Color Mixing Tools

Color Mixing Tools includes 3 tools:
  1. Color2Drop (a program to convert RGB, Lab or Munsell HVC color coordinates into paint mixing recipes)
  2. Drop2Color (a program to visualize the color of mixed paint recipes)
  3. RS2Color (a program to visualize the color of reflectance spectra)

Current version is: 3.17.47 (2017 January)

If you would like to use my Color Mixing Tools and download the system, please send me an e-mail message, so I can send you the access info. You'll need two files: MCRInstaller.exe and ColorMixingTools.zip. You should download them together, because the version numbers must match. Please note that you are authorized to use the system only according to the Disclaimer below and you are not allowed to put the MATLAB libraries on the internet for any reason. However, please feel free to give the two files to your colleagues or friends, but only for educational purposes.

The current version of the Color Mixing Tools includes more than 25,000 lines of code I've been writing since 2004. It includes 17 paint sets: measured data of 16 paint lines of various brands + 1 ideal set:

  • Acrylic Studio Colours by Vallejo (27 bases) (2016, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Christian Skeel, Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Artists' Oil Colors by Winsor&Newton (62 bases) (2016, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Christian Skeel, Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Conservation Colors by Gamblin (all colors except “Venetian Red” and “Extender White”: 42 colors): ramps, measurements and parameter extraction were done by Marissa Haddock as part of her Master Thesis at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2011.
  • Designers Gouache colours by Winsor&Newton (48 gouache bases) (2016, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Christian Skeel, Copenhagen, Denmark) Some bases have fluorescent behavior, but fluorescence is not computed in CMT: physically mixed paint can be warmer than mathematically computed recipes.
  • EFX500 by E'TAC (all colors: EFX 501-513 (2007) + 12 colors EFX HS (2009)) Some bases have changed color and formulation over time. The reliability of color prediction is not as precise as years ago.
  • Finity Acrylic Color by Winsor&Newton (Basic Acrylic Set) (2006)
  • Galeria by Winsor&Newton (30 bases) (2016, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Christian Skeel, Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Georgian Oil Colours  by Daler-Rowney (22 bases) (2016, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Angelo Paladini, Tarquinia, Italy)
  • Heavy Body Artist Colors by Liquitex (22 acrylic bases) (2010, thanks to the ramps created by Michael Petty - Canyon Lake, CA, U.S.A.). The parameters were re-computed in 2012 using a more accurate physical model compared to the 3.6 CMT version.
  • Heavy Body Acrylic Colors by Golden (35 bases) (2012, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Christian Skeel, Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Matte Fluid Acrylic Colors by Golden (27 bases): samples and measurements were done by Yoshio Okumura as part of his Master Thesis at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2005.
  • Norma Professional finest artist’s oil colors by Schmincke (21 bases) (2015, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Angelo Paladini, Tarquinia, Italy)
  • Pen Color by ApA Ferrario (all colors) + Badger White + Hansa White (2004)
  • Polycolor by Maimeri (white, black and primaries: 018 + 116 + 256 + 400 + 530) (2006)
  • Rembrandt Extra-Fine Artists’ Oil Colors by Talens (12 bases) (2012, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Christian Skeel, Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Van Gogh oil colors by Royal Talens (25 bases) (2016, thanks to the ramps and measurements done by Angelo Paladini, Tarquinia, Italy)
  • ideal primaries (2010): this is not a commercial brand and is not based on pigments. It is an ideal opaque paint set with bases having uniform coloring strength over the whole visible spectrum and all the bases have exactly the same strength. This set is useful to check some mixing effects to see if they are due to subtractive mixing alone or to non-linear pigment propriety. For example, white (V=10) mixed with black (V=0) in equal amounts gives a gray with V=5 and uniform spectrum. Each masstone has 0 or 1 reflectance value on the whole visible spectrum.

The system includes also 47 reflectance spectrum databases:

