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Conn 375: The Art & Science of Color

Getting Started: Subject Encyclopedias

Use subject encyclopedias as a starting point for an overview of a topic.

Oxford Reference Online a collection of encyclopedias, handbooks and other tertiary sources on a broad range of topics.

Note: There is a limit of three simultaneous users.

Geoffrey Newman, et al. "Colour." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

Osborne, Harold. "Colour." The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

Articles on composers, performers, conductors, instruments and notation, forms and genres, and individual works

Jörg Jewanski. "Colour and music." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.

Note: There is a limit of 3 simultaneous users.

Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an

Rippin, Andrew. "Colors." Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an. Ed. Jane Dammen McAuliffe. Vol. 1. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers, 2001. 361-365. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

 

Encyclopedia of Aesthetics

Riley, Charles A., and C. L. Hardin. "Color." Encyclopedia of Aesthetics. Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford Reference.

The first essay demonstrates the central role of color in the history of the various arts, especially architecture, literature, music, and painting. The second essay provides a closer look at how scientists and philosophers have understood color, both in the past and today.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

Robins, Gay. "Color Symbolism." Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press, 2001. Oxford Reference Online.

Image Databases

Websites

Pigments Through the Ages - an exhibit about pigments used through the early 20th century; includes timeline, history and techniques

Color Vision & Art - includes color theory, paints, African color, 19th-21st century art

Pantone - A company that specializes in standard color reproduction. Site includes color of the year, color fashion report, and color reference.

Color Matters - Fun facts about color

Subject Databases

Subject databases cover a specific discipline and provide the widest range of access to scholarly sources. They are used for in-depth research.  Below are just a few examples of databases to search articles about a color from an arts and humanities perspective.

 Can't find what you need? Recommended subject databases for each discipline can be found on the "articles" tab in each library subject guide.

 

Art Database

Humanities Databases

Religion & Philosophy

Performing Arts: Music & Theatre

Literature

Search tips

The name of a color is a broad term and needs to be narrowed to find relevant results. Here are some tips to try:

  • Add more words: blue AND clothing
  • Change the default search field to title or subject.

 

Books and More!

Search Primo, the library's gateway to books, selected articles, video, and more.

Suggested search phrases

Color  (Philosophy)  

Color in Art

Color in Motion Pictures

Color