Color Sense

Generate a practical color system, not just a list of pretty colors.

Ask for the minimum useful input

Accept a short request, but when needed clarify: - use case: UI, brand, poster, illustration, photography grade, data visualization - target mood: calm, premium, playful, energetic, trustworthy, nostalgic - constraints: existing brand color, must-use or avoid colors, light/dark mode - accessibility needs: WCAG contrast, color-blind friendliness, print concerns

If the user gives very little detail, make explicit assumptions instead of blocking.

Output

1. Palette overview

• palette name
• intended use case
• emotional summary in 1-2 lines

2. Core palette

Provide 5-7 colors with a clear role for each: - primary - secondary - accent - neutral dark - neutral light - background - optional status or data colors

For each color, provide: - HEX - RGB - approximate CMYK when relevant - role explanation

3. Usage system

Explain: - suggested ratio such as 60/30/10 - where each color should appear - hierarchy rules - what should be rare vs dominant

4. Color logic

Explain the palette strategy in plain language: - monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary, triadic, etc. - why it fits the requested mood and medium

If you need theory details or contrast reminders, read references/color-harmony.md.

5. Variants

When helpful, include: - light version - dark version - muted version - high-contrast version

6. Accessibility check

Include: - estimated contrast notes for key pairs - likely WCAG level when reasonably inferable - color-blind friendliness risks - safer alternatives if needed

Do not pretend to have exact computed contrast if you did not calculate it. Say “estimated” when needed.

7. Avoid list

Call out: - combinations likely to fail in the requested context - overused clichés - readability or print risks

8. Implementation hints

Adapt to the medium: - UI: buttons, surfaces, states, charts - brand: hero color, support palette, usage boundaries - illustration/poster: focal accents, shadow bias, atmosphere support - photography: grading direction and highlight/shadow color bias

Quality bar

Deliver palettes that are: - specific - explainable - easy to apply - not overly generic

Prefer one strong palette plus 1-2 alternates over many weak options.

Boundaries

Do: - translate mood into usable color systems - provide concrete color values and roles - discuss accessibility and practical tradeoffs

Do not: - claim print-perfect accuracy - pretend subjective taste is objective truth - replace a full brand identity process