  1. Acqua by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone
  2. Aeroflash by Holbein - measurements done on hand made samples by Holbein, but the paint is not completely opaque (for this reason, the Munsell values calculated by rs2color do not always correspond to the ones reported on the paint labels, even if the error is limited)
  3. Amsterdam Oils by Talens - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  4. Artisan by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone
  5. Artists’ Acrylic Colors by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone
  6. Artists' Oils by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  7. Atelier Interactive by Chroma - measurements done on masstone
  8. Bizancio Oils by Titan - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  9. Brera by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone
  10. Conservation Colors by Gamblin - measurements done on masstone by Marissa Haddock
  11. Duo Acqua Oil (set of 18) by Holbein - measurements done on masstone
  12. Ecoline by Talens - measurements done on semi-transparent samples
  13. EFX500 by E'Tac - 25 spectra calculated at maximum saturation when the paint is used transparently
  14. EFX500 (buffered) by E'Tac - 25 spectra calculated at maximum saturation when paint is mixed with white #502
  15. Ferrario 1919 Oils by ApA Ferrario - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  16. Finity (Acrylic Basic Set) by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone
  17. Georgian Oils by Daler-Rowney - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  18. Heavy Body Acrylic Colors by Golden - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  19. Heavy Body Artist Colors by Liquitex - 19 spectra calculated at maximum saturation when paint is mixed with white #432
  20. J.H. Sanden Pro Mix Colors - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  21. Landscape Paints by Bob Ross - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  22. Open Acrylics by Golden - measurements done on masstone
  23. Maimeri Classico Oils by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  24. Maimeri Puro Oils by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  25. Mussini Resin-Oil Colours by Schmincke - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  26. Norma Professional Oils by Schmincke - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  27. Pen Color by ApA Ferrario - measurements done on masstone
  28. Polycolor (primaries) by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone
  29. Rembrandt Extra-Fine Artists’ Oil Colors by Talens  - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  30. Titan Extra Fine Oils by Titan - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  31. Van Gogh H2Oil (set of 10) by Talens - measurements done on masstone
  32. Van Gogh Oil by Talens - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  33. Varnish restoration colors by Divolo - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  34. Winton Oils by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)
  35. box shapes - ideal/artificial spectra
  36. mini ColorChecker of Gretag MacBeth (now Xrite)
  37. Kremer historical pigment database - measurements done by Anna M. Gueli (PH3DRA Laboratory, University of Catania, Italy)
  38. “Modern Water Color Pigments” by J. Scott Taylor M. A.  – measurements done by Dario Benedetti, Michela Pasquali, Nicola Rodella (Archaeometry Research Centre, University of Brescia, Italy)
  39. Munsell Glossy 5B - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition" (There is a slight color shift of the blues due to a calibration problem of my spectrophotometer)
  40. Munsell Glossy 5G - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"
  41. Munsell Glossy 5P - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"
  42. Munsell Glossy 5R - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"
  43. Munsell Glossy 5Y - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"
  44. Munsell Glossy Neutrals - 9 spectra (N9-N1) at 0 chroma of the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"
  45. pigments: measurements done on masstone by mixing pigments with acrylic medium and measurements done on samples using mixed paint with 50% titanium white are also included. Commercial paint data is also included.
  46. supports/grounds- measurements done on card/paper and canvas
  47. whites: measurements done on masstone of various commercially sold whites

Disclaimer:

This software is provided free of charge for educational purpuses ONLY. Selling or renting it is prohibited.

The MathWorks, Inc. Matlab "Software License Agreement", "Academic Installation and Use Addendum" and "Deployment Addendum" apply to the use of this software.
This software is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. Under no circumstances and under no legal theory, whether in tort, contract, or otherwise, shall the Author or the University of Brescia be liable to you or to any other person for any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages of any character including, without limitation, damages for loss of goodwill, work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, or for any and all other damages or losses.

If you do not agree with these terms, then you are advised NOT to USE the software.

Any mention of commercial paints in this system is for information only: it does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the Author.

This system is based on MATLAB(R). (c) 1984 - 2014 The MathWorks, Inc.

Acknowledgments:

I'd like to thank:

·       Michael Petty (Canyon Lake, CA, U.S.A.) for creating the ramps with Liquitex Heavy Body Artist Colors.

·       Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark) for the ramps and measurements of: Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Colors, Talens Rembrandt Extra-Fine Artists’ Oil Colors, Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Colors, Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache colors, Winsor & Newton Artists' Oil Colors and Vallejo Acrylic Studio Colours

·       Angelo Paladini (Tarquinia, Italy; email: palladany@hotmail.com) for several reflectance spectrum databases and the ramps and measurements of: Schmincke Norma Professional, Talens Van Gogh colors and Daler-Rowney Georgian Oil Colours  

·       Marissa Haddock for the parameters of Gamblin Conservation Colors.

·       Yoshio Okumura for the ramps and measurements of Golden Matte Fluid Acrylic Colors.

·       Anna M. Gueli (PH3DRA Laboratory, University of Catania, Italy) for the spectra of the Kremer historical pigment database.

·       Dario Benedetti, Michela Pasquali, Nicola Rodella (Archaeometry Research Centre, University of Brescia, Italy) for the measurements of the “Modern Water Color Pigments” by J. Scott Taylor M. A.

·       Paul Centore (centore@99main.com) for his Open Source “Munsell Conversions” code


There is also an online version of color2drop, called PaintMaker, on the site Sensual logic created by Christian Skeel and powered by the current version of color2drop.

A warm thank you to my good friend Erika Bakos for translating these pages!