Sir Isaac Newton & Color Notation

It turns out that A.H. Munsell and Newton shared the concept of likening color notation to music notation.  In his original color wheel (1704), Sir Isaac Newton included musical notes correlated with color beginning with red and dividing the circle by the musical scale starting with D and ending with the octave of D. It was no surprise that violet and purple colors are located next to red on the color wheel, since these colors are considered non-spectral and mixtures of red and violet light.  Munsell’s color wheel and subsequent books of color follow a similar color order as Sir Isaac Newton’s color wheel—the colors representing the visible spectrum of light—ROY G BIV—placed on a wheel.

Sir Isaac Newton’s Discovery and the Color Wheel

While it appears as though the color wheel is the visible spectrum of colors placed on a wheel, the real basis for the color wheel is rooted in Sir Isaac Newton’s experiments with prisms. His experiments led to the theory that red, yellow and blue were the primary colors from which all other colors are derived.  While that’s not entirely true, it’s still influential in the color wheels developed in the early 1800s as well as the color wheel currently used today.   Add to that the secondary colors of violet, orange and green—those which result from mixing the primary colors—and the color wheel begins to take shape.  The tertiary colors yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green complete the color wheel. If these colors sound familiar, that’s because they’re similar to Munsell’s hue circle.

The value of the color wheel is its ability to help designers create appealing palettes by applying the underlying theory of the color wheel with the way we see color.  For example, a palette based on color wheel complementary colors would include colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green.

More Color Possibilities with the Munsell Color Wheel

Applying these same color principles, the Munsell books of color are organized like the color wheel, but with even more color possibilities, giving designers a useful tool that works the way they work.

Learn how Munsell color communications products can help you develop color more effectively.

Here are just a few of the many color stories that have been shared with us…

Color Stories: All About Soil

Munsell’s soil color system is being used in the Montpelier Forest in Vermont. Munsell’s color matching system for soil allows scientists to record specific soil colors. In Montpelier, Vermont they’ve found reddish brown (Munsell color 2.5YR4/4) topsoil, strong red (Munsell color 2.5YR 3/6 or 4/6) and silt clay loam. The color of soil is a great indicator of geological history, weather changes and environmental factors before a soil sample is analyzed.  In finding these colors, scientists were able to determine that the greatest impact on the Montpelier Forest was during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This was mainly due to the farming methods of the time. This color story came to us through W. Cullen Sherwood of the Department of Geology at James Madison University.

As an ecologist, Daniel Evans is using the Munsell soil color charts for soil sample analysis. Through a “non-conventional use” of the charts, Evans found great success.

Color Stories Bursting With Color

Chris Mocella’s color story is all about fireworks. Chris has used color as a chemist working with Dr. Conkling as an undergraduate research associate. Chris co-authored the second addition of Dr. Conkling’s The Chemistry of Pyrotechnics book. Chris was kind enough to share the chemistry of fireworks colors. There is so much more to the color of fireworks than simply what we observe on the fourth of July!

Speaking of bright lights, light perception certainly can change your views on color. Denise Turner shared with us how the wrong lighting can completely change your perception of color. This makes your color selection even more important.  In interior design, color can make or break a design. She advises living with your color choices for a few days and examining them at different times of the day before you make your final decision. “… Lighting affects every aspect of your colorful life.”

A Color Story from Within (Places and Spaces)

Interior designer, Jennifer Glickman shared her color story of using the Munsell Color System to identify colors in her field. In her color design for branding, color choices can define an entire company. She’s used the color system throughout her projects to identify and select her colors. Some clients present her with their colors and have expectations that these will be present in her design. She’s also used Munsell to create custom colors for her clients.

Sharing Your Color Stories

Do you have a colorful story to tell? Are you using color in your work? Just a lover of color? Contact us and be sure to share your story! We are always interested in the way color is affecting our world.

