Inspiration or Appropriation?

Last year I picked up a copy of Katie Fowler's "foolproof Color Wheel Set" because I recognized the tool right away as being inspired by Johannes Itten's "The Color Star" and wanted to check it out.

Fowler's Color Wheel Set, (published in 2020 by C&T above) is about the same size as Itten's Color Star, below (published first in 1921 and in this portfolio iteration in 1985 by Wiley).

Let's take a quick look at Fowler's Color Wheel Set. The set comes in a sort of folder, with a color wheel, a pocket holding several black discs, and printed information on the inside.

The color wheel has a pin in the center, and each of the included 10 discs has a center hole to fit over the color wheel.

Each disc can turn around the wheel displaying several different color combinations. The cutouts in each disc that display different combinations of color are given simple explanations printed opposite the color wheel.

The printed information on the product promotes this as a foolproof way to pick color combinations easily and effortlessly, every single time. "Take the guesswork out of choosing color schemes" the product exclaims right on the back.

What I can say about this product is that yes, using the discs with the color wheel you CAN see several color harmonies with very little effort, and in this way the product definitely delivers.

Now let's look at Itten's Color Star below.

The Color Star comes in a folded portfolio that includes a color wheel, 8 discs, and a pamphlet explaining the tool and concepts in depth.

The color wheel has a pin in the middle, and the discs can fit on the pin to spin around the wheel to display different color combinations.

Flip the black discs over to see the same color combinations with a white background.

The pamphlet included has detailed information about the tool including a bit about Itten and how he invented The Color Star, which color wheel is used and why, and descriptions of each of the color combinations. At the end of the pamphlet is said, "The development of the color star is based upon years of practical experience in teaching color theory."

By the way, if you're used to seeing a 12 step color wheel such as the one printed in Fowler's Color Wheel Set, this is because Itten created this as a standardized way to teach students basics in color. Itten realized that wheels with many more colors would make it difficult for students to grasp the concepts he was trying to pass, and created a simple 12 step RED/YELLOW/BLUE wheel.

With this tool you can learn about basic color harmony, as Itten believes one should understand the basics of color harmony to help develop individual sensitivity to personal color preferences. In other words, the Color Star is a tool meant to help you learn and understand basic color harmony in order to move beyond the constraints of the tool and develop your own color combinations and style.

And having used this tool since I purchased it in art school in the early 1990's, I can say with confidence that Itten's approach is a solid one and delivers as promised.

So was Fowler's "faultless" Color Wheel Set inspired directly by Itten's Color Star? The format is identical; a 12 step RYB system color wheel presented in the form of a base with a central pin that accepts discs to show specific color harmonies. Even the size and shape of each is almost identical, and several of the disc formats in the Color Wheel Set are identical to The Color Star. Clearly this goes beyond simple inspiration and into the realm of appropriation.

I'm surprised that Katie Fowler can present her product as "created by" herself as if this tool didn't already exist. I get that this isn't considered a copyright infringement since none of Itten's original Color Star is being reprinted, but the physical workings of  the Color Wheel Set were appropriated directly from Itten. I'm really, really pissed that Itten gets zero credit for developing this tool with his family publishing a version almost identical to hers 35 year ago!

This situation my dear friends is EXACTLY what makes me hot about the current world of color theory educators (and I use the word "educators" lightly). I know it's hard to find GOOD information out there about how to use color theory (in the form of color wheels and color harmony) to help you learn to make better color choices in your creative work. I've seen many color educators presenting information in limited ways, or using proprietary tools that you're stuck using with limited use of color, or even presenting you with incorrect information or terms. All of which leaves you super frustrated when trying to go outside of that little color box to learn more, because you don't understand what you're seeing.

And this is where I'd stick the Color Wheel Set, yet another product appropriated from another source and masked as an educational tool. The basic concept is taken directly from another (totally genius) source sans all the educational value. You won't learn what the color wheel in the tool is, or where it came from, or why it's used in this format. You'll be stuck using the tool only to see the same, tired color combinations over and over again. You're missing the fantastic opportunity to learn about who actually INVENTED THE TOOL in the first place, and how Itten wants you to use it not to see the same color combinations over and over again, but to discover your own personal sense of color and style.

I don't really need to say it at this point, but I am deeply disappointed by this product and even really pissed off at the appropriation of one of the greatest 20th Century color theorist Johannes Itten's intellectual inventiveness and teaching prowess. Shame on the author for not giving due credit where credit is so obviously needed, and shame on C&T publishing for not checking into the validity of this product before openly promoting it.

Please learn more about Itten and his genius teaching methods by looking for his landmark book, The Art of Color at your local library. It's truly brilliant, and so many of his teachings are still the basis of color theory classes today.