# ChromaMagic — See Color, Paint Color > Artist's color analysis tool for identifying hue, value, and chroma in images. (iPhone/iPad app by Michele Clamp.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromamagic/id6479220262 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Michele Clamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1697771835) - Category: Graphics & Design, Photo & Video - Price: $19.99 - Rating: 4.80/5 from 52 App Store ratings · 33 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 125 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2024-03-15 - Data updated: 2026-09-09 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromamagic/id6479220262/reviews.md ## What is ChromaMagic? ChromaMagic - the magical color tool for artists - now with LIVE camera views. Have you ever been painting and said 'but what *is* that color?' Me too! ChromaMagic exists for one reason only. My paintings looked wrong. I just couldn't get the colors in my paintings to look convincing. Try as I might there was always something off. Too bright, too light, too gray, not gray enough. Too blue, too brown, too pink. Why oh why could I not make things work? Well it turned out it wasn't in the paint. It wasn't in the mixing. Special brushes didn't do the trick. Making those daft color charts didn't help either. And it wasn't even in the way I put the paint on the paper. The problem was in my brain. The problem was that I had no chance of mixing the right color. I was missing an essential part of the painting process. Something that would take years if not decades to figure out. And the reason was that I wasn't *seeing* the right color. Now I don't mean there was something wrong with my eyesight. What I mean that I was 'seeing' color but I wasn't really seeing *COLOR*. I didn't have the words or the means to really understand what I was looking at. And if we don't really know what we're looking at how on earth can we translate it into paint? Even if we don't want to represent what we see how do we know what to change to enhance the effect? Flip a coin? Trust chance and experimentation? Repeat for years and years until we stumble on something that works....? No. So what changed? Everything changed. I learned to forget about primaries, secondaries and tertiaries. I learned to ditch the traditional artists wheel. I learned to stop talking about 'warm' and 'cool'. I learned to see color the way it is and not the way I expect it to be. I had to forget everything I had been told. I learned about hue, value, and chroma. Munsell. With ChromaMagic you can load up any photo or reference and see at a glance what any color is. And the colors are described in a way that is most natural for artists. What is the hue (red, yellow, green etc)? Yes! And what is the value (very important)? Yes! And what is the chroma (how gray or saturated it is)? Yes!!! Color makes so much more sense now. But there's more! As well as the Munsell color mode (which is fabulous by itself!) there are 4 extra modes to help you really see what is before us. - Want to organize your reference into the major value shapes? Value mode will do that and you can change the number of value steps with a click of the mouse. - Want to reduce your reference to just grayscale to really see those fine-grained values? Yes! - Want to see how saturated or gray your colors are (this is always surprising!). Yes! - Want to see how your colors are distributed around the color wheel? Yes And yet there's still more: - No more clicking around - ChromaMagic has a fantastic new interface with buttery smooth zoomable, pannable images. - No more need to be tethered to wifi. Take ChromaMagic anywhere - even up a mountain! - Too many colors in your reference? Average your colors over multiple pixels - 2500 of them if you want to. - Want to know which paints are available for a certain color? ChromaMagic now has links to hundreds of top quality oil paints. - Want to use ChromaMagic at home? On the bus? On a tablet? Now you can run it on your iphone, ipad or mac. All for one price! - No more silly loading buttons. Drag and drop your files in one swish on the desktop (Bliss!!) - Use ChromaMagic next to the easel for mixing. Now with mixing swatches and calibration values (no need for $1500 Munsell chips) ## Key features - Identify hue, value, and chroma - Munsell color mode - Value shape organization - Grayscale value analysis - Color saturation analysis - Color wheel distribution view - Zoomable and pannable images ## Chart rankings - #8 in Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store) ## Recent user reviews (10 of 33) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromamagic/id6479220262/reviews.md ### 5/5 — A brilliant accomplishment… *2026-07-11* …that keeps getting better and better. Thank you. **Developer response:** Thanks so much Zumi! ### 5/5 — You need this! *2026-07-09* This is an awesome app if you’re a beginner painter. As important as choosing the right color, you must mix the right value, and for this alone, ChromaMagic is invaluable. Thank you, Michele! **Developer response:** Many thanks Lou! Glad you find it useful in your painting ### 5/5 — Fantastic! *2026-06-29* This is such an impressive app and an incredibly useful tool for artists (like me) who find the Munsell system indispensable for palette choice and color mixing efficiency. Everything about it is so well thought out and beautifully implemented. It's an absolute delight to use. Version 3 was already awesome, but today I updated to version 4 and am blown away by the custom mix tool (and also the bigger image size, which was a VERY welcome improvement). Thank you so much for making my painting life more efficient, more predictable, much less confusing, and more fun! I LOVE this app. 🩷 **Developer response:** More fun!! YES!! Painting should be fun and I've found that improving my color perception using ChromaMagic has opened a whole new world and made it so much easier to produce expressive work. Many thanks! (And have you tried the camera function in version 4? Great for checking values and simplifying scenes plein air) ### 5/5 — Game Changer *2026-06-10* I can not say enough good about this. This is a fantastic tool for painters. This is simply the best companion to color charts I have found. Thank you so much! ### 5/5 — Really Really Good App! *2026-03-29* This is by far the best app I have seen in a long time. I watched Paul Foxton use the app in a YouTube video and was like “I have to have that.” It does not disappoint. Exceptionally helpful for artists. Thank you to the developer for creating such an amazing useful tool. Well worth the money. ### 5/5 — Best app for painters *2026-03-15* I was looking for a good colour picker to check colours when painting, as when with a trained eye it can be hard to really see what’s going on. This is easily the most comprehensive, because it feels designed from the ground up for painters. It helps you understand your image from a values and chroma perspective. I use it all the time