Quite beautiful in their own right, color charts have been used throughout history as a means to understand and document the color theories of the time.
Philosophers, inventors, mathematicians, painters and even butterfly experts have all tried to create the perfect chromatic diagram. Be it a wheel, a grid, a list, a pyramid or a globe, each has attempted to capture the scientific magic of reflected wavelengths.
1. Entomologist Moses Harris’ 1766 model from the Natural Systems of Colors.
2. Viennese butterfly expert Ignaz Schiffermüller’s 1775 color wheel was designed to help him accurately identify the colors he encountered in nature studies.
3. Naturalist and inventor Jacob Christian Schäffer’ s 1769 color system was developed as a hierarchy to explain how primary colors could be combined to create a multitude of shades.
Visit Imprint for more information in their two-part series on the fascinating history and artistry of color wheels.
Via: design*sponge and notcot.org
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Comments (10)
I would have said i loved this post if it hadn't been covered up so quickly by the Dove ad that had no close button. :(
beautiful. i love that the colors have that watercolor feel along with the fine line of pen work.
maddove - Yikes...that is annoying! :(
(Love the name!)
At least it's not that horrendous bowl o' worms.
I loved this... when it was posted on Design Sponge. Are we not even going to cite it? It was two days ago... http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/10/stunning-color-charts.html
Just kidding - that aforementioned ad blocked all references to citation.
Beautifull color charts. I have a few myself, as an artist and interior designer, they are indespensable.
Would have LOVED to see this post. Reloaded the page several times, hoping to get a glance at the actual post. No such luck. Please, AT, remove the ads...
Hi folks! I wrote the color-wheels post on Imprint. I’m dee-lighted that all of you had as much reading this as I had writing it.
If you missed part 2 of this series, check out here: http://imprint.printmag.com/color/wonderful-color-wheel-part-2/ We’re planning a part 3 post in the coming weeks, too, that’ll bring this history up to the present.
In answer to the many folks who wondered where you can buy posters of these images, I don’t know of any vendor right now providing that. However, smelling opportunity, I’ve floated the idea of posters based on these images as a product in Print’s MyDesignShop. Clearly, there’s demand out there, and we’d be glad to fill it if we can! Will report back here if and when there’s progress on that front.
Thanks again,
Jude
Read my tweets about color and other gorgeous stuff: @joodstew
As an interior designer or an interior decorating self-absorbed, someone could really make use of a color palette like this. Further advice on how to combine these colors would be even more useful. I've spotted this site while searching for the above: http://www.adesignerspot.com/interior_design_ideas/. I found some interesting posts here.