In the late 18th century, German mineralogist Abraham Werner devised a standardized scheme for classifying colors which was later adapted and revised in the 19th century by Scottish painter Patrick Syme. Syme enhanced Werner’s original guide by including painted swatches for each color based on Werner’s precise descriptions and examples of where to find the colors in the natural world.
This project enhances Syme’s work by adding information that I wanted when I read the guidebook, like easily jumping to any color, seeing the colors referenced in the description, and seeing photos of what Werner referenced for his descriptions of each color. Two new data visualization posters were also created based on the color data in the original guidebook.
The result is something that’s hopefully interesting for those just discovering Werner’s guide and those that may already be familiar with it and want to discover it in a new light.
Press
- Interactive recreation of an 1821 color guidebook, September 11, 2018, FlowingData
- Fascinating 19th Century Color Manual Gets Turned Into An Inspiration Site, September 11, 2018, DesignTAXI
- 19th Century Color Guide Is Transformed Into an Online Resource for Designers, September 15, 2018, My Modern Met
- Tesori d’archivio: la nomenclatura dei colori di Werner ora ha anche una versione online (English translation), September 17, 2018, Frizzifrizzi
- A 200-year-old guide to color, redesigned for the internet age, September 20, 2018, Fast Company
- Interactive Version of a Classic Color Manual Used By Charles Darwin Is Now Available Online, September 20, 2018, Mental Floss
- Класифікацію кольорів Вернера, класичний довідник відтінків, виклали онлайн (English translation), September 24, 2018, Platfor.ma
- Ein Traum für Webdesigner: Altes Naturfarben-Handbuch digital aufbereitet (English translation), September 24, 2018, OnlineMarketing.de
- 進化論のダーウィンも使った?!200年前の色辞典をデジタル化したWerner’s Nomenclature Colours (English translation), September 24, 2018, PhotoshopVIP
- Webspecial: Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours (English translation), September 26, 2018, Design Tagebuch
- Explore an Interactive, Online Version of Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours, a 200-Year-Old Guide to the Colors of the Natural World, September 27, 2018, Open Culture
- Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours Is BACK, September 27, 2018, Shanna Shryne Design
- Episode 89: Headsets and Holograms, September 27, 2018, Design Observer
- What’s New for Designers, October 2018, October 15, 2018, Webdesigner Depot
- Находка T&P: интерактивный каталог главных цветов в природе (English translation), October 16, 2018, Theory & Practice
- 10 best new web design tools for October 2018, October 17, 2018, Creative Bloq
- La nomenclature des couleurs de Werner, entièrement recréée sur ce site interactif (English translation), October 22, 2018, La boite verte
- Werner?s Farbnomenklatur als Web Special (English translation), October 23, 2018, CoffeeBreak
- La guía de color más antigua del mundo ya se puede consultar en internet (English translation), November 9, 2018, Domestika
- The interactive map of an old color nomenclature…, January 3, 2019, Faena Aleph
- 110 種如詩的顏色！達爾文也愛用的 200 年歷史色彩指南，開放線上閱覽 (English translation), September 8, 2019, Shopping Design
- 【周遊藝術】新方式認識19世紀的維爾納顏色命名法 (English translation), February 26, 2020, Orange News
- Оттенки онлайн: новая жизнь каталога цветов XIX века (English translation), Jul 31, 2020, Системный Блок{ъ}
- Where do our words for colors in nature come from?, January 25, 2023, The Berkshire Eagle
- Intressant om färgers nomenklatur , November 8, 2024, Hovbergs blogg
