The good news is: Our products are compatible with all current color systems from 4 up to 12 color types. And the bad news is: Many color systems use different type and color names. So we introduced for our products two icon sets to simplify the “translation”: The scale set with the color dimensions according Munsell and the traditional seasonal icon set.
The Scale Set
The basis of all color systems are three dimensions (see chart below according Munsell). Each color is described using the combination of three scales: value, hue (i.e. temperature) and chroma (i.e. saturation). This allows to act smart when it comes to exploring color choices.
Image: SharkD CC BY-SA 3.0 (montage)
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| Value, also be called as “brightness”, illustrated by a circle describes how light or dark a particular color is, classified in light, medium, deep/dark. | Hue illustrated by a thermometer basically describes the color temperature: Warm or cold, or some combination of the two, classified in cold, cold-warm, warm. | Chroma illustrated by a sun indicates the clarity or saturation or intensity of a color, classified in soft/muted, medium, clear/bright. |
The scales give immediately an overview of the specific color type. This can be used as a general explanation for your clients and is therefor a very helpful tool. For example Summer is described as light, cold and quite soft and you are immediately able to see these three dimensions by the way how the scales are filled with black ink.
The top/left scale is not filled with black. You are on the side with an empty/white circle (light).
The middle scale again is not filled with black. You are on the side with an empty thermometer (cold).
The lower/right scale is slightly filled with black. You are on the side where the sun is covered by a cloud (quite soft).
The traditional seasonal Icon Set
The charts below show the most common color systems with our seasonal icon set. So you can identify the right product corresponding to the color system that you are using or by which you have been advised. By the way: If you like our charts you can purchase them.
Get Purchase Advice
The color systems of various providers and trainers often use different color type names. The table below describes our color fans, whatever names may be given. If you are unsure whether you can change from your swatches used previously to our swatches, give us a call or a message by email. We will advise you!
| Seasonal Icons | International Names | Value Hue Chroma |
Descriptions | European Names | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Warm (True) Spring |    |
light warm clear bright |
Spring |
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Light Spring | |
light cold warm medium |
Spring Summer |
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Clear Spring |   |
medium warm clear bright |
Spring Winter |
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|
Light (True) Summer |   |
light cold/cool soft muted |
Summer |
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Soft Summer |   |
medium cold/cool soft muted |
Summer Autumn |
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Cool Summer | |
medium cold/cool medium |
Summer Winter |
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Dark (True) Autumn |  |
deep dark warm soft muted |
Autumn |
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Warm Autumn | |
medium warm medium |
Autumn Spring |
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Soft Autumn | |
medium cold warm soft muted |
Autumn Summer |
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Cool (True) Winter | |
deep dark cold/cool clear bright |
Winter |
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Clear Winter | |
medium cold/cool clear bright |
Winter Spring |
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Deep Winter | |
deep dark cold warm medium |
Winter Autumn |