The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color [Hardcover]

Johannes Itten (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471289280 | ISBN-13: 978-0471289289 | Publication Date: December 1997 | Edition: Revised

In this book, the world's foremost color theorist examines two different approaches to understanding the art of color. Subjective feelings and objective color principles are described in detail and clarified by color reproductions.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

What would the world be without color? A dull, joyless melange of shapes without vital meaning. "Color is life, for a world without color seems dead. As a flame produces light, light produces color. As intonation lends color to the spoken word, color lends spiritually realized sound to form." - Johannes Itten. Over the years numerous color theories have been published: Goethe's theory of color is as famous as Ostwald's color cirlce. Adolf Holzel exercised an important influence on modern art with his theory of color. Now with his ART OF COLOR Johannes Itten makes a contribution. Using Holzel's theory as a springboard, Itten has expanded and developed it along his own original lines. Although never published before, the Itten theory already underlies progressive art education all over the world. In this book Itten examines two different approaches to understanding the art of color. Subjective feelings and objective color principles are the two poles which are described in detail and clarified with numerous color reproductions. The key to this knowledge lies in the color circle and the seven color contrasts which are found on pages 35-109. The problems of visual, emotional and symbolic color effects are carefully explored with numerous color illustrations. The systematic color exercises are followed by outstanding reproductions of paintings by the great masters - 28 large size, four-color plates - which offer insight into all the epochs of Western painting from the early Middle Ages to Klee and Picasso. With each reproduction is one of Professor Itten's famous analyses which proves how conscious awareness and use of color contrast has been an important means of expression. In the chapter, THEORY OF COLOR EXPRESSION (page 130), the psychic and emotional values expressed by color are examined and explained. This gives an extraordinary approach to the understanding of expressionistic painting. Another important chapter, COMPOSITION (page 144), contains the goal of the whole theory of color for the creative artist. It also represents the crowning point of the book for the viewer of art. According to Itten composition implies brining two or more colors together in such a way that they harmonize to give an expression unambiguous and full of character. When preparing the first printing of THE ART OF COLOR in 1960, author and publisher were faced with the problem of finding the most favorable method of producing the difficult color reproductions. It could only be done by producing the various color plates by entirely different printing processes, which had to be done by several printers, and then tipping them into the book.

When a reprinting was planned in 1973, it had by then become possible to make use of the advanced technical developments in offset printing, and the entire book was produced by this printing process. Altogether great care was taken to preserve the excellence of the original edition, Contents and order of pages were retained, some of the illustrations were enlarged and veracity was improved as far as the existing material allowed. Our aim for this new printing was to once again make available in its best form Johannes Itten's color course, while at the same time strictly adhering to his principles of presentation.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; Revised edition (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471289280
• ISBN-13: 978-0471289289
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 0.9 x 11.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #681,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A philosophical, religious view of color, May 23, 2001

By 

Chris Matthews (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color (Hardcover)

What fascinates me so much about Itten's classic book is its deeply philosophical, even quasi-religious approach to color. Itten was as much interested in the spirituality of color as in developing a theory of color.

Another great aspect of the book is the numerous master paintings beautifully reproduced and intertwined with his own theories and color diagrams. You get paintings by Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet, El Greco, Seurat, and so many others. Itten is always contrasting the objective and the subjective aspects of art and color, and it makes for a fascinating reading experience.

Itten has a mature perspective on these painters and their relation to color. Its only flaw is that Itten's is only one perspective. I wish there were more authors who could write and analyze art at this level, and who weren't afraid to be spiritual in their assessments.

With so many dramatic advancements in technology, we tend to forget very quickly where we were. Just a decade or so ago, this book was literally too difficult and too expensive to produce. We are lucky to live in an age in which a book of such profound beauty is even available. Overall, it's a must for any fine library.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opener on harmony of colours, June 26, 2006

By 

Carla de Pagter "www.opzuidinkleur.nl" (Hilversum) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color (Hardcover)

This book of Johannes Itten is a good example of the use of colour in the antroposofic way. He connects the different colours with moods and feelings, religious symbols and even gives it a spiritual dimension. For me it was an eye-opener on the aspect of harmony. Itten emphasizes that the eye and mind are always looking for balance, harmony in the sense of a grey-tone. If a work of art does not reflect this kind of harmony, for instance because of a distonality in the use of colours, the eye and mind get restless and agitated. But if used on purpose this aspect of colour gives a work of art a very strong impact and makes it a masterpiece.[...].

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vast amount of well-illustrated knowledge., August 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Color: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Color (Hardcover)

Anyone interested in the color theory and its applicance on art should seriously consider this book. Everything explained is illustrated by high quality examples and samples from different artists' work; definitely made me happy.