What Led to One of the First Modern Color Systems

If you’re looking for some fascinating inspiration (or distraction) today, check out this 2016 piece from Hyperallergic about what led to one of the first modern color systems. 

I suppose the above image caption gives it away. Yes, the answer is birds! Back in 1886, ornithologist Robert Ridgway published a book cataloguing nearly 200 colors as found across a wide diversity of birds. Later, he published another book which drew from birds as well as other elements found in nature to expand the color collection to 1,115. This book apparently became the basis for the first Pantone Color System in 1963, which, as we know, completely transformed how numerous industries think and talk about color.

Lots more compelling history and imagery available in the article, here.