It baffles me that NONE of the palette editors and color pickers available are of any help with this, which is the most important task in actual design in practice.

I mean, most of the time we have a specific, starting hue in mind; let's say, a particular blue; and what we really need are reds, greens, yellows, etc, that will go with that unique blue.

Specially when you're doing a rainbow-ish theme, you don't want just the pure rainbow colors for red (#ff0000), green (#00ff00), blue (#0000ff), etc, because it's ugly. You want colors that play well together. Often you start with a cool, edgy hue, and then you want all other colors to follow that. But that's very hard to achieve.

Right now all I've been able to figure out is to just start with the next color, any color (you've got your blue, now just pick any green, if that's what you're after, for example), and tweak the hue, saturation and lightness values until all colors sort of blend in visually, for me. But that is very subjective and often produces less-than-perfect results, which most of the time you can only detect when you're way too advanced in a layout, for instance.

So I was wondering if any of you has got some method to this madness. I'd love to hear it.

weel the only way that comes to mind is to do a search for that colour, and check what palettes other people have put it in. (on that colours page, all palettes will be listed) I dont know if its possible to automate the process of "choosing matching colours" so a computer can do it! Or I hope its not possible...

I mean it is ultimately subjective.

yeah I'm afraid your idea of what goes with that blue is going to be a lot different than the next guy... if it was as easy as automating a matching tone there wouldn't be sites like this ;)

since things like 'edgy' or 'matching' can't be measured, there's gonna be some artistry involved

actually - this is the closest you will get to this kind of tool... check in there, right under "lover bio"

Here's another resource you may find helpful.

Color Database

I still say Color Impact from www.tigercolor.com is one of the best programs out there for this kind of thing. It will spin color wheels with whatever hue you want, show you all kinds of schemes (triadic, complimentary, etc.) do blends, do formulas, and much more. I think it still only like $39 and comes with a color plucking tools.

bunigrl33 wrote:

Here's another resource you may find helpful.

Color Database

wow nice tool thanks buni

Maybe this is too late already, but try COPASO. You'll get to choose a base color and it gives you different matching combinations. Easy to use as well.

COPASO : Color Palette Software

(Edited by COLOURlovers, because trolling for the big A doesn't fly here.)

would love for you all to share your links in this group:
http://www.colourlovers.com/group/Links_Favorites_and_Bookmarks

& better yet... this dicussion:
http://www.colourlovers.com/group/Links_Favorites_and_Bookmarks/conversations/2385/Color_Theory

I'd just do it... but i like to give credit where it came from. =)

manekineko wrote:

bunigrl33 wrote:

Here's another resource you may find helpful.

Color Database

wow nice tool thanks buni

Thanks from me too!

KaleidoscopeStudios wrote:

would love for you all to share your links in this group:
http://www.colourlovers.com/group/Links_Favorites_and_Bookmarks

& better yet... this dicussion:
http://www.colourlovers.com/group/Links_Favorites_and_Bookmarks/conversations/2385/Color_Theory

I'd just do it... but i like to give credit where it came from. =)

I've added the Color Database and a bunch of other links to the group. Go check 'em out.