Munsell Color Theory & Color Education in Boston

In late September/early October of 1904, Munsell’s meeting with Miss Peterson and Mr. Pritchard finalized the color education primer.  They mainly discussed grades four through nine, and the conversation between Munsell, Miss Peterson and Mr. Pritchard sounded something like this (mostly Miss Peterson and Mr. Pritchard firing questions):

Is solar spectrum a standard – is your circle of hues like it? (Of course, we already know the answer is yes.) How did you get that red?  Is it measured . . . by whom; by what? (Munsell used the photometer to measure color, which he had been working on in parallel with his color education work.) Can children find any color in your sphere? (That’s what makes the Munsell Color Theory so brilliant – any color fits within his model.)  In his diary, Munsell describes, “What this system will do for the child that others cannot do:  describes a color (locates), relate the color to others, writes by a notation, names harmonize and find them.”  This statement still holds true when describing today’s Munsell Books of Color.

By the end of the meeting the three agreed to demonstrate the “rules” of the Munsell Color Theory by starting with a few harmonious groups of color for each grade.  In his diary, Munsell details the book format as having 28 lines of text and 252 words on the cover; 12,000 words and 50 pages in the body.  A total of 500 copies were printed – 300 for Boston’s primary schools and 200 for Boston’s grammar schools.

Color Education & a Multi-tasking Munsell

Munsell’s color education primer was published shortly before his most notable, A Color Notation, which first published in 1905.  During the development of the primer Munsell had also been working for several years on his photometer, an early color measurement device, which Munsell developed with the guidance of several thought leaders in the areas of physics and science.  Munsell’s photometer has already served a useful purpose as he develops his “color enamels” and papers (to demonstrate Munsell Color Space) and continues to lecture on his system of color.

Learn more about Munsell color education.

References:

A. H. Munsell Color Diary, 1908-1918, Volume A Part 9.  Courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology, Munsell Color Science Laboratory.

Crashing waves on rocks; Painting on wood panel, 1893 Image Courtesy of Artnet.com

Impressionist Art Movement:  Munsell Shares His Color Order System

In the late 1880′s Munsell shared his ideas on the Munsell Color System with peer and colleague Denman Ross, Harvard professor of art theory and history—and not a fan of impressionism, but instead preferred the palettes of the Rennaissance movement.  Both Ross and Munsell were seeking a systematic means for describing visual perception of color.  They studied scientific theories on color including the popular Modern Chromatics, published by physicist Ogden Rood in 1879.

According to Munsell’s diaries, the two discussed Munsell’s color theory while on sketching excursions.  On one excursion Munsell described his painting, “Chloris Calls,” where he arranged what he referred to as a “spectrum circuit on the rim of a circle” (perhaps a primitive version of his color sphere).

Denman Ross, “Tones Charted in the Shape of a Spiral,” 1898. Ross Papers, Folio Box 42, Harvard Art Museum Archives. This is the spiral diagram used by Munsell. Photo: Katya Kallsen © President and Fellow of Harvard College

Then, while on another sketching excursion—this time along the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy—the two were discussing famed Venetian Renaissance artists, Tintoretto and Veronese when the topic of a “systematic color scheme” for painters came up.  Munsell shared the spirals he used use for his painting “War Cloud,” which was likely a seascape, since it was painted in what’s now known as Smuttynose Island just off the coast of New Hampshire.  One can easily imagine the lively debate that ensued when Ross told Munsell that he doubted the value of Munsell’s color sphere, but thought the photometer a useful device.

An oil painting of Helen Keller, by Albert H. Munsell, 1892. Image Courtesy of the American Foundation for the Blind

The Portrait… A Staple in Every Artist’s Repertoire

Portraiture was a popular staple of many artist’s portfolios, and so it was for Albert H. Munsell.  One of his most notable portraits was that of his father-in-law, Alexander E. Orr.  In 1903, Munsell, busy with a wife and children, produced the oil painting of his father-in-law, who was a successful businessman credited with arranging the financing and construction of New York City’s subway system.

Alexander E. Orr, Oil on Canvas, 1903 by Albert H. Munsell Image Courtesy of the New York State Museum

By the early 1900′s, Munsell was deeply involved with his work on the color order system.  Much of his studio work was dedicated to drawing color spheres and pursuing color order, despite the advice of his good friend Ross, who shared Munsell’s passion for color order by saying, “A system in which color and values are composed in equal interval of equal contrasts in all directions.  In which one can think infinite things in tone and convey those things to others in accurate terms.”

