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)

Frequently Asked Questions

Current version is: 3.26.56 (2023 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 26 paint sets: measured data of 25 paint lines of various brands + 1 ideal set:

The system includes also 56 reflectance spectrum databases:

  1. Acqua by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone

  2. Acrylic Studio Colours by Vallejo easurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  3. 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)

  4. Amsterdam Oils by Talens - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  5. Artisan 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. Designers Gouache colours by Winsor&Newton measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  12. Duo Acqua Oil (set of 18) by Holbein - measurements done on masstone

  13. Ecoline by Talens - measurements done on semi-transparent samples

  14. EFX500 by E'Tac - 25 spectra calculated at maximum saturation when the paint is used transparently

  15. EFX500 (buffered) by E'Tac - 25 spectra calculated at maximum saturation when paint is mixed with white #502

  16. Ferrario 1919 Oils by Ferrario - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy) in 2017

  17. Finity (Acrylic Basic Set) by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone

  18. Galeria by Winsor&Newton measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  19. Georgian Oils by Daler-Rowney - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  20. Grumbacher MAX Water Mixablel Oils by Chartpak measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  21. Grumbacher Pre-tested Professional Oils by Chartpak measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  22. Heavy Body Acrylic Colors by Golden - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  23. Heavy Body Artist Colors by Liquitex - 19 spectra calculated at maximum saturation when paint is mixed with white #432

  24. J.H. Sanden Pro Mix Colors - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  25. Landscape Paints by Bob Ross - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  26. Open Acrylics by Golden - measurements done on masstone

  27. Maimeri Classico Oils by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  28. Maimeri Puro Oils by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  29. Mussini Resin-Oil Colours by Schmincke - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  30. Norma Professional Oils by Schmincke - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  31. Pen Color by Ferrario - measurements done on masstone

  32. Polycolor (primaries) by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone in 2007

  33. Polycolor by Maimeri - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark) in 2017

  34. Primacryl by Schmincke - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  35. Professional Artists’ Acrylic Colors by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  36. Rembrandt Extra-Fine Artists’ Oil Colors by Talens - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  37. System 3 Original Acrylic Colors by Daler-Rowney - measurements done on masstone by Christian Skeel (Copenhagen, Denmark)

  38. Titan Extra Fine Oils by Titan - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  39. Van Gogh H2Oil (set of 10) by Talens - measurements done on masstone

  40. Van Gogh Oil by Talens - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  41. Varnish restoration colors by Divolo - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  42. Winton Oils by Winsor&Newton - measurements done on masstone by Angelo Paladini (Rome, Italy)

  43. box shapes - ideal/artificial spectra

  44. HLC Colour Atlas XL

  45. mini ColorChecker of Gretag MacBeth (now Xrite)

  46. Kremer historical pigment database - measurements done by Anna M. Gueli (PH3DRA Laboratory, University of Catania, Italy)

  47. “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)

  48. 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)

  49. Munsell Glossy 5G - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"

  50. Munsell Glossy 5P - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"

  51. Munsell Glossy 5R - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"

  52. Munsell Glossy 5Y - spectra of all chips of this sector in the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"

  53. Munsell Glossy Neutrals - 9 spectra (N9-N1) at 0 chroma of the "Munsell Book of Color, Glossy Edition"

  54. 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.

  55. supports/grounds- measurements done on card/paper and canvas

  56. 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 - 2023 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, Vallejo Acrylic Studio Colours, Winsor & Newton Artisan Colors, Daler-Rowney System 3 Original Acrylic Colors, Maimeri Polycolors, Schmincke Primacryl Colors, Professional Acrylic Colours by Winsor & Newton, Grumbacher Pre-tested Professional Oils by Chartpak and Grumbacher MAX Water Mixable Oils by Chartpak

· 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, Daler-Rowney Georgian Oil Colours and Ferrario 1919 Oil Colors.

· 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

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

Web version:

The online version of color2drop, called PaintMaker, on the site Sensual logic was created by Christian Skeel. This version uses the current version of color2drop as a server. Therefore, all bases are available. PaintMaker has also a color picker. The website includes many painting tools and colors extracted from famous masterpieces.

Video Tutorials of the Web version:

More video tutorials: PaintMaker videos

Mobile version:

The mobile version is for iOS, both for iPhone and iPad using iOS 9.0 or later, and has a limited number of paint bases included (White, Black and 6 colored bases). It is called Real Paint mixing tools (RealPaint) and was created by AI4res. This version has a much more precise Munsell coordinate converter (for example close to the gray axis) compared to CMT and also coordinates of many more color spaces. It can load images, has a color picker to select the colors and has an auto-desaturation function to fit the whole image into the color gamut of the selected Paint Set. RealPaint can be set to mix colors using various Mixing Strategies, like "no Black used", "Black and White + 2 colors" and so on. A Lite version and a Pro version are also available now.

Video Tutorials of the Mobile version:

More video tutorials: RealPaint Videos