Johannes Itten

Johannes Itten (11 November 1888 – 27 May 1967) is a Swiss expressionist painter and art theorist, who was one of the first people to define and identify strategies for successful colour combinations. Through analysis of contrasting colours, he devised several methods for co-ordinating colours; now known as our colour wheel. He also analysed how shades and tints could be manipulated to create contrast through varying the hue.

Itten's colour wheel arranged three primary colours (red, blue and yellow) and the secondary colours (violet, green and orange) around the circle. He also included variations within the circle for the different shades and tints of these colours (Johannes Itten, 2012).

Four Spirals (1967) is an acrylic painting which features an abstract design foregrounding four spirals.

Spirals feature prominently throughout Itten's work, as a symbol for the cyclical movement of all living things and forming the basis of the artwork which emphasises the balance of the world. However, the artwork is void of representational imagery, instead creating depth and movement through the use of colour and form.

The curved lines of the spirals serve as a point of emphasis which draws the eye around to create a sense of movement throughout the painting, further emphasised through the use of contrast between the fluid, bright spirals and the darker background. Itten has achieved this through using contrasting shapes, with the straight, irregular forms in the background evoking harsh and dark emotions, whereas the regular and fluid shapes of the spirals evoke emotions of harmony and happiness.

The sequence of the colours has been repeated to create a pattern and follows the order of the colour wheel, creating order and balance in the design. Shades and tints have also been used to create contrast, with the background featuring darker shades of the spirals, to once again evoke dark emotions. This contrast of light and dark colour creates the illusion of space and depth, enabling the spirals to serve as a point of emphasis. Although this contrast exists, symmetry of form has been used to create a union of these opposites and achieve balance within the painting, symbolic for the world whereby a diversity of life exists in balance. (Academic Rights Press, 2010).

Have a Go!

Creating a colour wheel

1. Print out a copy of a colour wheel or create one using a large circle, divided into six equal pieces.

2. Draw two circles inside your original circle.

3. Starting with the middle circle, paint or colour each section blue, violet, red, orange, yellow and green in a clockwise direction.

4. Divide each colour paint into two. Add black to one mixture and white to the other. You should now have a tint and shade of each colour.

5. Paint each shade in the outside circle matching it to the right colour.

6. Paint each tint in the inside of the circle, according to the corresponding colour.

Example:

Change my colour

1. Think of your favourite colour. Why is it your favourite colour and what does it mean to you?

2. Now think of your favourite objects. These may be your favourite car, food, animal or place.

3. Draw and then colour your object in your favourite colour using paint. Use different tints and shades of your colour to create depth, using tints to make sections stand out and be emphasised. Can you change the mood of the painting by changing the colour such as if you paint it in a dark shade does it still make you feel happy?

4. What do you think the world would be like if you could only see one colour?

(Academic Rights Press, 2010)

Four Spirals (1967)

Acrylic Paint

Colour Wheel