Title: Nature of Color Your Field Guide for Exploring Color in the Natural World
Author: Kimberly Collins Jermain
Release date: Sep 02 2025
Publisher: Familius
RRP:$19.99
Rating: 4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Familius for providing a review copy of this book.
“Influenced by her classical art training, designer and artist Kimberly Collins Jermain makes color theory simple and understandable for the everyday reader
Color is one of Mother Nature’s most elegant ideas and the most powerful visual tool to inspire human response. After teaching classical art and color theory for over 35 years, Kimberly Collins Jermain believes the visual skills we need to create art and to design interior spaces can be seen and understood best right outside your back door. Nature of Color is a field guide for exploring color theory on hikes, beach walks, while gardening, or when exercising outdoors. Jermain’s simple approach to color theory will train your perceptions and give you the tools you need to solve everyday problems and create with color confidence. Unlike most color theory texts, Nature of Color is an active practice of outdoor adventure. As you joyfully explore and experience color outdoors with Nature of Color, you will understand the importance of keeping nature’s exquisite lessons in mind as we navigate and share our natural world.”
“…there is both art and science involved in creating an illusion. One day’s work painting on location may be blissful inspiration and reverie. Another may be a deliberate scientific endeavour to visually capture the mechanisms of a temperature inversion on canvas. My goal in creating this field guide is to help you integrate both approaches.”
Nature of Color Your Field Guide for Exploring Color in the Natural World by Kimberly Collins Jermain is useful for people who already have a regular painting practice but want to explore colour within the context of nature. Complete beginners can also use this book to start exploring colour in nature with the included exercises.
The book contains a list of basic supplies, and can be used as a field guide as you go outdoors on hikes. There are also practical tips on planning for weather and the different types of gear and clothing you might need to be comfortable while hiking.
If you are new to hiking in nature, the book also contains tips on how to embark on nature walks and how to search for interesting examples of colour.
The exercises following each chapter made me excited to get outdoors with my art supplies!
Exercise topics include:
- Calibrating your colour vision baseline
- Colour expectations
- Seeing local colour, and colour context.
- Pastel studies on the trail
- Color perspective
- Making a colour dial
- Using all the senses
My favourite exercise was the chapter on ‘color expectations’. I went to the hardware store and chose several paint chips that made me think of colours in the New Zealand bush. I took them to our local bird sanctuary and was surprised to discover how my expectations of colour differed from the colours actually seen in nature. This excercise made me think about colour in interesting and new ways, and you can see the results in this video: Finding Colour in Nature, New Sticker Sheets, Oil Painting Update! | Studio Vlog
I found the discussion of how humans perceive colour extremely interesting and the scientific concepts in each chapter were clearly explained. For instance, I was fascinated to learn that when we have trouble differentiating colours and all we can see is gray, that means we are tired and our eyes need a rest. The cones and rods in our eyes will work better if we look away from our subject for a little bit, before continuing. I also enjoyed learning about how colour changes depending on lighting.
I have the advanced reader copy in ebook format, which means that the final printed edition may differ slightly from my copy. However, it looks like the print version has space for you to record your findings and also extra blank pages for notes. It is intended that you will take this book with you out into nature. “…Nature of Color provides a place to paint what you see with a color medium or to take notes on what you found fascinating.”
I have already been using the lessons I’ve learned from this book in my daily art practice. I am getting out and about in nature more often, while actively observing and recording my colour findings in nature!
I would definitely take along a print edition of this book with me on hikes and bush walks. It is packed with practical information. I would be very keen to read a second volume with more in depth information and exercises!