Use this color palette generator to extract the dominant colors from a reference image. Choose 5, 8, or 12 colors, set a custom 2–24-color palette, copy HEX values, or download a palette PNG.
Private image processing Your reference stays in this browser
Use this color palette generator from image to find a compact set of dominant swatches for drawing, painting, illustration, or craft planning. Choose 5, 8, or 12 colors, set a custom 2–24-color palette, copy the HEX values, and download a labeled palette PNG.
Drop a JPG, PNG, GIF, or WebP image into the tool. The reference remains in your browser.
Start with eight colors, then compare five for simplicity or twelve for additional variation. Each count fully recalculates the palette.
Copy individual HEX values, copy the full palette, or download a labeled PNG for your project.
A color palette generator from an image reduces a reference to a manageable group of representative colors. It is useful when a photo contains more variation than you want to reproduce: the palette shows which colors carry the overall mood while leaving room for your own material choices.
Start with five colors when you want a restrained study or a simple illustration palette. Eight colors offer more room for lights, midtones, and accents without making the palette too difficult to scan. Twelve colors can help with detailed references, but do not mistake extra swatches for extra accuracy. Changing the count recalculates every color cluster, so existing swatches and percentages may also change.
The generated swatches represent sampled screen colors, not guaranteed paint, ink, yarn, or print matches. Test the HEX values in the medium you will use, compare them under the intended lighting, and adjust the final palette when the physical material behaves differently.
The reference image is decoded and sampled locally in your browser. Art Grid Maker does not upload the image for palette extraction, and the page can produce a labeled PNG without a server-side image job.
Use the fewest colors that still support the project decision. A smaller palette often produces a clearer result.
| Option | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5 colors | Restrained | Good for simplified studies, icons, and a clear overall mood. |
| 8 colors | Balanced | A practical default for preserving variety without overwhelming the project. |
| 12 colors | Detailed | Useful when nearby accents and midtones need to stay visible. |
| Custom 2–24 | Project-specific | Use when a material limit, brand system, or established workflow requires an exact count. |
Choose the palette size based on the next decision, then validate the extracted colors in your actual medium.
5 colors · prioritize the largest coverage swatches
Keeps the visual language compact and easier to control.
8 colors · start from the dominant swatches
Preserves a useful range while leaving room for material-specific mixing.
12 colors · check small accent swatches
Retains more local variation without copying every pixel.
A color palette generator from an image samples the reference and groups similar pixels into a small set of representative colors. The result helps you plan a painting, illustration, design, or craft project.
Choose 5 colors for a restrained palette, 8 colors for a balanced starting point, or 12 colors when you need more variation. Use Custom for any count from 2 to 24. More colors are not automatically more useful.
Each palette size recalculates all color clusters across the image. The tool does not keep the previous swatches and simply add or remove one, so representative colors and coverage percentages may all change.
Yes. Click any swatch to copy its HEX value, or use Copy all HEX to copy the complete palette as a list.
No. The image is decoded and sampled locally in your browser. It is not uploaded to Art Grid Maker for palette extraction.
Yes. Use the extracted swatches as a starting reference, then test colors against your actual paper, paint, yarn, or screen because materials and lighting change the final appearance.
Yes. Download the selected palette as a PNG image with HEX labels, or copy the values for use in another app.
Connect Color Palette Generator with other tools in your creative workflow:
Use this value study tool to turn a reference image into clear grayscale or 2-, 3-, or 5-value light and shadow groups before drawing. Download the study or open it in Drawing Grid.
Use this composition overlay to place Rule of Thirds, Center Cross, Golden Ratio, an adjustable Golden Spiral with Fibonacci grid, Diagonal Method, or Golden Triangle guides over a reference image, reframe it, and download the result.
Use this coloring page generator to turn a photo into a printable coloring page. Adjust line detail, smoothing, and thickness, compare the result, then download the finished page.
Use this paint by number generator to build a custom paint by number project from a photo, complete with a paint-by-number template and palette. Balance detail, region smoothness, color count, and minimum region size before export.
