Complete Color Index [Paperback]

Jim Krause (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2008

With over 2600 color combinations, this set is all you'll need for solutions to your color problems! It contains the original best-selling Color Index and Color Index 2, and together they comprise the most comprehensive color-selection tool out there. Providing multiple palette possibilities for every project, this complete collection is an indispensable tool for designers, illustrators, photographers, crafters, fine artists and others.

Each color palette includes a swatch, an example of the colors used in a design, and accurate CMYK and RGB formulas, making it easy for you to find appropriate colors and implement them immediately. The palettes in Color Index are divided into categories based on the moods they evoke, while the palettes in Color Index 2 are based on color families. No matter your preferred method for searching, you'll be able to easily reference hundreds of hues at a glance.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jim Krause has worked as a designer in the Pacific Northwest since the 1980s. He has produced award-winning work for clients large and small, including Microsoft, McDonalds, and Seattle Public Schools.

Product Details

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: How (September 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600613330
• ISBN-13: 978-1600613333
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jim Krause has worked as a designer in the Pacific Northwest since the 1980s. He has produced award-winning work for clients large and small, including Microsoft, McDonald's, Kodak, Cingular Wireless, Washington Apples, Bell Helicopter, Levi Strauss, Paccar/Kenworth, Northern Trust and Seattle Public Schools.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, but calibrate your monitor!, February 10, 2008

By 

B. T. Denyer "Web designer" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Color Index 2: Over 1500 New Color Combinations. For Print and Web Media. CMYK and RGB Formulas. (Paperback)

I thought the book was a little whacked until I realized my monitor was out of calibration. I used the Eye-One Display 2 Monitor Calibrator to calibrate my monitor and now I am getting colors that are VERY close to the book.

There isn't much to say about it except that is it very easy to use, very intuitive, and will have you making better color choices without having to learn one single thing about color theory. You can be completely color-theory illiterate and still make great choices using this book.

In fact, you could be writing hex code for html on a monochrome monitor, while using this book, and still get it right!

The book is split up into sections based on color. "Combination of blue hues" is the first section cluster. Within that section is "Blues + neighboring hues", "Blues + opposing hues", "Blues + neutral hues", and "Blues + black and tints of black." These section clusters continue for Reds, Violets, Orange, Yellow, and Greens. At the end you will find "Mixed combinations of Saturated Hues", "Mixed Combinations of Semi-muted Hues", "Mixed Combination of Neutrals and Muted Hues", Mixed Combination of Neutrals and Saturated Hues."

I highly recommend this book, just be sure that your monitor is calibrated before you start complaining about the book's color numbers being wrong (like I initially did.)

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Design Tool!, November 19, 2008

By 

Ten8ious - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Complete Color Index (Paperback)

These are great little books. when I ordered it I thought it was going to be one full sized book that combined the contents of both the previous Color Index books, but it is not -- instead it's a "Box set" of the two little ones. Since I didn't own either of the previous indexes, I was not at all disappointed. I thought I was going to want it all in one book, but actually I like this better -- the two books are set up to be "searched" on different criteria -- sometimes you know what color scheme you want and sometimes you know what mood you want -- there's a book for each instance. I really appreciate that the color combinations are presented both in bar swatches and also in a mocked up design so you can really see the colors interact.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great color book for ideas!, February 7, 2008

By 

heather_29 (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color Index 2: Over 1500 New Color Combinations. For Print and Web Media. CMYK and RGB Formulas. (Paperback)

This book is really helpful when you're stuck using the same color palettes over and over. His first book was good too, but this one is grouped by colors instead of being so random. It's a small book and great to have near computer for when you need a creative boost.