Introduction to colour specification

The aim of this course is to increase your understanding of colour and the NCS System - so that you have more control over the process of colour selection and communication and can specify colour more accurately, efficiently and creatively.

NCS is an International Colour Standard that can be used to specify all types of surfaces.

This unit explains:

• Why we need a colour system
• How the NCS System works

And gives some practical advice on:

• Which NCS products suit particular types of work
• Cross references, colour matching, combining colours and colour contrast

Natural colour

For many of us our reference point for colour will be in nature: the blue of the sky and the sea, the green of foliage, the varied reds, browns, ochres and greys of earth and rock. Simple colour names are used as shorthand for a multitude of different colour experiences that change with the time of day and the seasons.





Tara Hanrahan MA RCA: Sky colour chart & seasonal swatches

Aim: To challenge our perception of the colour of the sky. It is not (despite dictionary description) by definition, blue.

Go to case study

Which blue?

To describe these colours individually, we need more precise words than blue, grey and green.



We could use more adjectives: Light blue, pale greeny blue, bright turquoise blue... but none of these accurately describes the colours we see, or helps us specify the colours for a facade, street furniture, a sign or a bridge.

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info@ncscolour.co.uk