FREE CREATIVE TOOLS
Colour Tools for Everyday Creativity
Explore simple, practical colour tools for painting, design and creative projects — from converting colour values to building palettes and understanding how colours work together.
No complicated software. Just useful tools to help you explore colour with confidence.
Explore Colour ToolsCOLOUR MADE SIMPLER
A Better Starting Point for Colour
Choosing and understanding colours can sometimes feel more complicated than the creative project itself. Our colour tools are intended to provide quick, approachable starting points for artists, hobby painters, crafters, students, designers, DIY creators and beginners alike.
POPULAR COLOUR TOOLS
Where Most People Start
ALL COLOUR TOOLS
Explore All Colour Tools
We're building this toolkit one tool at a time. Everything below is planned — tools marked Coming Soon aren't available yet, but you can see what's on the way.
Muted & Desaturated Colour Generator
Turn any colour into a softer, dusty version.
Available NowColour Value (Grayscale) Checker
Check the tonal value of any colour for painting.
Available NowColour-Blind-Safe Palette Checker
Check if your palette stays distinguishable for CVD.
Available NowColour Harmony Compatibility Checker
Check if your colours form a classic colour harmony.
Available NowCSS & SCSS Colour Variables Generator
Turn hex colours into CSS, SCSS, LESS or Tailwind code.
Available NowFour Seasons Palette Generator
Get a colour palette inspired by any season.
Available NowColour Psychology & Mood Meaning Lookup
Look up the moods and meanings behind any colour.
Available NowTwo-Colour Gradient & Ombre Generator
Blend two colours into a smooth gradient or ombre with hex codes and CSS.
Available NowAll-in-One Colour Format Converter
Convert any colour to HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV and CMYK at once.
Available NowColour Temperature (Kelvin) to RGB Converter
Convert light colour temperature in Kelvin to an approximate hex and RGB value.
Available NowColour Blindness Simulator
See how any colour appears under different types of colour vision deficiency.
Available NowColour Contrast Checker (WCAG)
Check text and background contrast against WCAG accessibility standards.
Available NowArtist Paint Colour to HEX & RGB Converter
Look up approximate hex values for Golden, Liquitex and Winsor & Newton paints.
Available NowCopic Marker to HEX & RGB Converter
Look up approximate hex values for popular Copic codes, or find the closest marker to any colour.
Available NowPaintbrush Size Chart
Real measured data on why brush size numbers vary between brands.
Available NowSkin Tone Mixing Guide
Six general starting-point pigment mixes for portrait painting.
Available NowLimited Palette Generator
Explore the Zorn, split-primary and earth palettes used by professional painters.
Available NowAcrylic Paint Coverage Calculator
Estimate how much paint and how many tubes your canvas needs.
Available NowWatercolour Dilution Calculator
Get an approximate water-to-paint ratio for your wash strength.
Available NowWhat Colours Make ___?
See which two colours combine to make brown, purple, pink and more.
Available NowPalette Temperature Balance Checker
See whether your whole palette leans warm, cool or balanced before you paint.
Available NowPalette Namer
Get an instant name for your custom palette from up to five colours.
Available NowMonochromatic Palette Generator
Build a calm five-step palette using a single hue at different lightness levels.
Available NowTetradic (Square) Generator
Find three evenly spaced partner colours for a four-colour scheme.
Available NowColour HarmonySplit-Complementary Generator
Find the two colours either side of your complement for balanced contrast.
Available NowConvertersCMYK to HEX
Convert CMYK percentages into a HEX colour code.
Available NowConvertersHSL to RGB
Convert HSL values into RGB values.
Available NowConvertersRGB to HSL
Convert RGB values into HSL values.
Available NowConvertersHSL to HEX
Convert HSL values into a HEX colour code.
Available NowConvertersHEX to HSL
Convert a HEX colour code into HSL values.
Available NowConvertersHEX to RGB
Convert a HEX colour code into RGB values.
Available NowConvertersRGB to HEX
Convert RGB values into a HEX colour code.
Available NowConvertersRGB to CMYK
Convert RGB values into CMYK for print use.
Available NowConvertersCMYK to RGB
Convert CMYK values into RGB for screen use.
Available NowConvertersHEX to CMYK
Convert a HEX colour code directly into CMYK.
Available NowColour ExplorerColour Picker
Pick and preview any colour and see its values.
Available NowColour ExplorerTints & Shades Generator
Generate lighter tints and darker shades of a colour.
Available NowColour ExplorerPaint Colour Mixer
Mix two colours and preview an approximate result, plus a colour mixing chart and guide.
