ASTM D1535-06

Standard Practice for Specifying Color by the Munsell System

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 E 308 and E 1164). Provision is made for conversion of CIE data to Munsell notation.
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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2006
• ICS: 17.180.20 - Colours and measurement of light
• ICS: 87.040 - Paints and varnishes
• Technical Committee: E12 - Color and Appearance
• Drafting Committee: E12.07 - Color Order Systems

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D1535-01 - Standard Practice for Specifying Color by the Munsell System
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Replaced By: ASTM D1535-07 - Standard Practice for Specifying Color by the Munsell System
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2007
• Referred By: ASTM D5724-16(2021) - Standard Specification for Gouache Paints
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D333-01(2021) - Standard Guide for Clear and Pigmented Lacquers
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D2276-22 - Standard Test Method for Particulate Contaminant in Aviation Fuel by Line Sampling
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D3134-15(2019) - Standard Practice for Establishing Color and Gloss Tolerances
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM E1360-05(2019) - Standard Practice for Specifying Color by Using the Optical Society of America Uniform Color Scales System
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D2671-21 - Standard Test Methods for Heat-Shrinkable Tubing for Electrical Use
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM C979/C979M-16 - Standard Specification for Pigments for Integrally Colored Concrete
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM E805-22 - Standard Practice for Identification of Instrumental Methods of Color or Color-Difference Measurement of Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM E1808-96(2021) - Standard Guide for Designing and Conducting Visual Experiments
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D6577-15(2019) - Standard Guide for Testing Industrial Protective Coatings
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM F29-97(2022) - Standard Specification for Dumet Wire for Glass-to-Metal Seal Applications
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D1729-22 - Standard Practice for Visual Appraisal of Colors and Color Differences of Diffusely-Illuminated Opaque Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006
• Referred By: ASTM D5452-23 - Standard Test Method for Particulate Contamination in Aviation Fuels by Laboratory Filtration
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2006

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D 1535 – 06
Standard Practice for
1
Specifying Color by the Munsell System
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1535; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope comparing the specimen to the chips in the Munsell Book of
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Color; (2) a notation in the Munsell color system, derived
1.1 This practice provides a means of specifying the colors
from luminous reflectance factor Y and chromaticity coordi-
of objects in terms of the Munsell color order system, a system
nates x and y, in the CIE system for standard illuminant C,by
based on the color-perception attributes hue, lightness, and
the use of scales defined by the Optical Society of America
chroma. The practice is limited to opaque objects, such as
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Subcommittee on the Spacing of the Munsell Colors (1).
painted surfaces viewed in daylight by an observer having
3.2.1.1 Discussion—The Munsell notation is written as a
normal color vision. This practice provides a simple visual
combination of letters and numbers by which the color of an
methodasanalternativetothemorepreciseandmorecomplex
opaque object may be specified with respect to Munsell hue H,
method based on spectrophotometry and the CIE system (see
Munsell value V, and Munsell chroma C, written in the form H
Practices E 308 and E 1164). Provision is made for conversion
V/C.
of CIE data to Munsell notation.
3.2.2 hue, n—the attribute of color perception by means of
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
which a color is judged to be red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
purple, or intermediate between adjacent pairs of these, con-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
sidered in a closed ring (red and purple being an adjacent pair).
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
3.2.3 Munsell hue, n—an attribute of color used in the
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Munsell color system to indicate the hue of a specimen viewed
2. Referenced Documents in daylight.
2
3.2.3.1 Discussion—Two systems of designating Munsell
2.1 ASTM Standards:
hue are shown in Fig. 1, a letter-number system and an
D 1729 Practice for Visual Appraisal of Colors and Color
all-number system. The two systems are equivalent, but the
Differences of Diffusely-Illuminated Opaque Materials
letter-number system is preferred, because it requires no prior
D 3134 Practice for Establishing Color and Gloss Toler-
knowledge or memory of the correspondence of numbers to
ances
hues. The hue circle is graduated in steps judged visually to be
E 284 Terminology of Appearance
approximately equal.
E 308 Practice for Computing the Colors of Objects by
3.2.4 lightness, n—the attribute of color perception by
Using the CIE System
which a non-self-luminous body is judged to reflect more or
E 1164 Practice for Obtaining Spectrometric Data for
less light.
Object-Color Evaluation
3.2.5 Munsell value, n—an attribute of color used in the
3. Terminology
Munsell color system to indicate the lightness of a specimen
viewed in daylight, on a scale extending from 0 for ideal black
3.1 Terms and definitions in Terminology E 284 are appli-
to 10 for ideal white, in steps that are visually approximately
cable to this practice.
equal in magnitude.
3.2 Definitions:
3.2.5.1 Discussion—Achromatic or neutral colors are des-
3.2.1 Munsell notation, n—(1) the Munsell hue, value, and
ignated N followed by the value notation, thus: N 5.61/.
chroma assigned to the color of a specimen by visually
3.2.6 chroma, n—the attribute of color used to indicate the
degree of departure of the color from a neutral color of the
same lightness.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E12 on Color and
3.2.7 Munsell chroma, n—an attribute of color used in the
Appearance and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E12.07 on Color Order
Munsell color system to indicate the degree of departure of a
Systems.
Current edition approved July 1, 2006. Published July 2006. Originally approved
in 1958. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as D 1535 – 01.
2 3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Available from GretagMacbeth, 617 Little Britain Road, New Windsor, NY
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM 12553-6148.
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to a list of references at the end of
the ASTM website. this standard.
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