# Undertone: Color & Value Study — Notan & Warm-Cool for Painters

> Visual analysis tool for painters to study image values, color temperature, and composition. (iPhone/iPad app by Paintingstack Technologies SpA.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/undertone-color-and-value-study/id6761922242 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Paintingstack Technologies SpA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884953294)
- Category: Photo & Video, Graphics & Design
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 33 MB
- Languages: French (France), German (Germany), American English, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified, China), Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan), Korean, Danish, European Spanish, Hebrew and 7 more
- Released: 2026-04-15
- Data updated: 2026-11-08
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/undertone-color-and-value-study/id6761922242/reviews.md

## What is Undertone?

See any image the way a painter does.

Bring in a reference photo, a master painting or a screenshot. In seconds, Undertone shows what sits underneath it: the values, the warm and cool, the composition and the real pigment colors. The things a painter checks before the first brushstroke, made visible. All processing happens on your device. Your images never leave it.

Value study. The image stripped to grayscale and divided into clear tonal zones. Two values give you a notan, three give you light, middle and dark. Value does more work than color: a painting with strong values and wrong colors still reads. This automates the painter's squint.

Composition. The structure under the image, from the rule of thirds and the golden ratio to triangles, leading lines, symmetry and framing. Ten types, and Undertone only shows the ones the image actually follows, each with how closely it matches. Premium.

Warm and cool. A temperature map over the image. Muddy shadows? Probably warm paint leaking into your cools. Golden hour? Warm light forces cool shadows by contrast. Toggle the map on, and what you couldn't diagnose becomes obvious.

Palette with real pigment names. Dominant colors shown by actual weight, each matched to the closest real pigment. Yellow Ochre, not "Autumn Sunset Dream." Undertone names the closest harmony and plots the colors on a wheel so you see the geometry.

Saturation. Vivid areas glow, muted areas recede. See whether the intensity sits where you want the eye to go.

Contrast. Where the eye lands first. Rings mark the strongest areas. Premium.

Made for painters and artists: studying a master painting, planning a piece from a reference photo, or finding out why the shadows went muddy. Photographers use it to understand why a light works so they can find it again.

Every analysis is saved, and over time your history becomes your own color reference.

Free: 20 analyses at a time with the Original, Temperature, Values and Saturation modes, plus the palette and harmony for every image.

Premium: Composition (10 guide types), Contrast, tinted value bands, the 2-value notan and 2 to 9 tonal steps, unlimited history, higher-resolution export. One-time purchase. No subscription.

Stop guessing. Start seeing.

## Key features

- Value study (grayscale tonal zones)
- Warm/cool temperature map
- Composition analysis (rule of thirds, golden ratio)
- Real pigment color palette
- Saturation visualization
- Contrast mapping

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Premium | $12.99 | one-time |


## Is Undertone safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Undertone.

## Is Undertone legit?

Undertone: Color & Value Study appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Undertone is 65 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/undertone-color-and-value-study/id6761922242/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great Artists’ Tool!

*2026-10-29*

This is a fantastic artists’ tool. I use it to help me compose my pieces. I especially like the Composition feature in this app.

**Developer response:** Thank you for such a thoughtful review. Your support means a great deal to us.

## Frequently asked questions about Undertone

### What is Undertone's primary function for artists?

Undertone helps artists see images like a painter by analyzing values, color temperature, composition, and pigment colors. It makes visible the elements artists typically check before painting.

### How does Undertone help with value studies?

Undertone strips images to grayscale and divides them into clear tonal zones. It offers two values for a notan and up to nine tonal steps in its premium version, automating the painter's squint.

### Can Undertone identify specific paint colors?

Yes, Undertone displays dominant colors by actual weight and matches them to the closest real pigment names, like Yellow Ochre, rather than generic color descriptions. It also plots these colors on a wheel.

### What composition guides are available in Undertone?

The premium version of Undertone offers ten types of composition guides, including the rule of thirds and the golden ratio. It highlights the guides that the image actually follows and indicates how closely it matches.

### Does Undertone have a subscription model?

No, Undertone offers a premium version as a one-time purchase. There is no subscription required for its advanced features.

### What is the difference between the free and premium versions of Undertone?

The free version allows 20 analyses with Original, Temperature, Values, and Saturation modes. Premium unlocks Composition, Contrast, tinted value bands, advanced notan and tonal steps, unlimited history, and higher-resolution export.

### Is Undertone available on multiple devices?

Yes, Undertone is supported on macOS, iPhone, iPad, and iPod, allowing artists to study images across their Apple devices.

### How often is Undertone updated?

The latest version, 5.13.0, was released on November 6, 2026, indicating a recent update. The app is generally kept up-to-date by its developer, Paintingstack Technologies SpA.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.13.0 — 2026-11-06

See any image the way a painter does: values, warm and cool, composition and real pigment colors.
Premium shows its price right on the button: one payment, lifetime access. Tall pictures stay sharp in your history, and every name field says what goes in it.

### 5.12.0 — 2026-10-23

Study the color structure of any image: palette, harmony, temperature and value.
Fully transparent areas stay out of palettes and warm/cool analysis. Export filenames include the view, such as Composition or Saturation.

### 5.11.0 — 2026-10-10

See the color structure of any image: palette, harmony, temperature and value. While an analysis is open the screen stays awake, so your reference waits beside the easel. The contrast map circles the areas that pull the eye, sliders follow your hand as you drag, and every export carries its analysis name and matches the screen.

### 5.10.0 — 2026-09-19

Composition analysis now recognizes framing among its guides, and every match shows together in full screen instead of one at a time. Transparent images render cleanly throughout the app, from your history to the full view.

### 5.9.0 — 2026-09-12

See the color structure in any image: palette, harmony, temperature, and value.
Your saved analyses now sit in a cleaner library, with sharper thumbnails and clearer dates. Panels and type are more consistent throughout, and every screen adapts cleanly to the space it has.

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## More apps by Paintingstack Technologies SpA

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All apps by Paintingstack Technologies SpA: https://appshunter.io/developer/1884953294

## Related topics

[undertone](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/undertone) · [color harmony by powsty](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/color-harmony-by-powsty)

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*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 2026-11-08.*