Available NowColour ExplorerContrast Checker
Check colour contrast for readability.
Available NowColour ExplorerColour Name Finder
Find the closest common name for a colour.
Available NowPalettesArtist Colour Palette Generator
Generate a coordinated artist colour palette, lock and adjust colours, or extract a palette from an image.
Available NowPalettesGradient Generator
Blend two colours into a smooth gradient and preview the CSS.
Available NowColour HarmonyComplementary Colour Finder
Find the colour opposite your selected colour on the colour wheel.
Available NowColour HarmonyAnalogous Colour Generator
Find colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel.
Available NowColour HarmonyTriadic Colour Generator
Find three evenly spaced colours on the colour wheel.
Available NowCreative InspirationRandom Colour Generator
Generate a random colour for creative inspiration.
Available NowCreative InspirationRandom Colour Palette Generator
Generate a random palette for creative inspiration.
Available NowCreative InspirationPastel Colour Generator
Generate soft, pastel colour palettes.
Available NowColour LearningWarm & Cool Colour Explorer
Explore the difference between warm and cool colours.
Available NowColour LearningInteractive Artist Colour Wheel
Explore complementary, analogous, triadic colours, tints and shades on an interactive wheel.
MADE FOR CREATING
Useful Colour Help Without the Complication
Quick To Use
Simple tools designed to give you a helpful starting point in moments, without a learning curve.
Beginner Friendly
No design background needed. Everything is written and laid out in plain, everyday language.
Free To Explore
These tools are free to use whenever you need a bit of colour guidance for your next project.
Built Around Creativity
Made with hobby painters, crafters and beginners in mind — not professional design software.
COLOUR BASICS
HEX, RGB and CMYK — What's the Difference?
HEX and RGB are both used to describe colour on screens — HEX is a short code (like #AE4F26) and RGB describes a colour using red, green and blue light values. CMYK is different again: it describes colour using cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink, and is generally used for print rather than screens.
Why Conversions Are Approximate
Converting between these colour models is not always exact. Screens, printers and paper all reproduce colour differently, so a converted value is a helpful guide rather than a guaranteed match. For more detail on the limits of colour conversion and display accuracy, see our Disclaimer.
A Note About Digital Colour & Real Paint
The colours you see on a screen are made of light, while paint colours are made of physical pigment — so a digital colour value will not always match a real paint, brand or finish exactly. Mixing physical paint also behaves differently to blending digital colours. Use these tools as creative inspiration and a helpful starting point, and always check real paint swatches or samples before making a final choice for your project.
LEARN AS YOU CREATE
Understanding Colour Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
Here's a quick, plain-language look at some common colour terms you'll see across our tools.
Primary Colours
Red, yellow and blue — the base colours used to create many other colours.
Secondary Colours
Made by mixing two primary colours together, such as orange, green and purple.
Tertiary Colours
Created by mixing a primary colour with a neighbouring secondary colour.
Complementary Colours
Colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel and create strong contrast.
Analogous Colours
Colours that sit next to each other on the wheel, creating a calm, harmonious feel.
Warm & Cool Colours
Warm colours (reds, oranges, yellows) tend to feel energetic; cool colours (blues, greens, purples) tend to feel calm.
Tints
A colour with white added, making it lighter.
Shades
A colour with black added, making it darker.
Saturation
How intense or muted a colour appears.
Colour Harmony
Combinations of colours that feel pleasing and balanced when used together.
FROM SCREEN TO CREATIVE SPACE
Ready to Make Something?
Once you've found a colour direction you love, bring it to life with one of our art kits.
Explore Our KitsQUESTIONS ABOUT OUR TOOLS
Colour Tools FAQ
Are these colour tools free to use?
Yes. Our colour tools are free to use whenever you need a bit of colour guidance for a project.
Why does a colour look different on screen compared to printed or painted?
Screens display colour using light, while print and paint use pigment or ink, so the same colour value can look slightly different across each. Lighting, screen settings and material can all affect the final result.
Are the HEX, RGB and CMYK conversions exact?
They are a close, useful approximation rather than a guaranteed exact match, since screens and printers reproduce colour differently. See our Disclaimer for more detail.
Can I use the colour mixer to predict how paint will mix?
The colour mixer is a creative, digital preview only. Physical paint mixing depends on the specific paints, pigments and brands you use, so real results may vary.
What's the difference between a tint and a shade?
A tint is a colour with white added to make it lighter, while a shade is a colour with black added to make it darker.
How do I use a generated colour palette in my art or craft project?
Use a generated palette as a starting point for inspiration — then compare it against your real paints, papers or materials before committing to a final combination.