I recently had the chance to preview the new documentary movie “The King of Color,” and speak with both its director, Patrick Creadon, as well as one of the featured stars of the film, Sean Adams, Dean of Art and Communication at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. The movie follows the life of Larry Herbert, the inventor of the Pantone Matching System.
Herbert, who is 95, bankrolled the film, noting in the beginning that he wanted to tell his own story, in his own words, while he still can. It is a fascinating look at his journey and the factors that drove him first to the print industry, then to his love of color, and how his drive for both being an inventor and an entrepreneur led to the Pantone matching system we all know and use today.
Even with more than 20 years in this industry, I learned a few new things watching it, and it was truly fascinating to see how it all evolved.
But how did it all come about? Creadon notes, “I was introduced to Larry by a mutual friend, and Larry had just turned 95 years old, and he really, really, really wanted to tell his story. And the minute you meet Larry in the movie — and frankly, the minute I met him in person — I was like, A, he has a great story. And B, he just has a really fun energy, and that’s a that’s a terrific combination if you’re making a documentary film. So, it felt like a really good fit.”
Read the rest of this story on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
