Welcome to the Colour Literacy Project

The Colour Literacy Project is a 21st century initiative that recognizes colour as a meta-discipline. Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art educational resources that strengthen the bridges between the sciences, arts, design and humanities in order to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future. 

Fluency with the language of colour sharpens our visual intelligence, expands our perceptions, and enhances our ability to communicate.

Thanks to Peter Donahue for the creation of the video.

Colour literacy is not just for artists and scientists — it’s for everyone.


“In the end, learning the language of color is really about learning to see.”
— — Philip Ball, Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color
 

SPOTLIGHT

Colour Literacy Forum

Colour through time: Histories, meanings, practices

with Patrick Baty, Spike Bucklow and Judith Mottram

Friday November 8, 11:00am-12:30pm ET


Hands-On Explorations

The Colour Literacy Curriculum is focused on foundational colour exercises with overviews, lesson plans, materials lists, and pdf printables. The Fundamentals section provides supporting background material linking the exercises to colour fundamentals and corrects common colour misconceptions. Terms used in the lesson plans are defined in the illustrated Glossary.

Colour Literacy Cornerstones

At the heart of the project is a new, foundational, 21st Century Colour Curriculum based on hands-on exploration of the Colour Literacy Cornerstones:

Experiencing Colours - Exercises that build awareness of the wonder of colour all around us.
Describing Colours - Exercises that expand colour language beyond 2D hue circles to 3D colour models.
Perceiving Colours - Exercises that explore the elements of colour perception.
Working with Colours - Exercises that focus on the use of colour across disciplines.

Please get in touch via the CONTACT link below if you have questions or feedback or if you would like to get involved in our curricular training. THANKS!