8/9/2019 Weinstein-1987-Color Research & Application
1/1
BOOKREVIEW
A
Book of Colors by Shigenobu Kobayashi, Kodansha
International, Tokyo, 1987, 128
pp.
Price $9.95.
Book of Colors is a visual exploration of the authors
Color Image Scale theory a system in which descriptive
qualities (i .e., youthful, urbane, dreamy, energetic) are
translated into their color constellation of hue, value and
saturation.
Kobayashi bases his theory upon a measurement of
meaning study involving the general public an d color and
design students who ranked colors according to their emo-
tive attributes. T he study was undertaken and published in
Japan from 1966-72 and was also presented in 973 and
1977 at the AIC.
A
detailed discussion of the theory also
appeared
in
this
journal.
The Color Image Scale is composed of colors arranged
n
a chart with three axes: the first represents warm to cool
(red to blue); the second, soft to hard (from black/soft to
white/hard and from warm/soft to co ollhard); and the third,
clear to shaded (from brighdclear to grayishkhaded and
from coolklear to warmhhaded).
Kobayashis anaylsis of the relations between these some-
what subjective attributes is similar
to
the thinking of Josef
Albers in Inteructionof Color 2LightJdark and lighdhea vy
lead easily to sofdhard comparison,
or
quicWslow and
early/late connect with young/old, and with w a d c o o l , as
well as with weddry.
Interestingly, in Kobayashis th eory , the emotional qual-
ities are not limited to only one color association but exist
within quadrant of color space.
Because the book is based on a well-documented the ory,
it is superior to another book in this area that comes readily
to mind, The Designers Guides to Color.
A
Book
of Colors is quite handso me and provides a solid
resource for con sumers and professionals looking for a range
of choices when making color combination decisions. Usu-
1987
by John Wiley Sons, Inc.
ally, three or four color fields, in varying proportion, se-
quence and value, are presented for each emotional quality
listed along with a lively, descriptive text.
For example,
in the section describing the attribute
youthful the au thor explains,
.
Show s how reducing
the amoun t of white and increasin g the blue proportionately
highlights the yellow-blue contrast for an attractive, sum-
mery outfit.
A
similar effect is achieved between (fields)
2
and 7, where peppermint green lends a gay mood to
a patio luncheon table
.
The re are also application tips
for package and industrial designers.
As
is evident from the q uote abov e, the language of the
book tends
to
be flowery and at times, soun ds almost naive.
Since this book was originally published in Japanese, this
may be a result of the translation.
Useful to the reader is a final section that shows colors
arranged by hue and sub-divided into complementary and
contrasting color combinations. In addition, the hues are
cross-referenced to the various emotional attributes listed
throughout the book.
The format
of
the book, intended to be consulted as a
reference, may be frustrating to the novice who may need
to understand the theo ry behind the selections-something
that is not clarified until the reader is more than half way
through the book.
Overall, ho wever, Kobayashis Color Image Scale the-
ory appe ars to be a sound and useful on e for both the amateur
and the professional color stylist.
R S
WE IN ST E IN
1 S.Kobayashi,
The
a im
and method
of
thc color image scale,
Color
Re \
2. J
Albers,
Interaction of Color Yale
University Press,
New
Haven,
3.
Anonymous, Designers Guide
t
Color Chronicle Books San Fran-
A p p l
6 ,
93-107 1981).
1971.
cisco, 1984.
344
CCC
4361-2317/87/060344-06 04.00 COLOR research and application
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