A.H. Munsell with Children and Color Sphere Photo Courtesy of the Hagley Library and Archives

References:

A. H. Munsell Color Diary, 1899-1918, Volume A Part 1, pp 2-3, Volume A, Part 2, pp 32a. Courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology, Munsell Color Science Laboratory.

Denman Ross http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denman_Ross

Marie Frank, Denman Ross & American Design Theory (University Press of New England, 2011) pp 96-97.

Color for the Real World: A Complete Color Course by Alice Chu & Jen Nemeth

This color theory book explains the principles in a visual language, applicable to all color design disciplines. “Color for the Real World is an all-in-one textbook containing a lab manual and an eResouce for students of design, including fashion design, interior design, communication design, textile design, product design, and illustration.”

The New Munsell Student Color Set by Jim Long & Joy Turner Luke

This book about color is written by James Thomas, “an architect, artist, lighting designer, State Board certified Interior Designer, Professor Emeritus in the departments of Photography and Film and Interior Design, and retired chair of Photography and Film at Virginia Commonwealth University.” This color book is co-authored by Joy Turner Luke who “is a painter and owner of Studio 231 in Sperryville, Virginia, where she conducts intensive courses on color and artists paints. She also lectures widely on these topics for art schools and other groups with a specialized interest in color.”

Measuring Colour by Robert Hunt

Called “the classic authority on colour measurement,” this color book demonstrates “major importance in many commercial applications, such as the textile, paint, and foodstuff industries; as well as having a significant role in the lighting, paper, printing, cosmetic, plastics, glass, chemical, photographic, television, transport, and communication industries.”

Color + Space: Transforming Interior Space by Ronald L. Reed

This color theory book “presents color theory in terms of design principles such as balance, rhythm, emphasis, proportion, unity, and variety. The text is infused with insights into how people perceive color, and helps the young interior designer focus on the user experience of a space.”

Individuality in Clothing Selection and Personal Appearance by Hazel Jackson et al.

The authors of this color book “present a broad base of knowledge at an introductory level for readers’ general education—unlike other books, which focus more narrowly on the needs of fashion professionals. Packed with activities, learning objectives, illustrations, and photographs, this user-friendly book meets the needs of future fashion professionals.”

Sensory Evaluation of Food: Principles and Practices by Harry T. Lawless & Hildegarde Heymann

“This text is designed for undergraduate and graduate courses in sensory evaluation and as a reference for industrial practitioners. It covers all the basic techniques of sensory testing, from simple discrimination tests to home use placements for consumers.”

Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects by Michael E. Doyle

This color design book by Michael E. Doyle “is the ultimate up-to-date resource for professionals and students who need to develop and communicate design ideas with clear, attractive, impressive color drawings. In an easy to use, step-by-step approach, this comprehensive guide presents a total system of color design drawing that encompasses approaches to sketch communication as well as more finished presentation drawing.”

Color Image Processing and Applications by Konstantinos N. Plataniotis, Anastasios

One review of this color book says that most image processing and computer vision textbooks tend to leave out color image processing or do not go in depth. “…this book fills the need in this important area quite nicely. The authors are recognized experts in the area, particularly in color image filtering.”

Designer’s Guide to Fashion Apparel by Evelyn L. Brannon

This color design book from the world of fashion “explores the creative process of apparel design and the development of a collection. From budget to couture, children’s to men’s and women’s, fashion-forward to traditional and formal to active, the text demonstrates the proper application of design principles in creating aesthetically-pleasing apparel…”

Light: The Shape of Space: Designing with Space and Light by Lou Michel

This book by Lou Michel touches on “color theory for space and light.”

Color Ordered: A Survey of Color Order Systems from Antiquity to the Present by Rolf G. Kuehni & Andreas Schwarz

This color book could be considered a history of color. “Color Ordered is a comprehensive, in-depth compendium of over 170 systems, dating from antiquity to the present.”

