RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Color is a fascinating subject which touches a vast array of disciplines, from pure and applied science, to art and
sociology. Here is an eclectic selection of books that we consider either essential references, enlightening, fun,
fascinating, or a mixture of these qualities.
Here is a short description taken from an email by the author: “My book … tries to
combine basic concepts of colorimetry, plus actions and applications of color management in
harmony. In most cases, books on colorimetry are too hard for ordinary photographers and
designers, etc. and those on color management specifically lack in basic understanding of
colorimetry. This book will provide almost all practical knowledge of how to manage color to
those who need it.”
From the book store page (translated with Google): “The essence of CIE colorimetry,
which is the basis of color management, as well as the core color management theory
and thorough practical application, that all operators who look at a monitor, judge and
adjust colors should know are contained in this one book. From the basic principles of
what color is and what elements act on it, color reproduction and calibration of
monitors, printer profiling, color setting in Photoshop and InDesign, color management
during printing, and digital image preservation methods for artwork and cultural
heritage. It tells you about professional color management, color data calculation know-
how, work environment and tools. This is a must-read book for anyone who wants
“meaningful” color management or who dreams of becoming a color expert.”
And I have to add that you will also find two sub-sections of a chapter dedicated
respectively to CT&A and PatchTool!
In this book, Robert (Bob) Chung manages to present and explain the methods and
standards associated with printing presses in a compact and complete fashion while
remaining easy to read. This is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in the
practical technical aspects of modern commercial printing.
The author has long been involved in standards committees and this shows in the way
he describes these standards, taking the time and words to present the organizations
who manage them, how these organizations work, how standards were adapted to
industry changes, and what to use them for. The equations supporting the concepts are
presented for those who want to do their own math but there is no need for it to go
through the book; nonetheless, just observing these equations can help understand
where the numbers come from. Each chapter ends with a series of question to evaluate
the reader’s knowledge; answers are provided in an appendix.
This is "the" book to understand the science of color. Mostly descriptive, with numerous
illustrations, you do not need a heavy math background to appreciate its content, but it
does contain many equations for those who want them. This is graduate level content
which can be appreciated by people of various educational backgrounds. The abundant
references to technical publications are carefully selected and often correspond to
Milestones papers in their respective fields. A must read for those studying color, of
course, but also by everyone interested in the perception, characterization, and
reproduction of color.
You can read and download the Table of Contents and Chapter 1 from the publisher
Web site.
Here are two errata PDF for the 3rd edition: V7 Errata and V11 Errata, with this last one
updated for the 4th printing.
A book to go deeper in the understanding of color reproduction, for the graduate level
student specializing in the field, and the (very) advanced amateur. While reading it, you
get the historical perspective on the evolution of our knowledge about color perception
in the twentieth century. The book reflects the author's experience, with substantial
content dedicated to film and television color reproduction. Some may find part of the
content obsolete, as no recent book on color will talk about "film"; they will miss
detailed descriptions of what was, and still is, important in a color reproduction system.
Not to mention that, understanding how the problems with earlier and current
processes were solved, can only give an informed perspective on similar problems
found with future reproduction technologies. This book is a reference—an
encyclopedia—on color reproduction!
The sixth edition has a completely revised content and some new material. There are
now 37 chapters compared to 32 in the previous edition; of those, 30 have the same
title. The new chapters are grouped in two sections whose themes are "Digital Imaging"
and "Color Appearance", the latter subject being of particular interest for the book
author which is an active expert in the field.
In short: color theory, ICC profiles, color management in applications, tutorials
applicable to cameras and printers. Designed for the same audience as Real World
Color Management (Bruce Fraser & al., see below), this book is certainly the best
reference on the subject in French, and in the top tier when all languages are
considered! The author has visibly read and understood his scientific references and
has extracted the right amount of content for a public interested in not just learning
how to do things the right way, but also in understanding how a "color management
module" works from the inside.
