ISCC-NBS-System

Colours must have names. The assumption that colour identification can itself form the basis of a colour-system is certainly justified. The objective of the system is to assign precise names to the individual blocks of the A.H. Munsell colour-system using ordinary words. The result is the colour dictionary shown. (Detailed text)


Date: In 1955, the Inter-Society-Color-Council (ISCC) recommended the classification of colour names at the suggestion of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS).

Country of origin: USA

Basic colours: Relates to the Munsell system: red, yellow, green, blue and purple

Form: A colour-solid divided into increasingly fine blocks

Application: A linguistic system that assigned names to colours

Related systems: Munsell

Bibliography: K. L. Kelly und D. B. Judd, «The ISCC-NBS Method of Designating Colors and a Dictionary of Color Names», National Bureau of Standards (USA), Nummer 553 (1955); K. L. Kelly und D. B. Judd, «Color Universal Color Language and Dictionary of Names», National Bureau of Standards, Spez. publ. Nummer 440 (1976); F. T. Simon, «Color Order», in F. Grum und C. J. Bartleson, Optical Radiation Measurements, Volume 2, Color Measurement, New York 1980, pp. 165-235.

Links: Inter-Society Color Council