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A Century of Color in Books
Books on Color Combinations and Choosing Color Palettes

By , About.com Guide

choose a color palette

Choose a color palette

Screenshots by J. James
While color has experienced trends where certain shades and specific combinations were favored and others discouraged, today almost anything goes if it is appropriate for the audience and the project. The trick is finding the color combination that speaks for the client and to the intended audience.

Check your local bookstore or favorite online bookseller for all of these books about color selection:

  • The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations: 500+ Historic and Modern Color Formulas in CMYK
    by Leslie Cabarga
    North Light Books
    ISBN 0891348573
    (source of the color palettes found in this article)
    compare prices
  • Process Color Manual, 24,000 CMYK Combinations for Design, Prepress, and Printing
    by Michael Rogondino
    Chronicle Books
    ISBN 0811827577
    compare prices
  • Pantone Guide to Communicating With Color
    by Leatrice Eiseman
    Hand Book Press
    ISBN 0966638328
    compare prices
  • Interaction of Color
    by Josef Albers
    Yale University Press
    ISBN 0300018460
    compare prices
  • Color Harmony Workbook: A Workbook and Guide to Creative Color Combinations
    by Lesa Sawahata
    Rockport Publishers
    ISBN 1564964353
    compare prices
  • A Book of Colors: Matching Colors, Combining Colors, Color Designing, Color Decorating
    by Shigenobu Kobayashi
    Kodansha International
    ISBN 0870118005
    compare prices
  • Designer's Guide to Color
    also editions 2, 3, 4, and 5
    by James Stockton, Ikuyoshi Haishoku Shibukawa
    Chronicle Books
    ISBN 0877013179
    compare prices
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