An incomplete taxonomy of self-assigned color specialties

TL;DR

This paper explores the landscape of color specialties through a survey, identifying 11 top-level categories, and highlights the fragmented and incomplete nature of current color taxonomy.

Contribution

It provides an initial taxonomy of color specialties based on survey data, offering a foundation for further classification and study.

Findings

Identified 11 top-level color specialties

Survey involved 152 participants

Highlights the incomplete taxonomy of color disciplines

Abstract

Every discipline in science or professional practice can be sub-divided into specialties and subspecialties. E.g., in medicine a doctor could indicate that their specialty is ophthalmology and their sub-specialty the retina, or in chemistry a specialty could be analytical chemistry and a sub-specialty spectroscopy. But, what are the specialties and sub-specialties of the color discipline? The present report shares the anonymized results of a 152-participant, online survey conducted between 23rd May and 8th June 2022 that suggests 11 top-level color specialties.