- 216-Color Swatches,
Poster, and Lab by VisiBone
A variety of color resources for web designers: free online 216-color swatchesfor
Photoshop, Illustrator, ImageReady, Fireworks, Paint Shop Pro,HomeSite,
BBEdit, and other programs, a 216-color Webmaster's Palette Poster(recently
updated). The color arrangements are especially good. The poster has the
color palette, of course, but is also packed with helpful information and is
visually very attractive.
Other helpful pages at the site are the Web Palette Color Distinction Test,
and the Webmaster's Color Laboratory.
- 6X6X6 Netscape
Color Palette Map.
- Bruce
Beard's Hair and Skin Color Charts
Wonderful skin color charts to download. Now available as .pal for PaintShop
Pro, too. Otherwise, download the .jpg charts and use your color picker with
your graphics program.
- ColorMix
Online color mixer that will evenly dither colors for you to achieve a
certain color look, providing you with a gif image to download. By BluePrint
Networks.
- ColorSelector
This is quite an interesting color selector for the 216 'web safe' colors.
Each color is provided once in the hexagonal charts. You can zoom in or out
and also view the negative colors, too.
[Thanks to Henk Stokhorst for submitting this link
suggestion.]
- Color
Gallery
About.com's Graphic Design Guide, Judy Litt, has put together a wonderful
color gallery for web
colors, spot
colors, and process
colors. You'll find so many interesting color combinations (primarily
from people submitting them, and Judy encourages that). By clicking on a
link with each one: for web colors you'll find the RGB and hex codes; for
process colors you'll find CMYK information; and for spot colors you'll find
the PMS information. Great source of inspiration for color combinations and
ideas.
[Thanks to for suggesting the Color Gallery!]
- Color
Your Web
Great article by Christopher Schmitt for A List Apart.
- PrayStation
Click on Carnivore at the site to get to a fantastic online interactive RGB,
HEX color chart that also provides lighter and darker values with all the
RGB and HEX codes. Easy-to-understand interface, and fun to use and explore.
Also translates into several languages (JavaScript application).
[by Joshua Davis]
- DJ's Hex
Calculator
Download this HEX calculator program (small donation appreciated).
- dotParagon's
Browser Safe (216) Color Chart
This chart is especially helpful for its layout with color shades grouped
together. Also includes RGB values.
- DynaKewb: The 216
Color Cube Background Maker
A great java script-enabled chart by Steve Nelson of ClearInk. Simply pass
your mouse on a color on the cube to view it as the entire background. HEX
code included. (This is the original source from the author's website. There
are many of these copied all over the web.).
- HYPE's
Color Specifier for Netscape v.3
Great chart for far more colors than only the browser-safe colors. Each
color shown also has a clickable link that provides an entire page of one
particular color. (This site gets extremely busy sometimes and can't handle
the traffic, but if you try again later, you ought to be able to get
through.).
- Preset Color Palettes
A color palette-generation program that's geared toward web designers by
ClearInk. Want to see examples of color combinations that are 'industrial,'
'romantic,' 'tranquil,' 'refreshing,' 'sporty,' and more? Click on the
description names and see these combinations, and then choose to make them
darker, lighter, or make your own with the movement of your mouse. Really
interesting and helpful chart to consider color combinations.
- The
36 Color Wheel, Interactive Real Color Wheel in Light and Pigment for
Artists
Don Jusko's terrific information on color. Although the information is
intended for print, it's an amazing site, quite interesting, and I found it
enlightening and very helpful for colors for web design.
- The Browser Safe
Color Palette
from Lynda Weinman. Great information here and palettes available to
download.
- The Color
Association of the United States (CAUS)
Official site for this well respected organization. Read color forecasting,
articles, information for membership, purchase books and info.
- The
Color Schemer
An online color scheme generator by Digital Studios Web Design. Use online
or purchase the software. Very helpful tool. (You need to have JavaScript
turned on.).
- The Color Wheel
Company
The Color Wheel Company has numerous color wheels from which to choose, and
are quite reasonably priced. They have a variety of sizes, from pocket-sized
to poster-sized, and color, gray scale, watercolors, black and white, kids
wheel, and even a Spanish version. I've personally purchased some of their
products (the pocket-sized color wheel and the 9-1/4" color wheel) and
am pleased with the quality and their usefulness (they're both on my desk
for reference).