Mastering Photographic Composition, Creativity, and Personal Style by Alain Briot

The topics covered here include:

• How to compose with color, with black and white, and with light
• How the elements of color-hue, contrast, and saturation-work in your images
• How to define a color palette for a specific photograph

Discovering Physical Geography by Alan Arbogast

“…provides a comprehensive suite of animations, simulations and interactivities that help readers comprehend important Earth processes.  Vivid images, animations, videos, simulations, assessments and virtual field trips all support the narrative material and enable readers to interact with key processes and actively participate in visualizations.”

The Science of Color by Steven K. Shevell

“Focusing on the principles and observations that are foundations of modern color science and written for a general scientific audience, this book broadly covers essential topics in the interdisciplinary field of colour, drawing from physics, physiology and psychology.”

Practical Handbook for Wetland Identification and Delineation by John Grimson Lyon

“… defines wetlands, describes their functions, and presents a variety of methods used to assess the extent of wetlands.” Lyon’s handbook draws upon the Munsell Soil Color Charts.

Atkinson & Hilgard’s Introduction to Psychology, 15th edition by Nolen-Hoeksema, Fredrickson, Loftus and Wagenaar

This textbook touches on the psychology of color while providing a “thorough understanding of the classic landmark studies which have shaped psychology as an academic discipline.”

Hospitality Design for the Graying Generation: Meeting the Needs of a Growing Market by Alfred H. Baucom

Inside of this guide, you will find “extensive coverage of the specific physical needs and psychology of seniors, including physical strength, hearing, sight, color preferences, and other areas.”

Obviously we were not able to include every book that references Munsell Color, so tell us about the ones we missed! What is your favorite book that references Munsell Color?

Taking the Hue Circle from 2D to 3D

Munsell took the hue circle a step further.  As Munsell’s research evolved, a two-dimensional hue circle was only adequate to describe a single dimension of color, namely hue.  Munsell turned to Euclidian geometry and architecture to more adequately describe the three-dimensional relationship between his three attributes of color—hue, color value and chroma.

Munsell saw similarities between the proportions and ratios explained in geometry and architecture with that of his color sphere.  A visit in 1904 to the studio of artist, Jay Hambidge, helped confirm Munsell’s thinking on ratios and proportions as used in geometry and architecture.  Hambidge’s early work in developing his 1926 theory of dynamic symmetry explained how proportions and ratios were the basis of design in nature and in Greek architecture and sculpture.   Munsell writes in his diary that his work and that of Hambidge had some common points; that is “platonic solids all inscribe and exscribe a sphere” and there are “advantages of a circle as a point of departure.”

Human Visual System Distorts the Color Hue Circle

Munsell was the first to represent color in perceptually uniform dimensions by representing his three attributes of color—hue, value and chroma—in a three-dimensional color space.    His later work, measuring human subjects’ response to color, continued to support his use of a three-dimensional color solid; however, the shape was less uniform since it was based on human visual perception. So although the hue circle or color wheel is still an effective way to represent color relationships, when it comes to visual perception and three-dimensional color space, the circle is somewhat distorted.   Munsell books of color reflect the visual perception of color, making them and effective tool for color communications.

Learn more about the Munsell hue circle and how the hue circle can help you effectively communicate color.

References:

A. H. Munsell Color Diary, 1908-1918, Volume A Part 8.  Courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology, Munsell Color Science Laboratory.

Turn of the Century Color Education:  Munsell Color Space (Circa 1902)

In his diary, Albert Munsell describes working with Miss Peterson, who was the superintendent of Drawing for Boston Schools—clearly art education in the early 1900′s was an important part of the teaching curriculum. There didn’t appear to be a good method for teaching children about color and Munsell aimed to change that with his teaching aids and the help of a publisher.  Munsell’s diary describes the challenge of teaching color to school children as follows, “No teacher understands the subject of color, but everybody has interest in it.  It is now THE subject uppermost.”

