All about Ittena's color wheel

We are surrounded by a colored world, which, upon closer inspection, is for the most part colored in just three basic tones - blue, yellow and red, in various combinations and combinations, giving dozens of familiar shades to everyone. It is precisely this feature of his that artists feel especially keenly. It is not surprising that famous for designers, fashion designers, stylists and painters, the color circle of Ittena was also invented by a creative and enthusiastic person.

However, knowledge of the principles of combination of shades is useful for absolutely everyone. After all, color harmonies, whose palette is so diverse, are really capable of working wonders.

In make-up and clothing selection, in determining the color type and many other things, the appeal to the Itten circle most often becomes the basic selection criterion. How to draw it, how to use it? What is the right color combination to be used in this or that case? This simple but effective colourist tool can be created in just a few minutes. But the benefits of its use can be felt for a long time.

The concept of "color wheel" was used in the XVII century. With its help, a certain rule of mnemonics was developed, which made it possible to form and fix the basic principles of mixing and combination of colors.

There are several variants of color circles, but the most famous of them today is created by the Swiss painter, teacher, author of the Bauhaus training course of the first half of the 20th century, Johannes Itten. It was he who created the work called "The Art of Color", in which he outlined the basic principles of the formation of such combinations.

The initial purpose of this tool was to simplify the search for the best color solution in painting.

The circle Ittena, strictly speaking, is a graphical display of such a thing as color harmony. The model uses the following construction principles:

• three basic colors - blue, yellow, red, they form an equilateral triangle;
• 12 colors in a circle;
• hexagon connecting opposing tones (colors of the second order with the exception of the base ones);
• the division into two halves - into warm and cold tones;
• colors that go beyond the hexagon are formed by a combination of shades surrounding them.

The principles of mixing are pretty simple. The diagram clearly shows how Itten’s twelve-part circle forms new tones. Green is formed using yellow and blue. He is among the colors of the second order. These also include orange and purple. A distinctive feature of these three components of the circle is the impossibility of selecting the prevailing color in the mix of two basic tones.

The resulting hexagon fits into a common double circle. Those tones that do not fall on the vertices of the hexagon, refer to shades of the third order. This includes 6 elements:

• yellow green;
• blue green;
• blue-violet;
• red-violet;
• yellow orange;
• red-orange.

Building a color wheel can be left to the computer. But the transfer of colors in this case will be noticeably less realistic. Experts recommend not to save time and create it manually, using paints and drawing paper. First of all, the contour of the triangle is created - it must be equilateral, with the top on which the yellow color is located. The lower left corner will be blue, the right - red.

Having defined the vertices of the triangle, they are used as points for drawing the contours of the circle. According to them, the inner figure is completed to a hexagon, determining the location of the secondary colors of the second order (orange, green, purple). Outside the already drawn radius, a second one is built, at some distance, with the center at the same point. The resulting line is divided into 12 equal parts.

Itten's color wheel - real salvation for designers, stylists, and just people interested in fashion in everything - from interior to choice of wardrobe items. It is easy to find the most complimentary combination with it. In addition, the color wheel is quite clearly forms a classic combination - a win-win solution, allowing to achieve harmony and balance. What techniques are usually used in working with the development of Johannes Itten?

Just look at the scheme and it becomes clear that the simplest combinations in a circle form tones located on its opposite sides. They are always the most contrast. But it is precisely such combinations that look very bright and expressive - they are also called complimentary. Examples include yellow and magenta, orange, and blue.

Contrast is not a prerequisite for using the color wheel. On the contrary, you can connect the closest ones - the neighboring colors of a circle - and get a harmonious combination with minimal contrast. Enough to examine the entire palette to see this.

In the case of the circle of Ittena, in the triangle of such a combination are placed equally spaced shades. There are the following options for the formation of harmonious combinations.

• Classic. Using an isosceles triangle. It combines the very yellow, blue and red - the base tone. But if you shift the design, you can find a much more original combination. The main rule is to single out one main accent; without this, the image will look too catchy.
• Contrasting. It uses a sharp triangle with a wide side, covering only three colors (in the classic - five). Combinations are more sharp and interesting.
• Analog. Here the construction is made without the formation of a triangle, of three adjacent shades. The similarity of color decision makes this selection of shades the most complimentary for any type of appearance.

The quadrilateral inscribed in the Itten circle shows how four colors can be combined in clothes at once. The locations of its corners are the points that determine the successful color combinations. As a rule, the final decision is quite bright, but you can balance it, focusing on the red-green range of shades.

An even more difficult decision is a hexagon. The multi-faceted figure “works” quite simply, allowing you to make various combinations without too bright contrasts between them. Such a solution is especially often used by interior designers.But in the selection of clothes or palette of makeup colors it will be quite useful.

Of course, the color scheme proposed by Itten cannot be called an absolute solution for all occasions. But when it comes to the combination of pure and complex tones, it is absolutely indispensable. In addition, adding black, gray and white shades to a single gamut can expand its range almost infinitely, and the principles of the basic scheme will still work perfectly.

How to combine colors in the interior, see the next video.