Color Design ResourceS

Milton Bradley (1836-1911), the man behind the Milton Bradley Company, is well-known for the board games produced by his company and the company's long-term success. However, Milton Bradley’s legacy also extends into a completely different sector wherein he brought together…

A faculty member at Pratt Institute, Maitland Graves published two books during his tenure, The Art of Color and Design (1941) and Color Fundamentals (1952). Graves is also known for his Design Judgement Test, which was included in The…

Here are five key evidence-based tips that are helpful when the aim is to create effective design layout for graphic design and visual communications design. These tips can also be applied across interior design, fashion and textile design, and design…

Twentieth century color notation systems emerged and evolved to assist with identifying, communicating and applying color from design conceptualization through to final outcomes and production across applied design and design of the built environment.

Color systems and charts emerged across…

Identifying, communicating, and managing color across different applications and contexts has previously been problematic. Modern color notation systems have mostly addressed these issues, but this was not always the case and early color charts and color systems emerged to provide…

This post explores traditional color theory during the period in which it reached its zenith: the late-nineteenth century through to the mid twentieth century. In this period, traditional color theory underpinned color creation and allocation across applied design, design of…

Need a new source of inspiration for color scheme development? There are a number of different options beyond the color strategies found in traditional color theory and this approach uses music as a source of inspiration. 

Research has indicated that…

We excited to share this webinar ‘Demystifying Color: Making Sense of Different Color Systems’. 

The webinar, which we did in partnership with Resene New Zealand was presented by Dr Zena O'Connor, explores the differences among key color systems including Hex…

For those tasked with developing color schemes for applied design or design of the built environment, there are various options for inspiration beyond color strategies found in traditional color theory. 

Nature in all its forms can provide a wealth of…

With the intention of helping to curb global warming, researchers at Purdue University in Indiana have created the whitest paint yet. Their research indicates that coating buildings with this paint may help to cool them and reduce the need for…

Traditional color theory is is an amalgam of grounded practical theory, normative design theory, and constructivism. As such, it is underpinned by practical rather than purely scientific concerns and it represents a set of constructs, principles and linked axioms that…

Updated 24 August 2023, this reference list has been complied as a survey of color-related books, texts, and documents sourced from private collections, university libraries plus the Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg, Smithsonian Institution and similar reputable online resources and institutions. 

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