Color Picker
Professional color picker with HEX, RGB, HSL values. Perfect for web design and UI development.
Advanced Color Picker
Professional color picker with support for HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, and CMYK formats. Generate color schemes, save palettes, and explore color harmony.
🎨 Color Preview
📋 Color Formats
🌈 Color Schemes
complementary
triadic
analogous
monochromatic
🎯 Predefined Colors
Color Format Guide
HEX Colors
Hexadecimal color notation using 6 digits (RGB) or 8 digits (RGBA).
Example: #FF5733, #FF573380
RGB Colors
Red, Green, Blue values from 0-255.
Example: rgb(255, 87, 51)
HSL Colors
Hue (0-360°), Saturation (0-100%), Lightness (0-100%).
Example: hsl(9, 100%, 60%)
Complete Color Theory Guide for Designers and Developers
🎨 Understanding Color Systems
Color is one of the most powerful tools in design and digital interfaces. Understanding color theory helps create harmonious, accessible, and emotionally effective designs that enhance user experience.
Primary Color Systems
- • Additive (RGB): Light-based colors for screens (Red, Green, Blue)
- • Subtractive (CMYK): Pigment-based colors for print (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)
- • Perceptual (HSL/HSV): Human vision-based color representation
- • LAB: Device-independent color space covering all visible colors
Color Properties
- • Hue: The color itself (position on color wheel)
- • Saturation: Intensity or purity of the color
- • Lightness/Brightness: How light or dark the color appears
- • Temperature: Warm (reds, oranges) vs Cool (blues, greens)
🔄 Color Format Comparison
| Format | Use Case | Range |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | Web development, CSS | 00-FF per channel |
| RGB | Digital displays, CSS | 0-255 per channel |
| HSL | Intuitive color picking | H: 0-360°, S/L: 0-100% |
| CMYK | Print design | 0-100% per channel |
Format Selection Guide
- • HEX: Compact, widely supported, great for CSS and branding
- • RGB: Direct screen color representation, good for calculations
- • HSL: Intuitive for humans, excellent for color variations
- • CMYK: Essential for print work, represents ink coverage
Color Harmony and Professional Schemes
🎯 Complementary
Colors opposite on the color wheel. Creates high contrast and vibrant designs.
△ Triadic
Three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel. Balanced and harmonious.
〰️ Analogous
Colors next to each other on the wheel. Creates serene, comfortable designs.
🌑 Monochromatic
Different shades, tints, and tones of a single hue. Sophisticated and cohesive.
Color Psychology and Cultural Meanings
🧠 Psychological Impact
❤️ Red: Energy & Action
Creates urgency, increases heart rate, stimulates appetite. Associated with passion, danger, and power.
Avoid for: Calming environments, healthcare (except emergencies)
💙 Blue: Trust & Stability
Calming effect, builds trust, associated with professionalism and reliability.
Avoid for: Food brands (suppresses appetite)
💚 Green: Growth & Harmony
Represents nature, growth, and prosperity. Easiest color for eyes to process.
Avoid for: Luxury brands (unless eco-luxury)
💛 Yellow: Optimism & Attention
Grabs attention, stimulates mental activity, associated with happiness and creativity.
Avoid for: Large areas (can cause eye strain)
🌍 Cultural Considerations
Western Cultures
- • White: Purity, cleanliness, minimalism
- • Black: Elegance, sophistication, mourning
- • Purple: Luxury, royalty, creativity
- • Pink: Femininity, romance, playfulness
Eastern Cultures
- • Red: Good fortune, prosperity (China)
- • White: Mourning, death (many Asian cultures)
- • Gold: Wisdom, wealth, sacred (Buddhism)
- • Orange: Spirituality, courage (Hinduism)
Global Design Tips
- • Research target culture's color associations
- • Test color schemes with local users
- • Consider religious and political sensitivities
- • Provide color customization when possible
- • Use neutral colors for international brands
Color Accessibility and Design Best Practices
♿ Accessibility Guidelines
WCAG Contrast Requirements
- • AA Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum
- • AA Large text: 3:1 contrast ratio minimum
- • AAA Normal text: 7:1 contrast ratio (enhanced)
- • AAA Large text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio (enhanced)
Color Blindness Considerations
- • Protanopia: Red-blind (1% of men)
- • Deuteranopia: Green-blind (1% of men)
- • Tritanopia: Blue-blind (rare)
- • Solution: Don't rely on color alone for information
Testing Tools
- • WebAIM Contrast Checker
- • Colour Contrast Analyser
- • Stark (Figma/Sketch plugin)
- • Chrome DevTools Accessibility Panel
🎨 Design Best Practices
60-30-10 Rule
Professional color distribution for balanced designs:
- • 60% Dominant: Main background, neutral color
- • 30% Secondary: Supporting elements, content areas
