Color Picker Pro

Color Picker Pro - Professional Color Tool

Advanced color picker with professional features for designers, developers, and artists. Generate color harmonies, create shades and tints, preview gradients, save favorite colors, and get detailed color information. All features work offline with instant updates.

What are color harmonies?

Color harmonies are combinations of colors that are aesthetically pleasing and work well together. They are based on color wheel relationships:

Complementary:
- Two colors opposite on the color wheel
- High contrast and vibrant
- Example: Blue and Orange
- Use: Create emphasis and visual interest

Analogous:
- Three colors next to each other (30° apart)
- Harmonious and comfortable
- Example: Blue, Blue-Green, Green
- Use: Create serene and cohesive designs

Triadic:
- Three colors equally spaced (120° apart)
- Vibrant but balanced
- Example: Red, Yellow, Blue
- Use: Create bold and colorful designs

Tetradic (Square):
- Four colors equally spaced (90° apart)
- Rich and varied
- Example: Blue, Orange, Red-Violet, Yellow-Green
- Use: Complex designs with multiple accents

Monochromatic:
- Variations of one hue (different shades, tints, tones)
- Unified and elegant
- Example: Light blue, medium blue, dark blue
- Use: Create sophisticated, minimal designs

How do I use color harmonies in design?

Using color harmonies effectively:

1. Choose Your Base Color:
- Start with your brand color or main color
- Consider the mood and message
- Think about your target audience

2. Select Harmony Type:
- Complementary: For bold, high-impact designs
- Analogous: For calm, cohesive designs
- Triadic: For balanced, colorful designs
- Monochromatic: For elegant, minimal designs

3. Apply the 60-30-10 Rule:
- 60%: Dominant color (usually the lightest)
- 30%: Secondary color (medium tone)
- 10%: Accent color (darkest or most vibrant)

4. Test and Adjust:
- Check contrast and readability
- Ensure accessibility (WCAG standards)
- Test on different backgrounds
- Adjust brightness and saturation as needed

5. Common Applications:
- Web design: Headers, buttons, backgrounds
- Branding: Logos, marketing materials
- UI/UX: Call-to-action buttons, alerts
- Illustrations: Color schemes for artwork

What are shades and tints?

Shades and tints are variations of a base color:

Tints (Lighter):
- Created by adding white to a color
- Makes colors lighter and softer
- Increases lightness value in HSL
- Use cases:
- Backgrounds and subtle accents
- Hover states (lighter buttons)
- Disabled or inactive elements
- Creating depth and hierarchy

Shades (Darker):
- Created by adding black to a color
- Makes colors darker and more intense
- Decreases lightness value in HSL
- Use cases:
- Text and emphasis elements
- Active states (darker buttons)
- Shadows and depth effects
- Headers and important sections

Tones (Adding Gray):
- Created by adding gray to a color
- Makes colors more muted and subtle
- Reduces saturation
- Use cases:
- Secondary elements
- Background variations
- Creating sophisticated palettes

Practical Tips:
- Use tints for light themes
- Use shades for dark themes
- Create 5-10 variations for flexibility
- Maintain consistent steps (e.g., 10% lightness change)
- Test for sufficient contrast
- Save your favorite combinations

How do I create effective gradients?

Creating beautiful gradients:

1. Gradient Types:

Linear Gradients:
- Colors transition in a straight line
- Direction: top-to-bottom, left-to-right, diagonal
- Use: Backgrounds, headers, cards
- Example: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%)

Radial Gradients:
- Colors radiate from a center point
- Creates circular or elliptical effects
- Use: Spotlights, focus areas, backgrounds
- Example: radial-gradient(circle, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%)

2. Best Practices:

Color Selection:
- Use harmonious colors (analogous work well)
- Avoid too many colors (2-3 is ideal)
- Consider color harmony rules
- Test light and dark variations

Transition Control:
- Smooth transitions are usually better
- Use color stops for precise control
- Avoid jarring color combinations
- Test on different screen sizes

Accessibility:
- Ensure text is readable on gradients
- Use solid overlays for text backgrounds
- Test with high-contrast mode
- Provide fallback solid colors

3. Common Uses:
- Website backgrounds
- Button hover effects
- Card backgrounds
- Hero sections
- Loading animations
- Brand elements

4. Tools:
- Use this tool's gradient preview
- Copy generated CSS code
- Test in your project
- Save successful combinations

Why should I save colors?

Benefits of saving colors:

1. Consistency:
- Maintain brand colors across projects
- Quick access to approved colors
- Avoid color drift in long projects
- Share exact colors with team members

2. Efficiency:
- No need to remember hex codes
- Quick retrieval of favorite colors
- Build personal color libraries
- Speed up design workflow

3. Experimentation:
- Save variations to compare later
- Build custom palettes gradually
- Test different combinations
- Keep track of color research

4. Workflow Tips:
- Save your brand colors first
- Organize by project or purpose
- Clear old colors periodically
- Export important colors to design tools
- Document color purposes (e.g., primary, accent)

5. Use Cases:
- Brand identity projects
- Web development
- UI/UX design
- Illustration and digital art
- Client presentations
- Personal color collections

Note: Colors are saved in your browser's local storage, so they persist between sessions but are device-specific. For team collaboration, export colors to a shared document or design system.

Professional Features

• Advanced color picker with large preview
• 5 color harmony modes (Complementary, Analogous, Triadic, Tetradic, Monochromatic)
• Generate shades (darker) and tints (lighter) automatically
• Create linear and radial gradients with preview
• Save unlimited favorite colors to browser
• Copy all color formats (HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, CSS gradients)
• Real-time color information (brightness, luminance)
• Best text color recommendation (white/black on color)
• Click any color to use it as main color
• Instant updates - no convert button needed
• 100% client-side processing
• Works offline after first load
• Dark mode support
• Mobile-friendly responsive design
• Export color palettes
• Professional-grade color tools