The Pocket Universal Principles of Color: 100 Key Concepts for Understanding, Analyzing, and Working with Color

This version of Universal Principles of Color presents 100 core concepts and guidelines that are critical to the successful use of color.

Richly illustrated and easy to navigate, this comprehensive, cross-disciplinary overview of color is organized alphabetically so that principles can be easily and quickly referenced. The book pairs clear explanations of every topic with visual examples of it applied in theory and in practice. For those interested in addressing a specific color challenge or application problem, the principles are also indexed by pathways based on nine topics of color study: light, order, communication, object, mixture, application, observer, composition, and history.

Explore a diverse array of color principles, including:

• Additive Mixture • Bezold Effects • Harmony • Pointillism • Newton’s Opticks • Rayleigh Scattering • Transparency Effect • Warm and Cool

Each principle is presented in a two-page format: The first page contains a succinct definition, a full description of the principle, and examples of and guidelines for its use. Side notes provide elaborations and references. The second page contains visual examples and related graphics to support a deeper understanding of the principle.

Whether in a branding campaign or a healthcare facility, a product’s packaging, or a software user interface, the color we see is the culmination of many concepts and practices brought together from a variety of disciplines to increase appeal, influence perception, and enhance usability. By considering these concepts and examples, you can learn to make more informed and ultimately better color decisions. This landmark reference is the standard for designers, engineers, architects, and students who seek to broaden and improve their understanding of and expertise in color.

The titles in the Rockport Universal series offer comprehensive and authoritative information and edifying and inspiring visual examples on multidisciplinary subjects for designers, architects, engineers, students, and anyone who is interested in expanding and enriching their design knowledge.

© 2025 Rockport Publishers (Ebook): 9780760393857

Release date

Ebook: 10 June 2025