The ever-expanding universe of iPhone apps includes plenty of goodies for color fans.
Here we present the 25 best color apps for iPhone.
For color scavengers
Palettes Lite (FREE) or Palettes Pro ($9.99) let you sample colors from the world, then whip them into color palettes that you can sort, save, share or export in HTML, RGB, CMYK, HSB and hex values among others. Lite allows you to save up to 3 palettes with 5 colors per palette, while Palette offers 25 colors per palette and an unlimited number of combos.
myPantone ($9.99) gives you portable access to a variety of Pantone color libraries, although user comments suggest you better lug your physical color decks in for a press check. A good complement app is myPantone X-ref ($1.99), which shows you the closest match of a shade from one Pantone library to another.
colorSutra ($1.99) samples a color from the world and suggests matching or complementary hues. In a similar vein, Irodori (FREE) analyzes a picture and highlights its most characteristic colors for export as a useable palette.
For housepainters, decorators and color-customizers
ColorChange ($2.99) is a great foil to the paint-store apps, letting you take a photo of your room and visualize it with your chosen color before you paint.
NikeID (FREE) puts the same color-matching technology to design custom sneakers.
For photographers
ColorSplash ($1.99) turns any photo black-and-white, while highlighting any object you select in color. Or try the free version, Dash of Color (recently renamed Splash of Color) or Touch of Color (FREE).
ColorCanvas Basic (FREE) lets you doctor B&W photos with colors that you choose, plus play with opacity and brush size.
For procrastinators
Color Blind Test (FREE) is what it sounds like: a super-fast test to check if you’re colorblind. If you are (or designing with colorblind users in mind), then turn to HueVue Colorblind Tools (FREE) to simulate their experience or correct your color matches.
ColorTilt ($0.99) lets you finger-paint on your iPhone, selecting the color you want by tilting the phone slightly until your chosen hue appears. Its more pricey cousin ColorTouch ($4.99) works along similar lines, but allows you to import photos.
Which Color Are You? (FREE) pings you with a few simple questions and assesses your color-personality accordingly. Exactly the right speed for a dentist’s waiting room. If you’re waiting on a lengthy root canal, check out the app version of Dr. Max Lüscher’s Color Test ($1.99).
myColorWave (FREE) blinks a series of colored lights as you tap or shake your iPhone. Light your way in a dark movie theater, wave your silicon-powered torch at a rock concert, or just stare at the thing. A perfect drool-machine for odd moments.
See any of the best color apps that I missed? Make your own suggestions in the comments below, and we’ll keep updating!
Get more from Jude Stewart.
For More Resources on Color
Color Inspirations: See top color palettes from the popular website, COLOURlovers.comMeet the Founder of COLOURLovers.com and the author of Color Inspirations
Pantone Essentials with Effects Package: Get Color Guides.ColorLovers ColorSchemer Studio, A Professional Color-Matching ApplicationDesign TV’s exclusive video with Jude Stewart: Color Trends and Inspiration