The book is up to date in regards to color measuring equipment, including the X-Rite
i1Pro 2 (associated with i1Profiler) and the basICColor Discus. Most of the tutorials are
designed for Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator, but you will also find many examples
done with specialized software, such as PatchTool and CT&A! This 500+ pages book is a
chock-full of insightful information, with entire sections devoted to displays and the
workspace, cameras and RAW processing, and printers.
En résumé: théorie de la couleur, profils ICC, gestion de couleur appliquée, tutoriels dédiés
aux caméras et imprimantes. Destiné au même public que le livre Real World Color
Management (Bruce Fraser & al., voir ci-dessous), ce livre est certainement la meilleure
référence sur le sujet en français, et parmi les meilleures, toutes langues confondues!
L'auteur a visiblement lu et compris ses références scientifiques et en a extrait la juste part
pour un lectorat intéressé non seulement à apprendre comment faire les choses
correctement, mais aussi à comprendre comment fonctionne un "module de gestion de la
couleur" de l'intérieur.
Ce livre est à jour en regard de l'équipement dédié à la mesure de la couleur, incluant le
i1Pro 2 de X-Rite (associé à i1Profiler), et le Discus de basICColor. La majorité des tutoriels
sont écrits pour Photoshop, InDesign et Illustrator, mais vous trouverez aussi de nombreux
exemples réalisés avec des logiciels spécialisés, tels que PatchTool et CT&A! Ce livre de plus
de 500 pages est débordant d'informations pratiques, avec des sections entières dédiées aux
écrans et au poste de travail, aux caméras et au développement RAW, et aux imprimantes.
This book is about modern practical approaches for accurate and repeatable color
reproduction using ICC profiles. Dedicated to images manipulated on computers, you
will find the "why" and the "how" of calibrating displays and input and output devices
(cameras, scanners, printers, presses), and how they can be characterized using ICC
profiles. With specific examples for all major graphics and image editing programs, this
is required reading if your goal is to manage color in a deterministic manner.
An indispensable tool for professionals involved in all aspects of the printing field, both
the ones well versed in computer based tools and the ones with previous generation
technology training, as well as for professional and advanced-amateurs digital
photographers.
You love color? You work long hours trying to reproduce colors the best you can and
the last thing you need is another how-to book on color? Then this book is for you!
This book is about cochineal red, a dye extracted from an insect which lives on cacti,
and from which vivid reds have been produced for hundreds of years. There are no
recipes or formulas here. What you will find instead is a vast amount of brilliantly
researched and distilled information on how this dye has influenced colonial wars,
fashion, modern science, and even ecosystems. The story reads like a novel and is
definite page turner. You will never look again at a bright red with the same mindset.
For anyone wishing to dig deeper in any topic covered by the author, all citations are
referenced and there is a huge selected bibliography, as well as an index.
The book was originally published in hard cover—still available—with 98 illustrations,
and, more recently, in paperback, with no illustrations. It is an essay on the story of a
color, blue, and its sociological importance, or lack of, in relation to red, white and black,
in particular, across the ages. Extraordinarily well referenced, one should read the
comments associated with the references in parallel with the main text, this book is a
great stepping stone for the curious reader.
Even in our modern world, surrounded by seemingly random and anarchic color
schemes, you will find, after reading this book, that we still are under the influence of
very old perceptions about color.
Ce livre, originellement publié—et toujours disponible—avec une couverture rigide et
comprenant 98 illustrations, est maintenant disponible en couverture papier, mais sans
illustrations. C'est un essai sur l'histoire du bleu et de son importance sociologique, parfois
minime, en relation avec le rouge, le blanc et le noir particulièrement, à travers les âges.
Regorgeant de références, je suggère de lire les références en parallèle avec le texte principal,
ce texte est un jalon nécessaire pour quiconque est intéressé à l'histoire de la couleur.
Après la lecture de ce livre vous comprendrez que, même dans notre monde moderne rempli
de couleurs bigarrées et non-assorties, nous sommes toujours sous l'influence des
perceptions ancestrales sur la couleur.
Originally written in French, this book has an English twin. The books have the same
content, with all pages matching on both versions, with a few exceptions in the last 20
pages, in the "Documents" section.
