I’ve just finished reading Artist’s Color Manual: The Complete Guide to Working with Color by Simon Jennings and published in 2003 which carries a 5-star Amazon rating. This beautifully designed book is a labor of years of love and hours of research. Jennings covers What is Color with information on paints and pigments with straight-forward science of mineral foundations as well as a buyer’s guide to materials. There are sections on mixing and working with various color groups with first-hand interviews by practicing artists. Of most use is a visually stimulating color index – a reference to over 450 colors in a variety of media. That’s what I loved most about this compelling work (which I read straight through in 2 days) – the fact that Jennings has broken down the different applications of say, yellow ochre, in the various mediums – oils, acrylics, pastels, dry pencils, watercolors, etc.
Here’s an except on Indian Yellow in history. ”Along with Mummy Brown, the process of obtaining Indian Yellow bay be considered rather offensive. it is reputed to have involved precipitating the urine of cows that had been force-fed with mango leaves. Its manufacture, from just one village, was banned in the 1920s by the Indian government in an effort to protect the cows from such an unhealthy diet. This bright, golden color is now replicated chemically, although it may lack the precise character of the original! Indian Yellow was most successful for watercolor, and had substantial lightfast properties. It is the bright yellow used in jewel-like Indian miniatures.”
Here’s an Amazon site review.
For those of us who actually want to learn something new, something you probably didn’t learn in undergrad. Excellent reference book for specific pigments and the results when mixed with others. For example, I forgot that when mixing Cadmium Red w/a blue results in a “brownish” violet hue. Instead using Alizeran Crimson creates a much more desirable violet.
Not only does this book dispels myths, include historical birthings of pigments, give accurate detailed information about each color (including variations w/in each family)…it also has a chapter on “Creative Directions”. This is a really great chapter giving inspiration for branching out w/your work.
I’m an art teacher, and artist myself. I don’t have to the time I’d like to keep my own journals of pigments and mixed colors…it just isn’t practical for me…too much to do, too little time. This book is amazing, perfect for the 3 second memory I have and much better than leafing through an ENORMOUS reference book just to remember which red to use when making violet (was it Alizeran Crimson or Cadmium Red)…
However, if you’re just starting out in painting or you’re looking for a sequence for a “curriculum” get the “New Artist’s Manual…”. It is basically this book and “Art Class” combined. Wish I had bought that one first.
