Using Color Matcher to Find Your Closest Marker Matches

How Color Matcher works

Color Matcher bridges the gap between digital reference images and your physical marker collection. Whether you're working from concept art, photographs, or color swatches, the tool extracts colors and uses perceptually accurate Delta E calculations to find the closest matches from your database.

• Extract colors from reference images using point sampling (click to select) on the canvas.
• Find the top 3 closest marker matches for each extracted color using CIE94 Delta E calculations, with Delta E values displayed for transparency.
• Upload your own marker collection or use the demo database to test the workflow before scanning your physical markers.

Step-by-step workflow

Color Matcher uses LAB color space and CIE94 Delta E calculations to ensure perceptually accurate color matching. Follow these steps to go from a reference image to a matched palette ready for your artwork.

Practical tips from the ColorSpace team

Early adopters working with Honolulu sets shared the practices below. Each one keeps the matcher responsive and prevents palette drift when multiple artists share the same files.

• Use manual sampling to click key regions in your reference image and capture the colors you actually need.
• Pay attention to Delta E values: values under 2.0 are typically imperceptible differences, while values between 2-5 show minor but acceptable variation.
• Load the marker database that matches what you own--start with the Ohuhu demo library or upload an Ohuhu-only CSV/JSON so the matcher ranks just those pens.
• The demo workspace provides sample markers from multiple brands (Ohuhu, Copic, Prismacolor) to test the workflow before scanning your own collection.

As you grow beyond the demo library, ColorBase makes it straightforward to scan additional Ohuhu releases or entirely different brands. The matcher will weigh every marker equally, but you can keep the Honolulu sets as a baseline while you evaluate new palettes. Explore the Ohuhu Color Palette Generator to see the full Honolulu collection and create harmonious color combinations.

Want a broader workflow for balancing full alcohol marker palettes? Read Building Alcohol Marker Color Palettes with ColorSpace for capture, matching, and export tips that extend beyond the demo library. And if you are preparing your own cards for scanning, follow Preparing Ohuhu Swatch Cards for Accurate ColorBase Scans to keep ColorBase inputs consistent.