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The Elements of Color: A Treatise on the Color System of Johannes Itten Based on His Book the Art of Color 1st Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 205 ratings

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A useful simplification and condensation of Johannes ltten's major work. The Art of Color, this book covers subjective feeling and objective color principles in detail. It presents the key to understanding color in ltten's color circle and color contrasts.
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

BY THE SAME AUTHOR: Color Star Johannes has long been considered the definitive color theorist of the twentieth century. His books on color theory and application are standards throughout the world. Now his Color Star helps designers explore a myriad of harmonious colors. The Star consists of eight stencil like disks that can be placed over Itten's color wheel. Designers and artists can selectively examine the relationships of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors by using this unique system. Cool and warm values, complementary colors, and different hues and intensities can all be compared individually, as the designer uses the stencils to see the stencils to see only the wanted colors while masking the rest of the wheel. The Color Star is a useful and innovative tool for everyone who works with color, including students graphic designers, industrial designers, advertising designers, artists, illustrators, color theorists, interior designers, and architects.

Design and Forum

This is the most complete document of one of the landmarks of modern education in art-the famous Basic Course at the Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany. Itten was the teacher who organized it at the invitation of Walter Gropius. First published in 1963 when Itten was still alive, the book has been revised and updated by Itten's widow, Anneliese Itten and includes new material from the basic course at the Bauhaus, as well as visual examples and descriptions of the refinements made by Itten in later courses in Berlin (1926-1932), Krefeld (1932-1938), and Zurich (1938-1960). The basic course at the Bauhaus was designed as a trial to judge students with varying education, to help them in their choice of a career in the arts, Each of the over 200 illustrations reproduced is described in detail to help the reader understand the purpose of art teaching. The student's original works include studies if nature, pure forms and abstractions, three-dimensional work, and projects in the applied arts. In addition the book includes exciting material on the evaluation of modern art education. The book has universal appeal for a basic course as a means for individual creative growth and it can be used today by students and art teachers as a foundation for their own basic courses.

The Art of Color Nearly 160 full-color charts, diagrams, and paintings illustrates this first publication of the color theories of the famous Bauhaus teacher and painter. Both the physical and emotional nature of color is studies. The seven basic color contrasts are examined in detail, and clarified with 28 full-color reproductions of painting masterpieces, from the stained-glass art of Chartres to the glowing canvasses of Picasso and Klee. The psychological, symbolic, and intellectual effects of color are explored in detail. Included also are an exposition of compositional order, a discussion of color effects in nature, and valuable demonstrations of techniques for bringing two or more colors harmoniously together.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ John Wiley & Sons; 1st edition (January 31, 1970)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 95 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0471289299
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0471289296
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.31 x 0.49 x 8.29 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 205 ratings

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Johannes Itten
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
205 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2019
One of the best most succinct amazing books on COLOR and it's myriad of interactions it has upon similar or complimentary colors. Whether student or professional, this book will reinforce how powerful simple colors can be. This classic book is immediately apparent on the simple theories by which well-known artists and designers have been influenced. Inexpensive, readable will change the you see. It is a must for your library.
7 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2017
Itten is the bible of color theory to many. When I can understand/follow what he's saying, it is amazing and a great learning tool. It can be a tad hard to follow in places. Translation: much of it has taken me re-reading sentences or paragraphs a number of times, and then still not understanding all of it. So far it is worth the effort, and has already changed the way I look at color in my own work.
10 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2021
Exceptional work by Itten, containing class studies applied on Bauhaus course, an extensive study on color properties and the 7 types of contrast, awesome book.
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2015
Itten's book on color is worth careful study, but the book suffers from vagueness and requires considerable artistic and aesthetic experience to appreciate--not to mention patience. The Elements of Color should be read after Itten's  Design and Form: The Basic Course at the Bauhaus and Later , which describes the propaedeutic course Itten taught at the Bauhaus. Itten's introduction in that text offers context that, to this reader, was missing from The Elements of Color.
28 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2015
I've not produced the color assignments, but have seen it done by others, and the concept is amazing. To see the colors change in front of your eyes, depending on the colors surrounding it, is a real eye opener. It makes you think about the way you put colors together and how the masters use this in their masterpieces.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2015
An Art student's MUST to study and learn Color Theory. .. . was required for color theory classes at university in the 80's, and is still the best book on it... no filler, gets right to the beef of color and contrasts. Hopefully, the publisher (John Wiley & Sons, New York) will re-print it (loss to students if they don't), or at least do an e-book edition. There are scalpers out there - don't go crazy to buy it ($25 to $35.00 is fair).
9 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2019
It's nice to find these books for artists when they are no longer in print. I saw it in my Colour Design class a few months ago and had to have my own copy. This book is still in good condition.
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023
The book itself looked like new until I opened it. It has a very musty odor, and I could not possibly read it without sneezing. I have aired it out for two days, but the odor hasn’t dissipated. This book should not have been sold in this condition. Because I would really like to read The
Elements of Color, I have researched ways to rid books of their musty smell. If several of these methods fail, I am returning the book.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Patti Morris
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book for understanding Colour!
Reviewed in Canada on April 14, 2019
My Art Class with my University Instructor recommended this book for our level one & 2 Colour theory class.
I have taken several colour classes over the years but this class was the best! Having this book made so much sense and easy to understand. Its a small book and very easy to travel with! A keeper as far as I am concerned.
2 people found this helpful
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meeuwis
5.0 out of 5 stars Top
Reviewed in Germany on September 29, 2019
clls
5.0 out of 5 stars a necessary book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2009
for anyone interested in colour as a topic, whether practically as a painter or designer, or academically, this book is a standard. I have had a copy for twenty years and needed to replace it. It is not all the answers, but it is a way of approaching colour that can lead one on to experiment and explore the properties of colour and colour vision, and some of the possibilities that open up from such exploration.
It is historically important in the development of explanations for the phenomenon of colour and colour vision
One person found this helpful
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Alessandra
5.0 out of 5 stars ... am not even halfway through the book and am amazed on the richness of the text and on how ...
Reviewed in Canada on January 23, 2015
I am not even halfway through the book and am amazed on the richness of the text and on how many perspectives Itten covers on the topic of color. The book comes with exercises so you can put Itten's color theory into practice. I definitely recommend buying this book.
2 people found this helpful
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JackieL
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to colour
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 22, 2012
This book is endlessly fascinating. It is a condensed version of Itten's book, I think called 'the Art of Colour', and while the larger book is far more beautiful because of the colour plates featuring works of art, this one is far more affordable! It contains theory around how colour 'works', and is well illustrated. I can't pretend to really understand everything in it, but as someone with no training in art at all I still got a lot out of it.
5 people found this helpful
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