The MIT 5k Dataset 3: Effective Averaging Close-Up

by Dan Margulis November 18, 2017

Those interested in quality have always been willing to spend time to get what they considered the best possible results. For some years now I have been suggesting that this is not the best approach in our field. Instead, I have been preaching that it is a better use of time to do the initial […]

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The MIT 5k Dataset 2: The Ground Rules

by Dan Margulis November 13, 2017

The following details the procedures used in evaluating the images in this study. It is posted separately so that I do not have to repeat it every time I discuss results in the future. I went through the set of 5,000 original images and deleted those I thought were of limited interest. I used the […]

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The MIT 5k Dataset 1: Introduction

by Dan Margulis November 11, 2017

This is the introduction to a series of posts I will make based on my work with files that are part of a remarkable archive. Researchers at MIT and Adobe have recently made available the data from a massive project they have undertaken to study what people look for when they correct color. The researchers’ […]

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Applied Color Theory classes in 2017

by Dan Margulis January 4, 2017

For those wishing to take color skills to the ultimate level, here are the two dates for Applied Color Theory classes in 2017. • ATLANTA, Wednesday, March 22 through Saturday, March 25, 2017. • SAN DIEGO, Wednesday, August 9, through Saturday, August 12, 2017. These classes—four long days, limited to eight persons—have changed the lives […]

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The Presentation of Data: When Red and Blue Are Opponent Colors

by Dan Margulis June 3, 2016

The U.S. presidential campaign offers an interesting insight on opponent colors, and on how best to present data. The conventional way of doing it leaves much to be desired. Residents of other countries have difficulty understanding the American system, where in effect the election is always decided by voters in a small minority of states. […]

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Applied Color Theory Classes in 2016

by Dan Margulis January 30, 2016

In September 1994, I took three days off from my day job in New York, and spent them teaching color correction to six people in Atlanta. We were using Photoshop 3, with no adjustment layers, no multiple undo, no actions, and computers with 16 mb RAM. Sterling Ledet gave the name “Applied Color Theory” to […]

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Photoshop 修色圣典

by Dan Margulis December 25, 2015

Chinese readers will be interested to know that the translation of Modern Photoshop Color Workflow is on press now, and should be available within a few days, from the same publisher who offers Photoshop LAB Color (and is working on the second edition) and of Professional Photoshop. The Chinese market apparently has a lot of […]

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Averaging and the Complementary Background

by Dan Margulis November 26, 2015

A recent post on the appliedcolortheory list, discussing my suggested procedure for making gross changes in the color of a product, noted that it used Filter: Blur>Average, which the poster said he never used under any other circumstances. I will now show a related use of it that can really help out certain product shots. […]

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PPW: Blending Strategy in a Flower Image

by Dan Margulis November 11, 2015

Most people who try out the PPW eventually come to the conclusion that it is better to do two or more quick versions than one slow one—even if each quick version has to be somewhat sloppier than it would be if we were more careful. The principle can go further: if we are making versions […]

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A New Beta Version, and an LAB Post

by Dan Margulis August 31, 2015

Two quick updates. First, in connection with the publication of the second edition of Photoshop LAB Color, Peachpit Press asked me to do a promotional article. It’s called “When Too Much Is Just Right: A Decade of Changes in LAB Color Technique,” showing several examples of why it pays to adopt a policy of producing […]

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