

[Jbickley00]

Here is a damned good website.
The website I was trying to link to here was the hand print site. Just failed my cut and paste roll, here is the proper link to the handprint site, which is damned good:
http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/color5.html#theorysub

Enion might know of a book that is practical.

Expensive and theoretical is paramon's Color theory, get it used on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Color-Theory-W...4640615&sr=1-3

Also Quillers Color Choices is popular. Gurney's Color and Light is intruiguing as well ( I don't own it, but he is the guy that did Dinotopia, I like his style. I have heard its a good book.).

[Einion]

There isn't a one-book-you-have-to-read on colour theory I don't think, but Gurney's book comes pretty close.

Presume you saw the other current thread with the plugs of the Handprint site? For years now I've recommended that for anyone interested in the subject since it's 1, an excellent distillation of a lot of disparate sources, with a lot of very worthwhile insights into the subject from the author himself, and 2, free. Hard to beat that.

Einion

[Jbickley00]

Fixed the handprint link so it's above. Given all I have heard good about the gurney book, I am adding it to my library. I should have long ago as I am a Dinotopia fan

[Einion]

I've never done a direct comparison but I believe that a lot of the info is in his blog already, which might reduce the need to buy the book.

Einion

[dnanoodle]

That site is huge! An exactly what I was looking for! I'm really excited to start reading hehe. Once I finish it, I may consider buying one of the books you suggested, but I really appreciate the free info source. Thank you so much fellas =)

[Einion]

That site is huge!

Ain't it? Happy reading!

Einion

[godfather]

Not sure if it is definitive but it does give some interesting insight into how the color wheel should not always be taken at face (or color) value among other things. The book is called "Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green"

[Einion]

Blue And Yellow Don't Make Green, or BAYDMG for short, is a good basic introduction into an aspect of mixing theory (something that a lot of people don't grok by themselves) but it's not good on colour theory per se. It is useful as far as it goes but in all honestly the core premise can be picked up just flicking through the book or asking about it online, where it can be explained in just a couple of paragraphs. Either of which would help in not getting drawn in by the technical/scientific explanations in it which aren't at all accurate and could be very misleading in the long term.

Einion

[Willdorling]

This is a bit simpler for the likes of me.

http://www.colormatters.com/color-an...c-color-theory

Cheers
will

[Jbickley00]

The danger of the simplified sites are that they promulgate some myths, and confuse, rather than help the issue. Color matters is on of those sites. There are simpler sites that giv. Good explanation. Scott naismiths YouTube vids are. Good place to start.

[Einion]

The danger of the simplified sites are that they promulgate some myths, and confuse, rather than help the issue. Color matters is on of those sites.

QFT.

It's been updated quite a bit since the last time I viewed it but it's still no better. The first page gives a perfect example - they show a colour wheel right near the top which includes CMY then go straight to explaining things with RYB primaries, excusing the explanation with "in traditional color theory (used in paint and pigments)". They even dig themselves the classic hole by going on to say:

...primary colors are the 3 pigment colors that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 hues.

Red can be mixed perfectly well from rose or magenta paints with any of a number of good yellows, and similarly blue can be mixed from cyan + magenta. And all other colours are not derived from the 3 'hues' unless you're only using a three-colour palette.

Einion

[cfwheeler58]

I am neither a paint snob nor anybody's idea of an artist....
and I am one of those guys who owns more paint, in more shades, than is reasonable....but.....

I bought this book by Michael Wilcox for $5 at the sale table of a Barnes & Noble a few years back....

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yellow-Do.../dp/0967962870

I found it a fascinating read and an insight into my painting and color mixing


EDIT A SHORT 3 MINUTES LATER:

OH SHIT......just saw Einon's earlier post. I had only looked at the most recent one when I wrote this.
Too funny.........