to understand and analyse colour and values in images I’m working from. If there was one feature request it would be a min and max values option for the colour picker. But honestly I’m just grateful this app exists at all. **Developer response:** Thanks so much for the review. It means a lot both for me and any new people who want to try the app. It was definitely designed from the ground up as I build it for me to improve my color perception and it definitely worked for me. Very happy you've found it useful. As for the min/max color picker feature - not entirely sure I'm understanding you. If you want to email me at michele@micheleclamp.com I'm happy to talk further. ### 5/5 — My holy grail *2026-02-22* I love this app , Paul Foxton recommended it in his painting tutorials . It really simplifies everything and helped me understand values better than anything else thanks **Developer response:** Values are so important so if ChromaMagic can help with that that's music to my ears. Many thanks. ### 5/5 — Excellent *2026-02-13* Very thorough, well-made & useful! **Developer response:** Thank you! ChromaMagic aims to be useful so thanks! ### 5/5 — Game changer! *2026-02-04* I tried all the apps that help with value and chroma but this one is hands down the absolute best. Nothing even comes close. It completely opened up the Munsell color system to me right away. Once you purchase it you can use on you phone or computer! I assume iPad also but I don’t have one of those. **Developer response:** Well that's a fabulous review Jillian. Many thanks. And it's great that you're finding the Munsell system straightforward to use - exactly what I'd hoped. (And yes you can use it on iPad if you have one). ### 5/5 — Game Changer *2026-02-04* This app has really helped me understand the missing pieces to fully understanding the big three, hue (which is not hard) vale and chroma which are much harder. Honestly amazing! I am still thinking about getting a Munsell book but this app it just really amazing. **Developer response:** Thank you so much. The chroma piece was the game changer for me. It made colors that otherwise didn't fit anywhere in my mental map (beige anyone?) slot into place. Very happy you find it useful. As for the Munsell book. I do have one and it is nice to have the physical chips to use rather than pesky technology. But I find I use them less and less as time goes on. I don't know whether it's really worth the eye-watering expense these days. ## Frequently asked questions about ChromaMagic ### What does ChromaMagic do? ChromaMagic is a color analysis tool designed for artists. It helps you identify and understand the specific colors within any reference image by breaking them down into hue, value, and chroma. It offers various modes to analyze color relationships and value structures, aiding in more accurate color mixing and artistic representation. ### What are the key features of ChromaMagic? Key features include identifying hue, value, and chroma in colors, a Munsell color mode for detailed analysis, value shape organization, grayscale value analysis, color saturation analysis, and a color wheel distribution view. The app also provides a smooth, zoomable, and pannable interface for image navigation. ### How much does ChromaMagic cost? Based on the provided information, ChromaMagic is a paid application. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or subscription models, indicating a one-time purchase for the full functionality. ### Who is ChromaMagic for? ChromaMagic is intended for artists, particularly painters, who find it challenging to accurately identify and mix colors from reference images. It's for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of color theory and improve the convincingness of their painted colors. ### Can I use ChromaMagic offline? Yes, the description mentions that the app is not tethered to Wi-Fi, implying that it can be used offline. This allows artists to utilize its features even without an internet connection, making it a versatile tool for on-the-go creativity. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.0.1 — 2026-09-02 New algorithm for super speedy palette creation - now supports 20 or more paints. Allows better support for older devices. Better camera response for tracking live colors in the field. Bug fixes for usability. ### 4.0.0 — 2026-06-27 Live camera views in color and value modes User editable paint palettes for mixing. New calibrate screen for exact color mixing. ### 3.0.1 — 2025-09-30 Bug fixes for iOS 26 Now ChromaMagic can simplify colors in your references even further. - Use auto generated palettes and customize to your own needs. - Use the magical mixing button to generate mixing suggestions - All new softening mode to remove details and reveal the 'big shapes' - All new layout - landscape and portrait mode. - Enhanced value and chroma modes with clickable chips. - New, faster interface. ### 3.0.0 — 2025-09-21 Now ChromaMagic can simplify colors in your references even further. - Use auto generated palettes and customize to your own needs. - Use the magical mixing button to generate mixing suggestions - All new softening mode to remove details and reveal the 'big shapes' - All new layout - landscape and portrait mode. - Enhanced value and chroma modes with clickable chips. - New, faster interface. ### 2.0.0 — 2024-10-07 Two new color simplification modes. Make color even easier. Pure Munsell value modes New chroma interface including new high chroma display Faster and smoother interface. New grid overlay tool Save your modified images to your photo library. Select similar values AND colors. Resize the image window inside the app. Even more oil paints in the chip database All new help text Example reference images are included inside the help ## Apps similar to ChromaMagic | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Color Study: Simplify Painting](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-study-simplify-painting/id6755313672) | 4.9 (352) | Free | Graphics & Design | | [Camera Lucida™: AR Drawing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camera-lucida-ar-drawing/id362499096) | 4.8 (1,947) | $14.99 | Graphics & Design | | [ArtRage Vitae Mobile Painting](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artrage-vitae-mobile-painting/id1521959252) | 3.7 (49) | $2.99 | Graphics & Design | | [Value Study: art reference](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-art-reference/id1546616127) | 4.8 (3,268) | Free | Graphics & Design | | [Smarty Paints](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smarty-paints/id6472111419) | 4.7 (38) | Free | Graphics & Design | | [Values at Play](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/values-at-play/id6449201350) | 5.0 (5) | Free | Graphics & Design | ## Related topics [munsell viewer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/munsell-viewer) · [munsell](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/munsell) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-09.*