The PhotoFinishes links to some of the best online color tools for photographers and designers. Thus we are constantly on the lookout for new and more innovative tools. Here are some of the latest:
Pictaculous
Pictaculous analyzes your uploaded image for its palette then goes to Adobe Kuler and Colourlovers to get 5 suggested palettes from each. All of the pallettes can be used from a downloaded Adobe color swatch file. Neat, simple, effective.
ColorCombos
Color Combos provides two useful tools for online color sampling. The ComboTester allows getting the colors shown on a website and then move, compare, remove and add hues to that basic mix. You can display text over the colors. Then with ColorMaker you can try the combo using colors on various backgrounds and icons. Free and helpful though loaded with ads.
ColorZilla
Colorzilla offers a color gradient creator with either CSS3 or SCSS implementation. This is very useful for any websites background or container filling. But ColorZilla also offers a general purpose color sampling add-on for either FireFox or Chrome. The Chrome version is so versatile I have replaced all my other web-page color pickers.
Dribble
Dribble is a web designers show and tell website. But what makes it interesting is the large thumnails of color work provided by many of its designers. It is a chance to see how other web designers have worked with some of the colors themes in your own selected palette. Very interesting and fascinating.
DesignInspiration
DesignInspiration is a Dribble clone – i.e. is a hangout site for web designers. However, DesignInspiration has better color selection and design thumbnail options. Hmmm do we have separation?
Color Explorer
Color Explorer certainly allows one to do that in its Color Picker nd Color match tools. But the tool only allows importing colors from an uploaded image of 250KB or less and there is no web page or region import. Also the commercial color libraries on tap are only 3 – Focaltone, Toyo, and Trumatch.
Contrast-A
Contrast-A test font color combinations for Accessibility given 5 major color vision deficiencies. The tool is so easy to use it pays to make sure all your readers can do so. And the tests also provide valuable color and font design insights. One surprise – you cannot change the font selected for testing.
ColoRotate
ColoRotate has a robust 3D system of displaying colors thatis compelling. One can import colors from a file of up to 10MB in size to create the starting palette. Then the tools for exploring those palette color are quite helpful and fun. Finally, the Color theory menu gives some solid insights into theory behind compelling color blends.
Colr.org
Colr is another colorscheme finder based on upload images or randomly selected flickr photos. The above live scheme selector is the other service – add a search color – and see what schemes have been added to colr.org with that as tag.
Summary
Wow! Just over a year since our last search of online color tools and there are a number of worthy additions to the fold. In addition, some of the existing online color tools have improved. In sum, color enthusiasts have a wide selection of great color design and enhancing tools to choose from.