- The
Official 216 Cross-Platform Browser-Safe Colour Chart
Color chart by Tari Akpodiete's BuildingTheWeb.com website
(formerly the very popular WPRG, or Web Producer's Resource
Guide).
- Two4U's Color Databases
(formerly Thalia's Color Guide)
An amazing set of databases of color charts and color-composing engine,
available online or for download (PC and MAC), by Mark
Koenen.
- Victor Engel's No
Dither Netscape Color Palette, The Browser Safe Palette.
- Web
Colour Selection and Conversion Utility
BuildingTheWeb.com's handy color selection and conversion utility. This is a
great tool for trying out colors to your heart's content, and getting the
RGB and hex codes. Fun to use in addition to being so helpful!
- Characteristics
of Web graphics
The Web Style Guide's section on web graphics, which has extensive color
information. Topics cover color displays, browser-safe colors, dither,
gamma, screen resolution, and image file sizes. Top-notch information.
[by Web
Style Guide, 2nd Edition, 2002.]
- Color
Calibration and a Web Color Primer
WebReview's helpful article by Joel Mattox and Derrick Story. Info about
what web designers face with huge color variances on the wide range of
monitors and systems, new technologies to help improve color interpretation
on the Web, tips for color management, and more information.
- Color,
Contrast, and Dimension in News Design
Poynter.org has provided this fabulous online interactive tutorial about how
to effectively use colors, including color mood and meaning, contrasts and
dimension, and much more. Requires the Flash plugin.
[Link via Wise-Women.org
discussion list.]
- Color,
the Chameleon of the Web
Discussion of color instability on the Web and future trends.
- Color FAQ (websafe
colors)
VisiBone's excellent Q&A about web-safe colors. This one is a
must read. It answers common questions about the websafe palette,
colors for the color blind, Pantone, more. Excellent reference.
- Color
Forecast 2001: What Colors Will Shine Next?
The Color Association of the United States' (CAUS) forecast for 2001-2003.
Includes:
1. the CAUS Color Palette 2001 for Interiors and Graphic
Design (online and downloadable PDF),
2. Online and downloadable color wheels with instructions
on color relationships and for using and blending colors. Good reference.
- Death
of the Websafe Color Palette?
Controversial Webmonkey article (September, 2000) about websafe colors and
what's really going on.
Note comments by Jeffrey
Zeldman:“no, there's a 216-color 'web safe' palette and
that's all there is. 16-bit color is ALWAYS off due to mathematical
conversion errors. webmonkey ran a big story some months back: 'Is the Web
Safe Palette Dead?' i disagree with their conclusion. (i conclude that the
palette is alive because it works for 48 of the audience. NOTHING works in
16-bit color. NOTHING.) otherwise it's a brilliant article.”
(from 2000-11-17 15:55, news at k10k.net,
news from the k10k.net crew + special guests)
- Forbidden
Colours
Great article with illustrated examples about web-safe colors versus colors
that are NOT web safe. Good resource.
- Graphics
and Images on the Web
A very helpful tutorial about optimizing images for the Web. Reviews image
size, color depth, color online, choosing image formats for the Web,
platform differences and gamma, and links to more information. Helpful
tutorial.
[by Catherine Hays, Univ.
of Maryland, College of Arts and Humanities]
- Graphics and
Palettes
Joe Gillespie's excellent discussion of the 216-color web palette with
palettes to download for use.
- International Color
Consortium (ICC)
Organization to create, promote and encourage standardization of a
vendor-neutral cross-platform color management.
- Is
the Web Safe Palette really dead?
Article by Joe Gillespie that does a terrific job of explaining color
palettes for the web.
- Make
A Splash with Color
Tutorial all about color. Discusses hue, saturation, brightness, light and
light sources, reflection, filters, how the eye sees colors, much more.
Excellent.
