The focus of this category is on software applications designed to assist with color management, as well as for selecting colors or creating color schemes.
Color pickers are used to select and adjust color values. Graphic designers will usually select colors using a software interface with a visual representation of a color, organized with hue, lightness, and saturation dimensions (HLS), as opposed to using the alphanumeric text values representing the color. Because the appearance of a particular color depends on a comparison of surrounding colors, some interfaces clarify the relationships between colors.
There are several different types of software color tools, whose interfaces will vary. They may use sliders, buttons, or text boxes for color values, or they may use direct manipulation.
Direct manipulation generally involves a software interface that uses windows, icons, menus, and a pointing (WIMP) GUI, but the term may also be applied to interfaces for vision-impaired users, through a combination of tactile and sonic devices.
Drag and drop effects, color droppers, and other forms of interfaces may also be used.
Most color pickers will also display the numeric values of the color so that they can be recorded and keyed in later, if necessary.
Color management tools, on the other hand, are designed to help the user select a good match across various color devices. A specific color in one frame of a video should appear the same on a computer LCD monitor as it does on a plasma television screen, or a printed poster. A color used on a web page should look the same when someone accesses the page through Safari as it does when the viewer is using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. While these color management tools cannot guarantee identical color representation, that is the goal.
Any computer software that is designed for color selection or color management is appropriate for this category.
Recommended Resources
Hosted on SourceForge, this is a C++ library for generating color schemes, which also includes a few other classes for converting between RGB (red, green, blue), YUV (luminance, chrominance), HSB (hue, saturation, brightness), and HSL (hue, saturation, lightness). An introduction and guide to its use are provided, along with class references, class hierarchy, and developer information. Examples of images created through the A’Hote library are presented.
http://ahote.sourceforge.net/
Argyll CMS is an open-source ICC compatible color management system that creates ICC profile creation for scanners, cameras, and film recorders, as well as calibration and profiling of displays and RGB and CMYK printers. Argyll Pro is a premium Android application for smartphones and tablets that allows the user to use all of the USB-connected color measurement instruments on the go. Online documentation for the open-source product is provided.
http://www.argyllcms.com/
The first version of Calibrize required a license, but it is now distributed through an advertising model and may be freely downloaded from the site with no restrictions on its use. Calibrize enables the user to adjust the colors of their computer monitor. The site includes a primer on color management, being the art of making colors look the same wherever, whenever. An introduction to the use of the software is also available, along with answers to frequently asked questions.
http://www.calibrize.com/
Founded in 1998, Chromix develops color management and image fidelity software products and services. Its products include ColorThink and Curve. ColorThink Pro adds major features to the basic ColorThink toolset, while Curve is made up of several integrated tools to help the user calibrate their printing system, verify the accuracy, and prepare measurements for ICC profiling, or to use as color references. Its products and services may be purchased from its online store.
https://www.chromix.com/
The multi-purpose color picker for Microsoft Windows may be used for business, commercial, school, government, or individual use, and may be installed on as many systems as a user may choose, without payment. The software was created for web designers and programmers. It identifies and represents colors in various hex color code formats, automatically copying the hex color code for the selected color to the clipboard. Its features, screenshots, and licensure information are given.
http://colorcop.net/
GMG is a developer and global supplier of color management software applications, serving a wide range of industries and application areas, such as advertising agencies, prepress houses, offset, packaging, digital, and large-format printers. Its products include the GMG ColorPlugin, ColorProof, ColorServer, InkOptimizer, DotProof, FlexoProof, ProofMedia, OpenColor, and ProofControl, each of which is highlighted, including a full product portfolio, and support services.
https://www.gmgcolor.com/
Nattyware designs small and simple software products to simplify otherwise boring routines. One of these is Pixie, a utility for webmasters and graphic designers that serves as a color picker with a few extra features. After booting the program, the user can point to a color and Pixie will give the hex, RGB, HTML, CMYK, and HSV values of that color. It will also show the current coordinates of the mouse pointer. The source code for the program is available with purchase.
http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php