Easy to read, with numerous well-selected, well-referenced, and well-printed
illustrations, this book is a mine of content on how dyes and pigments were produced
throughout history. It brings into the light the practical problems in obtaining the raw
materials, and the political and financial importance of the color trade in history. After
reading this book, you may have a slight moment of hesitation the next time you see E
120 as a food colorant in a product you just purchased! (You need to read the book to
get the background information on the preceding sentence!)
The printing quality of the English version is extraordinary, with very glossy paper and
bright illustrations. This is surprising in such a small book which is far in size, but not
content, from a coffee table book. In comparison, the 2005 French version print quality,
while excellent, lacks some punch.
Originellement publié en français, ce livre est maintenant disponible en anglais. Les deux
livres sont essentiellement identiques, mis-à-part quelques exceptions dans les 20 dernières
pages, dans la section "Témoignages et Documents".
De lecture facile, agrémenté de nombreuses et magnifiques illustrations, fort bien
référenciées, ce livre est une mine de renseignements sur l'usage des colorants et pigments à
travers les temps. Il met en lumière les problèmes pratiques reliés à l'obtention des matières
premières ainsi que l'importance de la politique et des aspects financiers dans l'histoire du
commerce de la couleur. Après la lecture de ce livre, vous aurez peut-être un moment
d'hésitation lorsque vous lirez la présence du colorant E120 dans un produit que vous venez
d'acheter! (Vous devez lire ce livre pour comprendre le pourquoi de la phrase précédente!).
La qualité d'impression de la version anglaise est extraordinaire, avec des illustrations
lumineuses imprimées sur un papier très glacé. Une telle qualité est surprenante pour un
livre dont la dimension (mais pas le contenu) est loin de celle d'un livre de salon. En
comparaison, la qualité d'impression de la version française de 2005, bien qu'excellente,
manque d'éclat.
This is a reference book on the origin of pigments and their use in the most popular oil
and watercolor colors. This book is dedicated to artists who want to understand how
the various components of a product affect the appearance of a work of art when it
dries and as time goes by. It will also find a home with those who have a general
interest in pigments and their use.
You can read and download extracts from this book on the publisher Web site (La
couleur-extracts).
Un livre de référence sur l’origine des pigments et leur utilisation dans les principales
couleurs à l’huile et aquarelles. Ce livre est dédié aux artistes qui désirent comprendre
comment les différents composés des produits affectent l’apparence d’une œuvre lorsqu’elle
sèche ainsi qu’au cours du temps. Ceux qui s’intéressent aux pigments et à leur utilisation de
façon générale y trouveront aussi leur compte.
Vous pouvez lire et télécharger plusieurs pages de ce livre sur le site Web de l’éditeur (La
couleur-extraits).
Color Measurement
and Analysis
R.W.G. Hunt
Fountain Press, 5th ed. (1995)
John Wiley & Sons, 6th ed. (2004)
Billmeyer and Saltzman's
Roy S. Berns
Wiley, 4th ed. (2019)
Wiley-Interscience, 3rd ed. (2000)
photographes, les graphistes et le
prépresse (in French)
Jean Delmas
Eyrolles, paperback ed. (October 2012)
Real World Color Management
Bruce Fraser, Chris Murphy, Fred Bunting
Peachpit Press; 2nd ed. (2005)
Amy Butler Greenfield
Harper Perennial; 1st paperback ed. (2006)
(Translated in many languages)
Michel Pastoureau
Seuil, paperback ed. (2002)
François Delamare and Bernard Guineau
Harry N. Abrams, Discoveries (2000)
Thames & Hudson
François Delamare et Bernard Guineau
Découvertes Gallimard, No. 383 (1999, 2005)
Isabelle Roelofs, Fabien Petillion
Eyrolles (2012)
Robert Y. Chung
RIT Press (2020)
Photography - Design – Printing - Color
Studies - Preservation of Cultural
Heritage - Art Reproduction (in Korean)
Chang Ho Choe
Mijinsa (2021)