B&W or Color?

[TheAuldGrump]

It very much depends on the product.

I have seen books that I wish weren't illustrated in color, and others that I would have loved color in.

Clarity is more important than color, as is topic. Given the choice between a color illustration that has nothing to do with the text, and a line drawing that fits then I will take B&W.

It the illustration is to illustrate a technique or instruction I prefer B&W. They tend to be clearer.

Illustrations of items? Depends, is it important that I can look at the illo. as a technical drawing? B&W. If not color is nice. (An example is an illustration for the Iron Kingdoms demonstrating how a gun breaks for reloading - color would get in the way. A picture of a unit firing the guns would be better in color.)

A bunch of maps? Color all the way.

The Auld Grump

 

[Goobermunch]

I think it depends on the art. Some images look better in black and white than they would in color. Some color images couldn't properly be rendered to a black and white image (or a grayscale image).

I think the artistic requirements of the piece should dictate the media used.

If you were developing a book in which both kinds were required, then clearly, color is a necessity.

--G

 

[Wombat]

While I answered Colour, this is with many qualifications.

#1 -- if this is a pdf or other downloadable product, I WANT black & white -- cheaper on my printer, if I decide to print

#2 -- some types of games are BETTER with black & white, due to their theme -- a Film Noir rpg, for example, with colour illos would be brimming over with wrongability

#3 -- all of this assumes the cost are exactly the same

#4 -- this also assumes that quality is the same, but there are many times when I would prefer a bad black & white illo to a bad colour illo -- personal tastes

#5 -- illustrations are not the top selling point for a rpg book -- I would usually prefer few illos and more info than have a lot of mediocre-to-poor art; unfortunatley, I am underwhelmed by most art in rpg books in general

 

[adriayna]

I voted for color, but it depends on the product. I'd rather pay less for a product that was black and white over a more expensive color product. But if the difference between the B&W and color was maybe only $1-3, I'd probably go with the color.

 

[thundershot]

I prefer color over B&W anyday. Bastion Press' early products are gorgeous, IMO, and to me, it lost a certain feel when they went to B&W. WOTC books mostly look great too. Also, Mongoose's OGL books and MWWG are beautiful....

However, I discovered that just by having glossy pages with black and white, like Tome of Horrors, it definitely was an improvement over the "rough" pages.

If it's a pdf, I want it black and white though, or at least both versions of it available in the zip.

But yes... color on glossy if possible. B&W on glossy as an alternative.



Chris

 

[Goobermunch]

Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble,
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
This double post is gone for good.

--G

 

[Treebore]

If the B & W is well inked I'll take it over color any day. B & W illustrations are better "art" in my opinion, color covers/hides too much.

 

[Ashy]

Keep the feedback and the votes comin', gang! Thanks!

 

[MonsterMash]

I voted B&W, but to be honest we needed a third option in the poll - presentation less important than content.

On the whole B&W only print products should be possible for lower cost than colour as the production process is a bit simpler (less plates needed, no chance of printing out of register, etc).

 

[Khayman]

Black-and-white is much kinder to printers when dealing with pdf's, as well when you have to photocopy any content.