Munsell Color Space Believed to Cross a Chasm between Art and Science

As Munsell pursues how best to teach color, he continues to consult with scientific authorities to ensure that his work was grounded in scientific principles.  On April 8 1902, Munsell describes a meeting with Professor Dolbear (believed to be Amos Dolbear, who served as Tufts University astronomy and physics professor and a pioneer of telephony).  Munsell quotes Dolbear, “Says I may furnish a track across what is now a desert between practical and scientific color work.”

Returning to art and the practicality of his color work, Munsell finds references to the book Music and Musicians, which he used to suggest potential names for what would later become A Color Notation.   In particular, Munsell fancied the book’s section titles, “A Study of Musical Sound,” “The Materials of Sound,”  “Grammar of Music,” and “Esthetics,” from which he considered the following for his book of color: “Grammar of Color,” Esthetics of Color,” and “Materials of Color.”

Munsell Color Space:  Teaching the Teacher

Munsell continued to work with science and academia on his book of color.  However, in the meantime, and with the help of Miss Peterson, Munsell developed “The Munsell Color System,” a simple teachers’ handbook arranged for primary and grammar school teachers.  The handbook included  a review of color names that children learn in Kindergarten (red, yellow, green, etc.) along with what appeared to be rudimentary color charts to teach children how to order color.  Of course Munsell’s hue, value and chroma attributes were taught early on in the curriculum as was the value scale. Munsell’s color sphere was an important teaching aid.  The tools used to teach Munsell Color Space—color charts, color sphere and neutral value chart—remain staples in today’s Munsell Interactive Learning Kit.  Learn  more about Munsell Color Space.

References:

1. H. Munsell Color Diary, 1908-1918, Volume A Part 8. Courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology, Munsell Color Science Library.

A.H. Munsell’s Research on Color Leads to Photometer Patent

In 1901, A.H. Munsell patented a photometer, which proved to be important in developing the color order system.  He consulted with several leading scientists, including American physicist, Ogden Rood who was influential in Munsell’s work on the photometer along with other science luminaries.  Munsell’s color theory leaves no stone unturned.  He researched the relationship of Hue, Value and Chroma, and early on in color science, began to explore the relationship between light source and color.  The light source/color relationship was made clear at an October 28, 1902 meeting in New York at the Edison Light Company, where several papers were presented suggesting that “Imitation of daylight – and means of measuring other light in terms of daylight—imperative for color comparisons,” hence today’s standards requiring daylight for accurate color evaluation.  According to Munsell’s diary, after spending his morning immersed in the latest scientific color research, Munsell, the consummate artist, spent his afternoon at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art “studying old masters.”

Over the next several months, Munsell visited with colleagues to test his photometer and the results were positive.  Not only was the photometer deemed accurate but also practical. His colleagues saw the practicality of a device that could overcome the limitations of the human eye.  One of his colleagues suggested that the photometer’s commercial use be piloted at the New York Navy Yard for testing signal glass.  Specifically, it would be use to check for color blindness.

From Photometer to Color Top to Color Order System

At the same time Munsell was working on what would become the disc colorimeter—a series of colored discs that when rotated create color.  Munsell referred to it in his early work (circa 1902) as a “color top.” The discs were tested to show the relationship between chroma (color intensity) and value (lightness or darkness) for any hue.  Munsell was attempting to create a set of templates that would describe the combination of chroma and value or any hue.  Munsell established the value scale of ten equal steps from white down to black.  Munsell took the strongest (high chroma) red and reduced it to white, black and gray.  His color experiments showed that equal loss of chroma requires unequal steps of value and unequal steps of chroma permit equal steps of value.  In other words, in order to maintain an equal value scale, the chroma of the red hue would have to be adjusted in unequal steps as chroma was reduced from highly saturated red to white and equally as chroma was stepped from highly saturated red to black.

The exercise of developing the color templates was important to Munsell color theory in that he was uncovering the sensitivities of the human visual system to certain colors.  It explains why colors of a certain value (lightness) in a Munsell Book of Color do not go beyond a certain chroma—it’s not physiologically possible.  Munsell points out in his diary that the exercise was “very fatiguing.”  He painstakingly set up the experiment, viewed and graphed each color.

