standard colors

[Una Smith]

Who cares if the paint company calls some color "ferrrrn", so long
as you know it is really 6YG 5/5?

With some minor adjustments, Jim Matta's suggestion to use paint
color swatches from the hardware store sounds like a great way to
make yourself a large supply of inexpensive chip sets customized
for your research.  Here's my recipe:

1. Collect swatches.

2. Beg, borrow, or steal a color standard.  (You might even use a
   computer for this, if you have a good monitor and know how to
   test for and correct its color biases, but I would use the big
   Munsell chip set.)  Match each swatch to a standard color, and
   record the standard code for that color *on the back of each
   swatch*.  Return the standard to its owner.

3. Work out a handy systematic arrangement of the colors you have.

4. If you find gaps in the coverage of your system, go to step 1.

5. Get some high-quality cardstock in a neutral gray color, cut it
   to size, mark where each color chip will go, and write the code
   for each chip below the mark.

6. Cut the swatches into chips and glue the chips on, one color at
   a time, so you don't get them mixed up.

7. To make sure your chips aren't fading, check them now and then
   against a "real" color standard.


        Una Smith
        Yale University