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Interaction of Color: 50th Anniversary Edition Paperback – Illustrated, June 28, 2013

by Josef Albers (Author), Nicholas Fox Weber (Foreword)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,095 ratings
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The 50th anniversary edition of a classic text, featuring an expanded selection of color studies
 
“The landmark 1963 book by Josef Albers . . . isn’t just for aspiring artists. Its mesmerizing illustrations are a revelation for anyone interested in color theory and human perception.”—Pilar Viladas, New York Times
 
“A visionary work.”—Malcolm Jones, Newsweek
 
Josef Albers’s classic Interaction of Color is a masterwork in art education. Conceived as a handbook and teaching aid for artists, instructors, and students, this influential book presents Albers’s singular explanation of complex color theory principles.
 
Originally published by Yale University Press in 1963 as a limited silkscreen edition with 150 color plates, Interaction of Color first appeared in paperback in 1971, featuring ten color studies chosen by Albers, and has remained in print ever since. With over a quarter of a million copies sold in its various editions since 1963, Interaction of Color remains an essential resource on color, as pioneering today as when Albers created it.
 
Fifty years after Interaction’s initial publication, this anniversary edition presents a significantly expanded selection of close to sixty color studies alongside Albers’s original text, demonstrating such principles as color relativity, intensity, and temperature; vibrating and vanishing boundaries; and the illusion of transparency and reversed grounds. A celebration of the longevity and unique authority of Albers’s contribution, this landmark edition will find new audiences in studios and classrooms around the world.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  4. Publication date
    June 28, 2013
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0300179359
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0300179354
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Interaction of Color, the landmark 1963 book by Josef Albers, . . . isn’t just for aspiring artists. Its mesmerizing illustrations are a revelation for anyone interested in color theory and human perception.”—Pilar Viladas, New York Times

“One of the most beautiful books in the world. . . . Interaction of Color is not solely for artists, though generations of them certainly owe Albers a debt. It is for anyone who wants to get under the hood and understand why and how we see the world the way we do. . . . A visionary work.”—Malcolm Jones, Newsweek

“For the historical insight and lucidity our color-drenched era could definitely use, the 50th-anniversary edition of Interaction of Color, by the Bauhaus-bred artist and teacher Josef Albers, is especially worth examining.”—Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic

“The best introduction to Albers’s work—Albers’s own Interaction of Color, which I highly recommend.”—New York Magazine

“The most comprehensive and intelligent . . . book we have yet on this subject. It is an indispensable volume for the artist, architect, or teacher who finds a greater challenge in discovery than in a ‘safe’ color system.”—Architectural Forum

“Interaction of Color, with its illuminating visual exercises and mind-bending optical illusions, remains an indispensable blueprint to the art of seeing. . . . An essential piece of visual literacy.”—Maria Popova, Brain Pickings

“One of the most important books on color ever written.”—Michael Hession, Gizmodo

“Will a paperback version preserve the original value of Albers’ text? . . . The answer is an enthusiastic yes, for here is a book which belongs in the studio and classroom that for years has been available only in the best university.”—Arts Review

“One of the most influential artist-teachers of the century, Albers is best known for his squares—a geometric form to which he has been ‘paying homage’ throughout the years. . . . Interaction of Color is a record of an experimental way of studying and teaching color. . . . What he says will be useful in any kind of painting.”—American Artist

“[An] influential classic [that] has inspired artist and designers everywhere.”—Cool Hunting

“This handbook for artists, teachers, and students, by one of modernism’s great artists and thinkers, has been expanded to include nearly 60 color studies.”—Dwell

Selected as a 2007 AAUP University Press Book for Public and Secondary School Libraries

“The text of Interaction of Color provides the careful reader with the content of Josef Albers’s famous color course. His teaching is based on learning by direct perception, not by theories or color systems. There are many books on color on the market, but no one combines eyesight with such profound insight as Josef Albers does in Interaction of Color.”—Hannes Beckmann

About the Author

Josef Albers, one of the most influential artist-educators of the twentieth century, was a member of the Bauhaus group in Germany during the 1920s. In 1933 he came to the United States, where he taught at Black Mountain College for sixteen years. In 1950 he joined the faculty at Yale University as chairman of the department of design. Albers was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1968 and was professor emeritus of art at Yale until his death in 1976. Nicholas Fox Weber is executive director of the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press; 50th Anniversary edition (June 28, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300179359
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300179354
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,095 ratings

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Josef Albers

Josef Albers

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Josef Albers, one of the most influential artist-educators of the 20th century, was a member of the Bauhaus group in Germany during the 1920s. In 1933 he came to the United States, where he taught at Black Mountain College for sixteen years. In 1950 he joined the faculty at Yale University as chairman of the Department of Design. The recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, Albers was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1968 and was professor emeritus of art at Yale until his death in 1976.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
2,095 global ratings
Great ideas, but the constant lies are pretty hard to excuse
2 Stars
Great ideas, but the constant lies are pretty hard to excuse
I purchased this books and though I love the concepts, there's a lot of "they look different, but these 2 colors are actually the same!" Kind of illusions that thanks to my camera and cropping I can clearly tell is a lie. I'm only a small way through the book but have found IV-4 and VII-2 to be very bad examples of the author trying to pass off 2 colors being the same, when they are clearly different, for the sake of the conceptual illusion he is trying to teach. Anyway I'm giving it 2 stars because I think the concepts are still worthwhile, just don't like that the author tries to make a fool of the reader
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Top reviews from the United States

