ASTM D1535-14(2023)
(Practice)Standard Practice for Specifying Color by the Munsell System
Standard Practice for Specifying Color by the Munsell System
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice is used by artists, designers, scientists, engineers, and government regulators, to specify an existing or desired color. It is used in the natural sciences to record the colors of specimens, or identify specimens, such as human complexion, flowers, foliage, soils, and minerals. It is used to specify colors for commerce and for control of color-production processes, when instrumental color measurement is not economical. The Munsell system is widely used for color tolerancing, even when instrumentation is employed (see Practice D3134). It is common practice to have color chips made to illustrate an aim color and the just tolerable deviations from that color in hue, value, and chroma, such a set of chips being called a Color Tolerance Set. A color tolerance set exhibits the aim color and color tolerances so that everyone involved in the selection, production, and acceptance of the color can directly perceive the intent of the specification, before bidding to supply the color or starting production. A color tolerance set may be measured to establish instrumental tolerances. Without extensive experience, it may be impossible to visualize the meaning of numbers resulting from color measurement, but by this practice, the numbers can be translated to the Munsell color-order system, which is exemplified by colored chips for visual examination. This color-order system is the basis of the ISCC-NBS Method of Designating Colors and a Dictionary of Color Names, as well as the Universal Color Language, which associates color names, in the English language, with Munsell notations (3).
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides a means of specifying the colors of objects in terms of the Munsell color order system, a system based on the color-perception attributes hue, lightness, and chroma. The practice is limited to opaque objects, such as painted surfaces viewed in daylight by an observer having normal color vision. This practice provides a simple visual method as an alternative to the more precise and more complex method based on spectrophotometry and the CIE system (see Practices E308 and E1164). Provision is made for conversion of CIE data to Munsell notation.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.3 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D1535 − 14 (Reapproved 2023)
Standard Practice for
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Specifying Color by the Munsell System
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D1535; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This practice provides a means of specifying the colors 3.1 Terms and definitions in Terminology E284 are appli-
of objects in terms of the Munsell color order system, a system cable to this practice.
based on the color-perception attributes hue, lightness, and
3.2 Definitions:
chroma. The practice is limited to opaque objects, such as
3.2.1 Munsell notation, n—(1) the Munsell hue, value, and
painted surfaces viewed in daylight by an observer having
chroma assigned to the color of a specimen by visually
normal color vision. This practice provides a simple visual
comparing the specimen to the chips in the Munsell Book of
method as an alternative to the more precise and more complex 3
Color; (2) a notation in the Munsell color system, derived
method based on spectrophotometry and the CIE system (see
from luminous reflectance factor Y and chromaticity coordi-
Practices E308 and E1164). Provision is made for conversion
nates x and y, in the CIE system for standard illuminant C, by
of CIE data to Munsell notation.
the use of scales defined by the Optical Society of America
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1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Subcommittee on the Spacing of the Munsell Colors (1).
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.2.1.1 Discussion—The Munsell notation is written as a
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
combination of letters and numbers by which the color of an
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
opaque object may be specified with respect to Munsell hue H,
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Munsell value V, and Munsell chroma C, written in the form H
1.3 This international standard was developed in accor-
V/C.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
3.2.2 hue, n—the attribute of color perception by means of
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
which a color is judged to be red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
purple, or intermediate between adjacent pairs of these, con-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
sidered in a closed ring (red and purple being an adjacent pair).
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
3.2.3 Munsell hue, n—an attribute of color used in the
Munsell color system to indicate the hue of a specimen viewed
2. Referenced Documents
in daylight.
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.2.3.1 Discussion—Two systems of designating Munsell
D1729 Practice for Visual Appraisal of Colors and Color
hue are shown in Fig. 1, a letter-number system and an
Differences of Diffusely-Illuminated Opaque Materials
all-number system. The two systems are equivalent, but the
D3134 Practice for Establishing Color and Gloss Tolerances
letter-number system is preferred, because it requires no prior
E284 Terminology of Appearance
knowledge or memory of the correspondence of numbers to
E308 Practice for Computing the Colors of Objects by Using
hues. The hue circle is graduated in steps judged visually to be
the CIE System
approximately equal.
E1164 Practice for Obtaining Spectrometric Data for Object-
3.2.4 lightness, n—the attribute of color perception by
Color Evaluation
which a non-self-luminous body is judged to reflect more or
less light.
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This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E12 on Color and
Appearance and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E12.07 on Color Order 3.2.5 Munsell value, n—an attribute of color used in the
Systems.
Munsell color system to indicate the lightness of a specimen
Current edition approved June 1, 2023. Published June 2023. Originally
approved in 1958. Last previous edition approved in 2018 as D1535 – 14 (2018).
DOI: 10.1520/D1535-14R23.
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Available from Munsell, 4300 44th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512,
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM www.munsell.com.
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The boldface numbers in
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