The Science of Design and Form: An Introductory Course I Taught at the Bauhaus and Other Schools

"Each lesson is unique in those most precious moments, when it is possible to touch the innermost strings of this or that student, to ignite their inner spiritual light.

The visual output of my life seems much poorer compared to what happened in my classes. The intonation, rhythm, sequence of words, time and place, the spiritual world of students and all other factors that formed the lively atmosphere of the classes should be repeated. And it is precisely this non-reproducible that contributes to creative work.

I found the format of my classes intuitively. The students' willingness to learn moved me somewhat.

Learning, which a student strives for under the influence of his passion, is somewhat opposite to what methodically thought-out lessons are capable of. Among my students, those who chose their own, different path thanks to their intuition turned out to be the best.

Merely ostentatious monkeying around or repeating my methods had no effect. At the same time, I am fully aware that my discoveries have not always been truly groundbreaking. They were rather a repetition of the experience of what once provided artists with a basis for further work."

This extended quote from Johannes Itten's introduction to his own book based on the curriculum fully reveals his vision of learning, the role of the student and the teacher, and his reverence for the creative atmosphere of the school. This is the spirit of the Bauhaus, which generated a powerful wave of artistic search and creativity and remains one of the brightest and most recognizable phenomena in the history of design. Now the classic textbook of Johannes Itten in the Ukrainian translation will inspire you.