Kathy Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Seeing is Believing
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2024
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Great bookk with lots of visual insights.
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azil
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear learning about color
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
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This book was purchased for a friend. I have the edition that was sold 50 years ago. The exercises are not so easy. Though color paper is recommended I learned a lot by mixing paint. Helpful and valuable discoveries through it. .., and a great gift.
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Bob Conway
5.0 out of 5 stars THE book to get to learn how colors interact when seen with the human eye-brain system.
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
Josef Albers was first a student, then an instructor, and finally a professor at the famous Bauhaus school of art and design in pre-war Germany. When the Nazis forced the closure of the Bauhaus in 1933, Albers emigrated to the United States where he was made head of the Black Mountain College School of Art, in North Carolina. He later joined the design faculty at Yale University.

All along the way, Albers sought to extend and deepen his understanding of how people perceive color, both to use it in his own work and to teach art students about how color juxtapositions interact with human vision.

With this book, he lays it all out with a set of exercises using high-quality reproductions of relatively simple color paper compositions to illustrate the effects of color interaction. The color plates are of sufficiently high quality to work quite well for anyone with normal vision. Even people with colorblindness can probably benefit from most of the illustrations and surely from Albers' lucid descriptions of the effects. What you learn will likely be useful in your work no matter whether you are a painter, printmaker, worker in stained glass, or an interior decorator.

Note that this book is NOT about teaching artistic composition or technique. It is laser-focused on its subject matter -- the optical effects of color interaction. You will find no better book for this, although I would also highly recommend "The Elements of Color" by Johannes Itten (who was one of Albers' teachers and colleagues in the Bauhaus) as a fine complement to Albers' book. Get them both!

There are more expensive editions of this book available, but this 50th anniversary softbound edition, which should be well within the budgets of most art students, is more than adequate for learning how colors interact.
95 people found this helpful
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DFK
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast delivery
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024
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Haven’t had time to read but saw an interview with quotes from the book which drew me in
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KathleenG.
4.0 out of 5 stars Over my head.
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2023
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This book is something I would like if trained as an artist or practicing art professionally.
It reads somewhat like a text book, although an enjoyable and thoughtful text.
5 people found this helpful
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M3sM3rCE
5.0 out of 5 stars This is very informative!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2023
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this book is so easy to understand. It helps you know how to use colors.
3 people found this helpful
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Alex C
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast delivery, the content of the book as expected
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
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Fast delivery, the content of the book as expected. A must to have book for anybody involved in visual arts
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Greg K
5.0 out of 5 stars Best to know color
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
It is simply a classic. You read this book do you understand color. Color is not as simple as you think. But the author does a great job I’m exposing you to its quirks.
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Allan cortes
5.0 out of 5 stars bien
Reviewed in Mexico on May 14, 2024
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bien
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Rose
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
Reviewed in Canada on April 17, 2024
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Bought it as a gift my friend liked it
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Isabella
5.0 out of 5 stars Libro super
Reviewed in Italy on March 14, 2024
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Libro da avere assolutamente in libreria a casa. Arrivato sempre puntualissimo con i ragazzi di Amazon e in ottime condizioni 👍🏼
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Vipin kumar
5.0 out of 5 stars Paper & print quality at its best and justifies the price of this book.
Reviewed in India on January 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
Book delivered next day from order. Book came in good condition, as no sign of damage found. Paper & print quality at its best and justifies the price of this book. All topics are fully illustrated in colors.
However, There are some critical review, but keeping in mind that this book has been in list of best seller at the time of publishing and still in demand after 60 years of publishing, which is the strongest reason to pick this book. This book is printed in serif fonts unlike the other books which are published these day. I have read some books on colors and they give the reference of this book for detailed knowledge.

Colors are the pillar of any type of design we see and this book proves that.

Lastly, I strongly recommend to read this book or otherwise regret in future and return to this book
Customer image
Vipin kumar
5.0 out of 5 stars Paper & print quality at its best and justifies the price of this book.
Reviewed in India on January 11, 2024
Book delivered next day from order. Book came in good condition, as no sign of damage found. Paper & print quality at its best and justifies the price of this book. All topics are fully illustrated in colors.
However, There are some critical review, but keeping in mind that this book has been in list of best seller at the time of publishing and still in demand after 60 years of publishing, which is the strongest reason to pick this book. This book is printed in serif fonts unlike the other books which are published these day. I have read some books on colors and they give the reference of this book for detailed knowledge.

Colors are the pillar of any type of design we see and this book proves that.

Lastly, I strongly recommend to read this book or otherwise regret in future and return to this book
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Ana Laura Becker Ayrosa
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for people that love color
Reviewed in Brazil on May 9, 2021
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Love this book! And the new exercises are a very nice twist
One person found this helpful
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