Sharing KNOWLEDGE + EXPERIENCE about COLOR

  • Research 
  • Design/Arts 
  • Industry
  • Education

The Color Council (ISCC) is the principal interdisciplinary society in the United States dedicated to advancing color research and best practices in industry, design/arts and education.

Become a Member


Rochester Institute of Technology

June 16-18, 2025

Color Impact 2025 was a perfect blend of learning, innovation and community building for anyone passionate about color!

Find out what happened HERE.


Upcoming Events

    • 29 Oct 2025
    • 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
    • Virtual
    Register

    Dr. Larry E. Steenhoek Receives the Godlove Award

    We are pleased to announce that the 2025 recipient of the Godlove Award is Dr. Larry E. Steenhoek. This online presentation will include a brief history of the Godlove Award,  citation by Anthony Calabria, followed by the Godlove Lecture by Dr. Steenhoek.

    The Complete History of Color Measurements for the Automotive Industry (Abridged)

    Automotive color measurement has evolved dramatically over the past century, moving from visual assessments to sophisticated multi-angle instrumentation. Early 45/0 and sphere-based instruments were adequate for solid colors, but the rise of metallics and pearlescents required new approaches capable of capturing angle-dependent effects.

    This lecture traces key milestones: the 1987 ISCC Williamsburg Conference, where multi-angle measurement was first openly discussed; the introduction of experimental and commercial portable devices in the 1990s; and the steady cycle of innovation and standardization that followed. Today, nearly 200,000 multi-angle spectrophotometers are in active use worldwide, most in body shops, where they underpin formula retrieval, refinish quality, and OEM certification.

    Drawing on four decades at DuPont and Axalta, the presentation highlights not only the technical advances but also their impact on paint formulation, design, and marketing. What began as a laboratory challenge has become an everyday reality, enabling color to be managed with precision across the global automotive industry.

    This meeting will be held via Zoom. Use the following link on Oct 29 at 2pm Eastern Time:


    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82354045027?pwd=G7UvSz7TRR30agKB4IGCWyjdgM0qb3.1
    Meeting ID: 823 5404 5027
    Passcode: 341185


    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
    • virtual
    • 300
    Register

    WHO University students and faculty
    WHEN     
    November 14, 2025, 1:00pm Easter US

    Amidst the ongoing societal reconstruction for social justice, this research is of paramount importance as it focuses on establishing “spaces of identification” for an environment that reflects the Pacific Northwest heritage and its culture and ethnic diversity for shared ethnicities and backgrounds.  By understanding and leveraging the power of Color and how it relates to our cultural identity, we aim to foster a more supportive and inclusive environment. 

    Students are actively involved in this research, exploring the influence of color in a university setting and investigating the profound impact of color on their immediate environment. 

    This project unfolds as a meditation on color, touch, and story, a reweaving of University of Oregon’s design library into a vessel of reflection and resonance. Guided by Indigenous storytelling and the tactile language of material, the space becomes an intimate terrain where light, texture, and memory converge. 

    The Oregon landscape breathes just beyond its walls.  Here, color is not surface but story. From the Museum of Natural and Cultural History on campus emerges two chromatic lineages: (1) connection to the land drawn from serpentinite rock, a mineral hymn of greens, blues and yellows that speak of transformation,  and (2) connection to animals and the outdoors steeped in the soft earth tones of hide and fur, colors that convey warmth and the lingering scent of belonging. These palettes intertwine like threads in a woven fabric --the moment when colors meet and shift, revealing new harmonies through touch and proximity, land and light, body and place, and retell the story of connection.


    Presenters

    Esther Hagenlocher, Associate Professor, Department of Interior Architecture, School of Architecture and Environment, University of Oregon

    Esther Hagenlocher is an architect, scholar, and practitioner who studies the interaction of architecture and interior architecture, typically associated with issues of scale, material and detail.  As a professional, she has design primarily residential and exhibition spaces, which are often small, necessitating strategies to expand space.  Esther researches efficient use of space, focusing on color and material studies in Architectural Education and Color-reflectivity.  Her work is truly interdisciplinary, drawing from various fields to enrich our understanding of space.  In her current research project is a scientific approach to the oeuvre of artist and color scholar, Fritz Seitz. 

