History of Color Analysis
The term “Intuitive sense for color” was characterized by the Swiss Artist Professor Johannes Itten (1888-1967), a co-founder of the *Bauhaus movement. Itten, who taught at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany, observed that his students often selected colors in their artwork that harmonized with their own skin, hair, and eye colors. After years of study, Itten published his findings in The Art of Color, which introduced the idea that individuals have an intuitive connection to color.
This theory soon made its way into the fashion world, particularly in the U.S., and led to the creation of seasonal color typology. This system categorizes people into four seasons based on their natural coloring:
Spring and Autumn for warm tones
Summer and Winter for cool tones
The Four Seasons Method is named after the distinct appearance of each season - just the look, not the temperature!
Why do we have different color types?
A person’s color type is largely influenced by their skin tone, eye color, and hair color, with skin tone playing the most decisive role. Skin undertones are genetically determined, influenced by factors like hemoglobin (the blood pigment), and the amount of carotene stored in our body. This creates either a warm or cool skin tone, which remains constant throughout life, despite factors like sun exposure or melanin production.
What makes a color warm or cool?
Warm colors are created by mixing in yellow or red hues, while cool colors are mixed with blue. Subtle shifts in the balance of these shades can result in warmer blues or cooler reds, making it a nuanced art to find the right color for each individual.
Professor Itten’s insights, which began in art, eventually permeated modern fashion and personal style. His seasonal color theory helps people select the most flattering colors for their natural complexion.
To learn more about how to discover your personal color season and make the most of your natural beauty, get in touch with me today, or check out my online course on Udemy.
Discover more on Udemy: Your Ultimate Guide to Color & Style
All the best,
Astrid
*The Bauhaus style later became one of the most influential currents in modern design, Modernist architecture and art, design and architectural education. The Bauhaus had a profound influence upon subsequent developments in art, architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial design, and typography. (Wikipedia)