Understanding the Practical Naming Convention
One of the strongest ambitions of The Army Painter has always been to make the hobby more accessible, inclusive, and easy so you Get More Time for Gaming.
Over the years, we have done this in different ways.
The Army Painter’s first product, Quickshade Dip, was groundbreaking. It allowed painters of all skill levels to achieve fast, effective contrast and shading.
With the release of Speedpaint, a one-coat painting solution, we made it easier for beginners and gamers to quickly achieve high-quality looking minis with rich shading, vibrant saturation, and highlight effects.
And in collaboration with the Paint Development Team, The Army Painter was the first hobby paint company to introduce a Practical Naming Convention.
What is the ISCC-NBS System?
The Practical Naming Convention that is now part of Speedpaints and Warpaints Fanatic are based on the ISCC-NBS System of Colour Designation.
The ISCC-NBS System is an international standardised colour system and a method for identifying colours. The system categorises colours based on basic colour terms and their hues, values, and chromas. The system provides a set of standard colour names, which helps reduce ambiguity when referring to colours.
By providing a standardised language for describing colours, the ISCC-NBS System helps to bridge the gap between subjective perceptions of colour and objective colour communication.
Why Use Practical Naming Convention?
There’s no doubt that we love the fantasy and sci-fi worlds that we live to play in. That is why many of our paints and products feature names inspired by the monsters, heroes, and otherworldly themes that inspire us.
But exactly what colour is “Doomfire Drab,” “Inner Light,” or “Weird Elixir”?
Creative and abstract colour names are not always that intuitive. That is why all paints will feature a secondary practical description, the Practical Naming Convention, to aid the colour-impaired and to make paint choices easier and more accessible.
Besides helping the colour-impaired, using the ISCC-NBS System to create a Practical Naming Convention also ensures that the names correspond accurately to specific colour characteristics. This makes it possible for painters to select paints with unprecedented accuracy.
It’s not only making the products better. It’s making the hobby more inclusive and more accessible to all hobbyists out there.
