Color: A Workshop for Artists & Designers | Book Review

Hear my thoughts on the book, Color: A Workshop for Artists & Designers 2nd Edition by David Hornung!
***Book - Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers: amzn.to/2y493v0
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Music: Brandenburg Concerto No4-1 BWV1049 - Classical Whimsical by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@eking8806]

Hi Mary, Thanks for the great review. I have the book. Now I have the incentive to et it out and dive in. Great video.

[@estherchandy6292]

Im thrilled i just got this edition of the book. Thank you for your😂 video. Excited to dive in

[@cowbutt6]

Something I wish I'd realised before I got this book was that the assignments require a particular set of 11 quality gouache (or acrylic gouache) paints from particular brands, and quite a lot of them - 80ml of white and 40ml each of the other 10. Unfortunately, the colours required are not typically all included in a set, so buying at least some of them as open stock will likely be required. Furthermore, the brands selected are not easily or especially economically available in the UK in the required quantities. Given the quantities required for the assignments, it would be helpful if the author could in a future edition recommend some sets that were "good enough" for the assignments to work as intended - perhaps even acrylic paints, which can be very economic given their quantities and high pigment load.

[@Carlos-fc2no]

Buen video; Great review.....

[@palnagok1720]

Check out Faber Birren's colour triangle

[@leedeparis]

Thanks for the review. I had color theory in college- and so like you I found little to add to that education - but this book looks good. Sometimes when I get burnt out on painting landscapes I think doing some exercises in color could be fun. I paint in plein air in oils mostly and do some large studio pieces. I read somewhere that this book is based on gouache colors, is that right?

[@FragileGloryImpressions]

The book may have mentioned gouache, but no, it's not the focus. It's definitely geared towards traditional art mediums (paint in general), so I'm sure you would find it quite helpful and applicable.

[@leedeparis]

@@FragileGloryImpressions Thanks for responding.

[@leedeparis]

I found some gouache colors to be quite different in hue than the oils I use. Raw umber in gouache was very yellow- almost like yellow ochre. Raw umber in oils is more brown- green. Keep it up :-)

[@wigglepixel]

Thanks for your review. Really helpful. I'm looking for an advanced book about color with light (so RGB as primaries) as everything I do is always on a monitor and stays on a monitor as an end result. Hearing you about the book I get the impression this book is mainly if not completely targeted at designers/artists working with print, paint etc., so everything which reflects light (CMY-K primaries) instead of projecting light (RGB primaries).
Do you think this book would be helpful to professionals with basic to intermediate knowledge of color theory and extensive knowledge on color models/color spaces? And are the exercises made for digital work too?
Or is it only one chapter that's really handling stuff for work in the digital/lights domain? I'm not talking about some tip here and there that could be helpful, but really worth reading it from front to back. As I'd rather not buy a book if only the last chapter is appropriate for what I use it for.
What do you think?
Thanks in advance!
BTW great choice of colors to wear next to the book!

[@FragileGloryImpressions]

Hi there! Thanks for reaching out with these questions. So the book is definitely FULL of knowledge on color theory that I think is very helpful for any artist (The biggest thing that I learned was how colors appear to change depending on what colors are around them, or color interaction...very helpful information even for the digital artist). And yes, it is geared more towards the painter using pigments. The exercises/assignments that are described are mostly experimental mixing, cut, and paste type stuff. I'm sure you could do them digitally, but the verbiage is geared towards the artist using traditional mediums. The last chapter "Color Studies on the Computer" is all about what you are looking for, but yes it is just the last chapter. So all that to say I think it's worth the read, but if you are looking for more of a digital approach to color, you may have to look elsewhere. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@wigglepixel]

@@FragileGloryImpressions Thanks a lot for your helpful answer. I guess I was in the same situation as you on the shopping cart and what book to buy from many, but in my case it's more about that it looks like all the somewhat advised books seem to be targeting painters for some reason. After what I've read and heard about this book, also from your video, this appeals me the most for sure. So I ordered one yesterday. Thanks for your help for me to decide and have a nice weekend!

[@palnagok1720]

There are no primaries...or...all colours are primary.