For as long as we have existed, humans have tried to make sense of color.

For as long as we have existed, humans have tried to make sense of color. Back when our limited color options included crushed up minerals, early humans created systems for organizing pigments on makeshift palettes. “Any artist who’s ever worked with pigments has had to create order out of color,” says color theorist and historian Alexandra Loske. “Even cave men painting the walls had to put their colors in order.”

Loske’s new book, Color: A Visual History From Newton to Modern Color Matching Guides, provides a detailed look at how the way we think about color has changed over time. The book spans the 18th century to today, and outlines dozens of fantastically designed color wheels and diagrams created by scientists, artists, and designers.

 “Trying to make sense of color is just us being human and trying to understand the world.”


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