I was thinking about the difficulties of
communicating color value. One idea I
have seen tried elsewhere is using a DMC embroidery thread equivalent. The charts are relatively inexpensive (and useful for those who embroider) and
would allow for an understanding of color
without the variances in color calibration
on different monitors. (The company I work for makes lots of money selling monitors and devices that can
calibrate color to the advertising
industries…) For those who don’t have a chart, a simple visit to the fabric store to look for the number might
not be too difficult to achieve. There is
also a chart(and maybe more) on-line:
http://yarntree.com/075dmcolors.jpg
This will work for quick reference, but if you
have an actual chart, then we avoid
monitor color variance, which is probably not a big deal for general discussion, but true color may be more
important at fabric buying time.
I, for one, would be interested in the colors
achieved by natural dyes. I know there
are some books, like the ‘Dyer’s Garden’ IIRC have sample results. One of my weaving books has some samples –
for example, I could then say that
Byzantine Silk Weaving, AD 400 – 1200 says the Arabs used lichens to dye the color red – and “Weaving”
by Shirley Held has a sample of rock
lichen dyed wool, soaked in ammonia and water one week with no mordant – and the color is a very slightly purplish
red, close to DMC 347. We could then all
look at our charts and nod, or exchange information on actual projects and results in different books. Are
DMC charts readily accessible in
Australia and Europe?
I think I would put a color palette together for
myself to take shopping. I will work
towards getting a chart very soon. Perhaps someone who is well experienced with dying and proper period dyes
might put together the basics for us –
the range of woad, madder and weld?
And, I’m really curious – what color *is*
Lincoln green?
~ Katrine / Katherine Barich
Message # 895, March 10, 2003
I’ve also heard of the colour chart idea and think
it’s lovely. DMC threads are quite readily available in
Australia, but I’ve never noticed the
colour charts sitting out in very obvious places. Then again I never looked for one, so it could be hidden there in plain
sight. I’ll enquire of friends who
embroider more than once every 3 years. (I
tend to buy embroidery thread to sew eyelets or similar. Last time I bought a length (the standard 8m) to try lucetting a
cord for my dress – it made 67cm of cord
when I need about 1.5m. <sigh> Who’da thought lucetting used so much thread.)
Re: putting together a color palette –
the range of woad, madder and weld, etc.
I think someone already has – checking links:
ourworld.cs.com/_ht_a/constancefairfax/Claie.htm
this isn’t what I was really looking for though
– this is a list of late period 16th C
colours, and I’m not sure what they are based on. Not what i was hoping for.
hmm let me google:
http://www.treheima.ca/bryniau/local/artsandsciences/conquest.html — broken link
There is some colour charts there, I think
(according to the bibliography) they are from:
Uzzell, Hazel, Dye Equivalents, Chronicle, Regia
Anglorium quartly magazine Volume 11,
Issue 4 (No 60) Winter 2000 01 (nice woad
over weld green colour too 🙂 )
also: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cynewulf/Regia/dyes.htm
— broken link
(text only, but opinions on dmc equiivalents)
http://www.florilegium.org/files/TEXTILES/Bayeux-Tap-msg.text
DMC colours for Bayeux tapestry threads
And, I’m really curious – what color *is*
Lincoln green?
Aren’t we all. Robin hood green???
I’m assuming you’ve seen:
http://www.florilegium.org/files/TEXTILES/green-art.html
~ Teffania / Tiffany Brown
Message #896, March 10, 2003
For Japanese Heian garb, Kass McCann gives wonderful charts that are compared to the DMC colours; makes it
soooo easy to find the right colour and/or shade.
~ Elspeth Bouchannane / Jacki Frederick
Message #897, March 11, 2003
DMC colour charts are available in specialist embroidery/craft shops throughout New Zealand. Last time I looked they
weren’t cheap and the colour samples are
very small. : )
~ M Kinraid
Message #898, March 11, 2003