Color Studies by Edith Anderson Feisner - NEW 3rd Edition

A NEW 3rd Edition of Color Studies by Edith Anderson Feisner and Ron Reed has just been published in the USA (21 August 2013).

It should be available in the UK in either September or November depending on which reference source you read.

It's even worth buying just as an investment! Without even having seen it, the value at which the 2nd edition (which I own) now trades for on the Internet suggests that this 3rd edition should be snapped up immediately by all artists who like owning very good books about colour.

This is the book I always used to recommend to people wanting a complete overview of Colour as a topic for artists prior to the publication of Colour and Light by James Gurney.

I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't continue to recommend it very highly since it will be the old contents - with new chapters.  Feisner takes a different approach to Gurney and also has content not found in Colour and Light

Here's the Table of Contents of the NEW 3rd Edition

Table Of Contents

Part I: Color Foundations

Chapter 1: What is Color?
Chapter 2: Color Systems and Color Wheels
Chapter 3: Color Theorists
Chapter 4: Coloring Agents
Chapter 5: Digital Color Media and Technology

Part II Dimensions of Color
Chapter 6: The Dimension of Hue
Chapter 7: The Dimension of Value
Chapter 8: The Dimension of Intensity
Chapter 9: The Dimension of Temperature

Part III: Color in Compositions
Chapter 10: Color and the Principles of Design
Chapter 11: Color and Elements of Design
Chapter 12: Color Interactions
Chapter 13: Color and the Effects of Illumination

Part IV: The Influence of Color
Chapter 14: Color Symbolism
Chapter 15: Putting Color to Use— Past, Present, and Future

Appendices | Glossary | Bibliography

Bloomsbury Books in the UK indicate that the new content is as follows

Feisner and Reed provide an up-to-date discussion of sustainable color applications and green materials as the underlying component of colorants, dyes, and inks in textiles, printmaking and paints. A new chapter on color and digital technology discusses illuminating with color (LED), color tools and management (Pantone), as well as color consulting and marketing.

This is what I had to say about the second edition back in 2008 (on Making A Mark - in Learning about Colour - Art Book Reviews for Artists #1)

This is the most comprehensive book about colour that I've come across to date. It's accessible but I think it likely that it would be of most interest to colour nerds (like me)! Preview this book and the full contents guide on Google Books. This is what it provides:

• explanation of the five main colour wheels and their application
• a historical account of colour theory plus a chronological list of colour theorists (unique?)
• a historical account of pigments and their use in fine and applied art plus a list of historical colour palettes linked to current colour code.
• analysis of the four dimensions of colour - hue, value intensity and temperature
• colour in composition - in relation to the principles and elements of design
• colour symbolism - including colour symbols in religion
• a thorough glossary of colour terms

Intervaled scale: A color scale that forms a smooth equal visual transition from one component of the scale to the next
Glossary - Colour by Edith Anderson Feisner

• over 75 colour charts
• over 100 works by students and well known artists
• coloring agents:
• dry binders
• liquid binders
• pigment origins and characteristics of common colours
• hue - various art media (eg Liquitex Acrylic Paints) matched to colour-aid paper pure hues
• color legibility rankings (background colors and lettering/line colors) Did you know that the most legible background colour is yellow?
• a very comprehensive bibliography

Details of the 3rd edition (UK)

Details are provided by Bloomsbury Books in the UK. It's being published as a Design Book.

 

Published:	21-11-2013
Format:	Paperback
Edition:	3rd
Extent	256
ISBN:	9781609015312
Imprint:	Fairchild Books
Illustrations:	355 illustrations
Dimensions:	280 x 215 mm
RRP:	£54.99
Online price:	£49.49

Authors

The book seems to have acquired a new author for the 3rd edition.  It may be Ron reed who has provided the new material in this 3rd edition. The two authors are

• Edith Anderson Feisner - a Visiting Specialist / Assistant Chair (Retired) in the School of Fine Arts at Montclair State University, USA. She has taught courses in color, design, and introduction to visual arts. She has held many positions in the Embroiderers' Guild of America including certified teacher, teacher certification board, as well as the author of the master craftsman programs in color and design. Her fine art works are in both public and private collections. 
• Ron Reed - an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for Interior Design in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Texas State University-San Marcos, USA. Reed served as the IDEC Southwest Regional Chair between 2011-2012.