    Blaine Brennan, Bachelor of Interior Architecture, University of Oregon (2026)

    Blaine Brennan is in her final year of the Interior Architecture program at the University of Oregon. Originally from Louisiana, she has found her home away from home in the Pacific Northwest, where her work explores the intersections of color, community and the stewardship of architectural heritage. Blaine’s design philosophy celebrates place, honoring the stories, textures and cultural landscapes that shape how we live and connect. 

    Hannah Petkau, Master of Interior Architecture (2026), Master of Fine Arts, University of Oregon (2022)

    Hannah Petkau is an interdisciplinary designer originally from Cortes Island, Canada, and currently based in Eugene, Oregon. Her practice centers on connection—bringing together material, process, and people through the design of objects, spaces, and experiences. Drawing from her background in art, hospitality, education, and architecture, she approaches spatial design with both human experience and environmental context in mind. Hannah is completing her Master of Interior Architecture at the University of Oregon.

    Emma BallBachelor of Architecture, University of Oregon (2026) 

    Emma Ball is a fifth-year architecture student in the School of Architecture and Environment at the University of Oregon. Outside of her major, she studies interior architecture and environmental studies.   Growing up in San Jose, California, Emma was fascinated with the city around her. Daily, as she drove on the freeway, she noticed the impermanence of the buildings, as construction or demolition was always in development. At the University of Oregon, her academic emphasis is sustainability, with a focus on implementing conscious design to reduce negative impacts on a jeopardized environment. 


    FLUORESCENT FRIDAYS is a platform for university students from all disciplines to network with color professionals and fellow students, and to explore cutting-edge information about color’s role in our lives and applications in the world. 

    Global Student Chapter: The long range goal is to build a global student chapter that positions color as a multidimensional STEAM model (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math), sharing up-to-date color research by scientists, artists, designers, industry professionals, and university students.21st century color communication requires a commitment to building bridges for sharing resources, cultivating mentors, and creating new opportunities. With up-to-date information and useful tools, students become the next generation of leaders in ever-evolving color related disciplines.

 NEWS!

Deadlines for our Student Support Grant are May 15 and October 15 of each year. This grant is designed to assist undergraduate and graduate students with activities pertaining to colorDetails and application forms here.


Grow your color knowledge

Learn and connect with color professionals through our events, resources, and programs!


The Colour Literacy Project is an educational initiative to strengthen the bridge between art and science in 21st century colour education.

This project provides foundational, state-of-the-art resource within a STEAM framework. Teaching guides available for free download.

VISIT COLORLITERACY.ORG


Join students from all disciplines and network with color professionals. Discover state-of-the-art information about color in our lives and applications in the world. New episode every month. One-hour presentation on topics such as branding, architecture, paint, and more.

MORE ABOUT FLUORESCENT FRIDAYS


Consider this the online version of coffee breaks and happy hours at a color conference. BYO coffee or beverage and join in the conversation!

Socialize, network, and learn! Discussions are wide-ranging and depend on attendees, their current interests and past experience.

REGISTER FOR THE NEXT ONE


A deeper dive into a range of topics related to color. 

BOLD: Color from Test Tube to Textile

Presented by Dr Elisabeth Berry Drago, Director of Visitor Engagement at the Science History Institute. Recorded January 23, 2024.


We are sharing this webinar to non-members for free. Visit this link and enter your name and email address. 


A Look Inside Our Quarterly:

Join the Color Council to receive the entire publication!


Diffusion Material for Luminous Mosaic Images

In this editorial, Richard Travis presents a follow-up to his 2021 pair of articles about color education and additive color mixing, which also serves to remind us all to have a look at both of his preceding works.

Read more>>


Blue Morphos Have a Cool Color

I first encountered the blue morpho in Kai Kupferschmidt’s book, Blue: In Search of Nature’s Rarest Color, which I reviewed in Issue 504 of ISCC News. There I learned about a tricky problem that the butterfly appears to have solved through natural selection. Interference patterns can lead to brilliant structural colors, but the color you see generally depends on the angles of illumination and viewing.

Read more>>

Subscribe to our mailing list

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive information about our upcoming events.

Subscribe

COPYRIGHT © INTER-SOCIETY COLOR COUNCIL  | SITEMAP

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software