Though the color top was developed for art education purposes, Munsell’s journey to develop the photometer and color top, was grounded in early color science principles.  Throughout his color research process, he applied these principles to determine the hue, value and chroma scales for his upcoming Color Atlas.  Learn more about how the Munsell Color Order System works in real life applications.

References:

A. H. Munsell Color Diary, 1908-1918, Volume A Part 5 and Volume A Part 6.  Courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology, Munsell Color Science Laboratory.

Among other factors, scientists evaluated and classified the color of soil in the forest’s topsoil and loam layers to help discover soil accumulation and erosion rates, in order to examine human impact to the area. They determined that the greatest impact to the land occurred in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, mainly from more primitive farming methods that plowed the earth more deeply than modern surface farming.

Soil Color and the Munsell Color Matching System

Munsell’s color matching system for soil allows scientists to accurately record very specific soil colors, and later reproduce those colors using soil color charts as soil indicators for lab testing.

What we commonly refer to as color is actually a combination of three visual measurements – chroma (saturation), value (light reflection), and hue (wavelength dominant). Soil color is an excellent indicator of soil structure and components, as well as characteristics of wetness and drainage. The color of soil can also reveal a lot about geological history, weather changes, and environmental factors, even before soil sample analysis. Red, yellow, or brown tints to soil indicate the presence of iron oxide. Soils that appear white have more carbonates, such as salts. Progressions of decomposing organic matter make soil dark brown or even black, a purple or purplish black soil color has probably been affected by manganese oxides.

Soil Color as Indicator of Soil Composition

Earth soil is comprised of numerous different elements, including water, organic matter, minerals, and even air; on their own each of these produces variants in soil color, and the numerous possibilities for each of these basic components produces literally tens of thousands of color differences. Because people’s color vision also differs, a mathematical color notation system is essential. The Munsell color system is an international standard for environmental scientists to codify color communication.

The study, “Soils and Land Use in Montpelier’s Landmark Forest,” was authored by W. Cullen Sherwood, of the Department of Geology at James Madison University.

Early Adopters of the Munsell Color Order System for Art Education

Officially launched in 1905 the Munsell color order system had been in use for three years as an educational tool by art educators from a wide geographic area.  In his diary, Munsell refers to the early adopters of his color order system as “leading directors and supervisors of art education.” Some  of these early adopters included  Arthur Dow of the Teachers’ College and James Hall of the Ethical Culture School in New York,  Miss Haven of the Kindergarten Institute in Chicago, J. Frederick Hopkins of the Maryland Institute in Baltimore, and R.B. Farnum of the Cleveland Art School, who was a 1906 graduate of Munsell’s alma mater, Massachusetts Normal Art School.

A.H. Munsell to Art & Color Educators . . . “you’re doing it wrong.”

Just as Munsell’s color order system is today, back in 1908, Munsell emphasized that his color order system for teaching color was free from personal bias.  He explained how his color system was based on what back in 1908 was “the latest knowledge of the action of the eye.”  Using the training of the other senses as an example, Munsell described “tempered degrees” as opposed to training using extremes.    So for example, he focuses on harmonious middle colors of red, blue, green etc. found on the color wheel and in the Munsell Color hue circle.

Munsell even went so far as to criticize the then methods of teaching color using primary colors red, yellow and blue.  Instead, the Munsell Color Order System emphasized that red, green and yellow are the “true basis” for teaching color because of the way the retina works.  According to Munsell the correct complementary colors are “red and blue-green,”  ”green and purple,” and “violet-blue and yellow”—very similar to the hue circle. Munsell then went on to describe the three dimensions of color—hue, value and chroma, and according to his diary, those who attended the lecture remained to ask questions.  The Munsell Color Order System was taking hold.

Get a crash course in Munsell Color notation, including how A.H. Munsell developed his color order system to mimic the way the human eye sees color.

References:

A. H. Munsell Color Diary, 1908-1918, Volume B Part 1, pp 242-243. Courtesy of Rochester Institute of Technology, Munsell Color Science Laboratory.