- • 10% Accent: Call-to-action, highlights, links
Color Hierarchy
- • Use color to establish visual hierarchy
- • Bright/warm colors advance, cool colors recede
- • Higher contrast = higher importance
- • Consistent color coding throughout interface
Performance Considerations
- • Use CSS custom properties for consistent colors
- • Optimize color palette for file size
- • Consider dark mode color variations
- • Test on different displays and lighting
Digital Color in Web Development and Design Systems
🌐 CSS Color Implementation
Modern CSS Features:
:root {
--primary: #3B82F6;
--primary-light: color-mix(in srgb, var(--primary) 80%, white);
--primary-dark: color-mix(in srgb, var(--primary) 80%, black);
}
.button {
background: var(--primary);
color: color-contrast(var(--primary) vs white, black);
}New Color Spaces:
/* Wide gamut colors */
.vibrant {
color: oklch(70% 0.25 180);
background: color(display-p3 1 0 0);
}🎨 Design System Colors
Color Token Structure:
// Semantic naming
colors: {
primary: {
50: '#eff6ff',
100: '#dbeafe',
500: '#3b82f6', // Base
900: '#1e3a8a'
},
semantic: {
success: '#10b981',
warning: '#f59e0b',
error: '#ef4444',
info: '#3b82f6'
}
}Dark Mode Strategy:
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
:root {
--bg-primary: #0f172a;
--text-primary: #f8fafc;
--accent: #60a5fa;
}
}📱 Responsive Color Design
Adaptive brightness: Adjust colors based on ambient light
High contrast mode: Support system accessibility preferences
Color gamut: Progressive enhancement for wide-gamut displays
Print styles: Optimize colors for printing (usually high contrast)
🛠️ Color Tools Integration
Design tokens: JSON/YAML files for cross-platform consistency
Build tools: Automated color optimization and validation
Linting: Enforce color accessibility and consistency rules
Documentation: Auto-generated color palette documentation
Advanced Color Techniques and Trends
🌈 Modern Color Trends
Gradient Renaissance
Modern gradients with subtle transitions, mesh gradients, and noise textures.
Duotone Effects
Two-color treatment creating striking, cohesive visual effects.
Vibrant Minimalism
Bold, saturated colors in minimal compositions for maximum impact.
🔬 Technical Innovations
HDR and Wide Gamut
Display-P3, Rec. 2020 color spaces enabling more vibrant colors than sRGB.
Perceptual Color Spaces
OKLCH and LAB color spaces that better match human color perception.
AI Color Generation
Machine learning models generating harmonious color palettes and schemes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which color format should I use for web design?
A: For most web projects, use HEX for solid colors (easier to remember and share) and RGB/RGBA for transparency. HSL is excellent for programmatic color manipulation and creating variations. CMYK is only for print design.
Q: How do I ensure my colors are accessible?
A: Check contrast ratios using tools like WebAIM's contrast checker. Aim for 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Don't rely solely on color to convey information - use icons, text, or patterns as alternatives.
Q: What's the difference between RGB and CMYK?
A: RGB is additive color for screens (light-based), while CMYK is subtractive for print (ink-based). RGB has a wider color gamut than CMYK, so some bright screen colors can't be printed exactly. Always convert to CMYK for print projects.
Q: How many colors should I use in my design?
A: Follow the 60-30-10 rule: 60% dominant neutral color, 30% secondary supporting color, and 10% accent color. This creates balance while allowing for visual hierarchy. You can expand with tints and shades of your main colors.
Q: How do I create a professional color palette?
A: Start with your brand's primary color, then use color harmony rules (complementary, triadic, etc.) to find supporting colors. Create variations (tints, shades, tones) for different use cases. Test for accessibility and cultural appropriateness.
Q: What colors work best for dark mode?
A: Use darker backgrounds (not pure black) with lighter text. Reduce color saturation by 10-20% to prevent oversaturation. Increase contrast ratios and test thoroughly. Consider using warmer tones to reduce eye strain in low-light conditions.
Q: How do colors affect user behavior?
A: Colors influence emotions and actions. Red creates urgency (good for CTAs), blue builds trust (popular for corporate sites), green suggests growth and safety. However, context and culture matter more than universal color meanings. Always A/B test important color decisions.
Q: Should I use gradients in modern web design?
A: Yes, but use them thoughtfully. Modern gradients are subtle and purposeful, not decorative. They work well for backgrounds, buttons, and creating depth. Ensure sufficient contrast for text overlays and test across different devices and screens.