Interaction of Color by Josef Albers

If you are going to take one color theory book with you to a deserted island, this is the one. Designers tend to think of Josef Albers (1888–1976) only as a color theorist because Interaction of Color is a classic design school text. However, outside of the design world, Albers is better known as an abstract painter. His work, particularly his Homage to the Square series, influenced Op-Art artists who furthered his explorations in human perception or “the discrepancy between physical fact and psychic effect.” He was the first living artist to have a solo show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. This book was originally published in 1963 and it still stands up as the best way to think about the relationship between colors. Here is a quick summary: 1. Color is the most relative medium in art. 2. Experience is the best teacher of color. There is no shortcut to your 10,000 hours towards mastery of this subject. Unless you experiment with colors in the manner in which Albers prescribes, you will not fully grasp how the exact same color can look different in a small quantity than it does in a large quantity or how the same color looks different surrounded by another color. Color is constantly related to its neighbors and to changing light conditions. 3. It is difficult to visualize specific colors. Visual memory is very poor by comparison to auditory memory. 4. People have strong preferences in regard to colors. No way around it, other than to try to add in a color you don't care for and see if you can change your mind. 5. Few people are able to distinguish tonal value in different hues within close intervals. There are apps to try to help you develop this skill. 6. When two colors have the same value, they “vibrate.” Because the eye reads value more than hue, vibrating colors compete for the eye’s attention and are uncomfortable to look at. 7. While there are innumerable colors, in most of the world’s languages, there are only about 30 names for different hues. 8. Any color can “go” or “work” with any other color, it is principally a matter of in which proportions they are used. Albers often required students to use colors that they disliked in order to have them realize this relational aspect of color. You might say there are no ugly colors, only ugly uses of color. These principles are astoundingly useful in modern quilting, and I cannot believe that I have been quilting for 50 years and never read this book--my only defense is that I have zero design background!