Hi, I was given a little booklet called 831 color combinations For Showcards and Signs-for 37 different background colors. Produced by Vestil S. Harrison of Centerville, Utah back in the 40's or 50's. Whats remarkable about it is his Intro as follows: 'This handy, comprehensive, ready-reference book came into being because it's author is of that considerable percentage of males afflicted with color blindness. Rather odd that one so afflicted should persist in the desire to follow that craft of all crafts,commercial art, which requires such a working knowledge of color is'nt it?' Vestil catagorized in text with the heading of the background color and under that with sub headings of five different elements of design- headline-outlines etc.- sub heads- body copy- and ornaments and borders with about 60 different combos listed for each. He gives tips on color mixing,symbolism of color and characteristics. A tip on trimming brushes: Tape a razor blade down on a table having the edge protrude over the edge of the table. dampen the hairs and press to a chisel edge and lay on the blade with the ends of the hairs sticking out barely a 64th then with a sandpaper holder and 0 or 00 paper strike sharply across the blade edge with a downward stroke. All this makes me wish I was just painting. Think of the added pride one would have for a job well done. Sometimes I wish computers remained a figment of our imagination and Bill Gates ended up in an asylum rocking back and forth as he does and saying over and over " bits and pieces,bits and pieces" but no, he went on to give us "double U, double U, double U to say over and over until HAL says you can go home now.
