Customer Reviews

Complete Color Index

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.)

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.

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.

this book is FULL of color combinations to the point it may be borderline overwhelming. the CMYK formulas are extremely helpful and is a handy small book to jog your inspiration. the side of the book shows what colors are where so you can easily turn to the section of the book you need and flip along. if you do lots of graphic design, this is great to have within arms reach

I had already purchased the original color index (1) and it has helped me out on many many occasions, so acquiring Color index 2 just seemed logical.
While the original color index focuses on color combinations that reflect feelings (quiet, active, nature, ect) this one focuses on combinations per color (what would go well with blue, or what would go well with green, ect) which I find super handy when clients ask "I want something Pinkish"

I needed something to use as a quick guide and reference for finding color schemes and the correct color values when designing printed materials.
You get two books packed in a hard, slide out type storage box (the image you see is the outter case) It slides open to reveal the two books; version 1 and the latest version, book 2.
The book is broken down into color pallettes using a color wheel and has CMYK values on one side of the page and the corresponding RGB value on the other side of the page and a sample color scheme in the middle.
I am very pleased with the layout, compact size, and contents of these books.
I began using it immediately with my design work and it provided a better result in
my full color printed products.
LRG
[...]

After working in newspaper/magazine graphic design for nearly 18 years, I was pretty much coasting on complacency and one gigantic mess of a color pallette that I used at work and at home until I finally picked up both of these Color Indexes (the first one as part of the The Designers Complete Index (Boxed Set) ), which finally broke the monotony, expecially on recent freelance gigs (to which I've returned after a time) where I wowed 'em with the kinds of color combos I USED to create off the top of my head, but before I fell into a rut when I realized just how undiscriminating a lot of clients really are. All of Krausse's "Index" books are essential for the beginner AND the jaded veteran, but the color books are crucial in an era of tight deadlines and mass competition from every flapjack with a home computer and a paint program who suddenly decides graphic design is easy. I hope Color Index 2 will one be day added to the box set as well, right alongside it's predecessor. These books are life-savers, and should be recommended products for anyone seriously considering a career in this field, not to mention those fearing they've been in it too long! ;)

I make jewelry from gemstones and glass beads and these little books are great for coming up with color combinations.
What keeps me from giving a 5 star rating is that many of designs used to showcase the color combinations can be very distracting.

If you're a graphic designer and you don't have this book.... you're missing a great tool.

i have color index 1, and it really pales in comparison to color index 2. the combinations in CI2 have verve and crispness; i always felt like CI1 was muted. as a landscape architecture grad student, CI2 helps to provide starting points for me with color when putting boards together and creating graphics - it's a useful tool. so helpful, in fact, that some of my classmates have borrowed it from me and gone on to purchase their own copy. i highly recommend this book!