- Color Deficient
Vision
by VisiBone. Simulation of VisiBone's web designer color card and chart for
deuteranopia
- Color Vision
Easy to use tool to quickly see color deficiencies with color palettes for
Protanomaly (low red), Protanopia (no red), Deuteranomaly (low green),
Deutanopia (no green), Tritanomaly (low blue), Tritanopia (no blue), Typical
Monochromatic, ATypical Monochromatic. Explains various types of color
blindness with links to references. (Uses JavaScript)
[by Cal Henderson, iamcal.com]
- Color
vision, color deficiency
by Diane Wilson, Firelily Designs. Helpful info here about light and vision,
wavelength charts, photo samples.
- Colourmaps
for checking the legibility of displays by dichromats
by Hans Brettel. Side-by-side comparison chart of a 256-color palette in its
normal, protan, and deutan version.
- "Consider
It Before You Build It," Designing for the Color Blind
by Samuel Granato. Good article explaining what to consider when designing
sites for the color blind. Links to resources, too.
- Considering
the Color-Blind
By Chuck Newman for WebTechniques. Good article about color blindness,
issues to consider, shows example comparisons, more. Also discusses how to
design web pages for color blindness issues and explains how to simulate
some of the color blindness issues using PaintShop Pro (could be done in
Photoshop, too). Includes links to resources, too.
- Safe
web colors for colour-deficient vision
by Christine Rigden, BT exact Technologies. Translation of web-safe colors
by HEX
or RGB
values, compare palette files, photo samples of transformed color choices,
more. Definition of terms, charts and information about color blindness, and
much more. Very thorough site.
- Vischeck
Check your images or web pages with the simulator available here. Check
online, use their Java program, or download a plugin that works with
Photoshop, PaintShop Pro and other graphics programs. Resources and more
info about various types of color blindness, too. Good info and tool.
- What
do colour-blind people see?
by Hans Brettel. Interactive Java applet that demonstrates color blindness
for Protanopia and Deuteranopia. Also has other buttons that demonstrate
grayscale and adding red, blue or green channels. Interesting and helpful.
One to nine images are provided, depending on your Internet connection
speed.
- What
Is Colorblindness and the Different Types?
Explains types of color blindness, such as Protanomaly (red weakness),
Deuteranomaly (green weakness), Dichromasy.
- All
About Color
Pantone's website section includes tips and techniques, color articles,
color direction and trends, color research and trends.
- Color and
Highlighting Principles
Informative articles about how to use color, such as to draw attention, to
show relationship, how to avoid color problems, more. Good info.
- Color Matters®
An entire website about color. Includes color and the brain, psychological
issues, color in design, basic color theory, articles, a book about color
issues, more.
- Color's
Pivotal Role in Color and Art
Excellent Overview of color theory with illustrations.
- ColorScopes
Color Profiles - the psychological impact of a variety of colors
(associations, positive and negative attributes to various colors, more).
From Pantone.
- Color
Symbolism
Jean Kaiser, About.com's Web Design Guide covers a lot of ground with her
section on color. Great color symbolism chart. You'll also find color
studies and information, symbolism (culture, trends, age and experience,
personal preferences).
- Color Theory
and Practice
The annotated bibliography of selected readings is especially helpful.
- Color
Therapy
by Suza Scalora. A site all about color - color meaning, color picker, color
meditation, photo gallery. Very well done. The color meaning section, for
example, takes you on an interactive adventure exploring how you feel about
various colors.
- Color Voodoo
Electronic publications about color (these aren't free, though, and must be
purchased). Articles about color symbolism, color and web design, more.
- Effective
Color Contrast: Designing for People with Partial Sight and Color
Deficiencies
Written by Aries Arditi, Ph.D., of Lighthouse International. Great
information and illustrations discussing important considerations working
with designs and color.
- Psychology
of Color
Do different colors affect your mood?
by Infoplease.com. The basics about color psychology (U.S. color
interpretations). Links to more articles about color, too.
- Setting
the Mood with Color
by Jane Rock Kennedy for WebDesignClinic. In several parts, this informative
article discusses use of color, with website samples and discussion,
illustration, help. Shows monochromatic color schemes vs. triadic color
schemes, mood, balance.
- Winning
Colors and Shapes For Your Company
Interesting article in the Weekly Guerilla, by Bill Gallagher, Ph.D.
includes charts and descriptions for a variety of colors and shapes.
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