A Color Classic Reimagined for the iPad

Josef Albers encouraged his students to physically engage with color in order to understand their complex relationships. In 1963 he published his landmark book, Interaction of Color, a whopping 20-pound collection of over 150 silkscreen prints with commentary. By moving and juxtaposing the prints near one another, students were able to witness how two seemingly different colors could potentially change to be exactly the same.

Yale University Press marked the 50th anniversary of this celebrated book by releasing an app for the iPad of Albers’ texts and color studies. Nearly an exact digital replica of the book, (uses the original Baskerville typeface), the app contains color plates, 60 interactive studies and two hours of video interviews with designers, artists and architects including commentary from Albers as well. With more than 250 color swatches, users are encouraged to create their own custom pairings which can be exported (as RGB) for further manipulation in Illustrator or Photoshop. Users can download a free version (a sample of Chapter 10), or can purchase the full version for $9.99.

Any color aficionado will appreciate the interactivity and the timeless application of how these principles continue to remain valid even within the digital realm.

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