Overview
Navigator is split into five parts:
- the NCS Colour Space showing all 1950 NCS Original Colours in 3D
- the Colour Triangle showing each hue triangle found in the NCS 1950 Original Collection with tab links to Blackness, Whiteness and Chromaticness
- the Colour Information viewer below the 3D Colour Space
- the Colour Combinations Workspace at the bottom of the screen
- the Colour Selectors which can be used to find matching colour combinations
1. NCS Colour Space
The NCS Colour Space displays all 1950 NCS Original Colours in 3D. Click and drag to view the Colour Space from different angles.
- Clicking Show In Colour Space will show your selected colours in the 3D window.
- Clicking Reset Window will reset the 3D space to the initial state including all NCS 1950 original colours.
2. Colour Triangle Window
The Colour Triangle displays each hue triangle found in the NCS 1950 Original Collection. The hue value describes the percentage of the two adjacent elementary colours.
- Cycle through the different hues with the colour circle to the top right by clicking on a hue in the colour circle, or by clicking on the underlying arrows.
- If you only need the greyscale, click in the middle of the colour circle.
- To place a colour in your colour workspace (palette), double-click on a colour box within the colour triangle.
Learn more about Hues
2.1 Colour triangle view modes
These options will change the view mode to show colours taken from different cross sections of the Colour Space. As you change each cross section, the main 3D Colour Space will show the position of the selected colours.
Blackness view
This options will change the view mode to show colours sharing the same blackness, i.e. the perceived amount of black in the colour relative to pure black.
- To increase or decrease the blackness of the cross section, use the triangle at the top right, or the underlying arrows.
- As with the Triangle view, double clicking a specific colour will automatically drop it into the main Combinations Workspace.
Learn more about blackness.
Whiteness view
This options will change the view mode to show colours sharing the same whiteness, i.e. the perceived amount of white in the colour relative to pure white.
- To increase or decrease the whiteness of the cross section, use the triangle at the top right, or the underlying arrows.
- As with the Triangle view, double clicking a specific colour will automatically drop it into the main Combinations Workspace.
Learn more about whiteness.
Chromaticness view
This options will change the view mode to show colours sharing the same chromaticness. Chromaticness is a scale between the acromatic greys and the most chromatic colour of a specific hue.
- To increase or decrease the chromaticness of the cross section, use the triangle at the top right, or the underlying arrows.
- As with the Triangle view, double clicking a specific colour will automatically drop it into the main Combinations Workspace.
Learn more about chromaticness.
3. Colour Information Viewer
For each colour selected, the NCS Notation and its colour values will be displayed in the colour information box. These values can be used for all major graphic design, image, CAD and web design software to ensure complete colour control between the web and reality using the NCS Notations.
- The last active colour will fill the larger of the boxes, while its notation will appear to its right
- As you hover over the colours in the Colour Triangle window the lower portion of the box will change according to where your cursor lies
- Double clicking a colour will make that colour appear in the larger box and the Notation will change accordingly
- If you wish to view a specific colour and know its NCS Notation, type its NCS Notation into the Notation space and hit enter. Note that this only works if a chosen colour is part of the NCS 1950 Original Collection.
- Premium users can also convert the active NCS colour to RGB, CMYK (Coated and Uncoated) and Lab for Print.
4. Colour Combinations Workspace
Colours selected by double clicking will be placed here. At the bottom of the workspace are several options to quickly clear the workspace, reset the lines or change the background colour for better analysis.
- They can be moved into different boxes by dragging and dropping while the lines separating them can be extended or compressed to experiment with proportions.
- If you wish to remove certain colours from a palette drag them to the edges of the workspace where they will disappear.
- For a quick overview of the colours you have selected, check the Show Notation box.
- To see where your colours lie in the 3D Colour Space, check Show in Colour Space.
- If you are in the Premium version you can choose to export your palettes to digital design applications or share them with colleagues or clients.
- Premium users can also synchronize Colours scanned into NCS Colour Scan 2.0 and import them into the Combinations workspace.
5. Colour Selectors
There are a number of different Selectors which can be used to create quick colour combinations. Choose an option from “Selector” in the drop-down menu to see colours according to Whiteness, Blackness or Chromaticness (indicated by a black line).
Selector : Blackness
This creates a line where all the colours share the same blackness. Move the position of the line by clicking on a new colour position.
Selector : Centered Line
This line is anchored to the centre of the circle. Dragging on either end of the line will increase or decrease the size of the line.
Selector : Chromaticness
This creates a line where all the colours share the same Chromaticness. Move the position of the line by clicking on a new colour position.
Selector : Curve
Like the Line, this function gives the user a curve, the angle and direction of which can be altered by dragging on the black circles. The position and length of the curve can be changed by dragging on the black squares at its tip.
Selector : Line
This creates a moveable and extendable line. Each colour crossed by the line will be shown below the colour flow box. The position and length of the line can be changed by dragging on the black squares at its tip.
Selector : Opponent
Again, this line is also attached to the centre of the circle but will only show the opposing colours at the tips of the line itself. This will give two colours of equal nuance in opposite hues.
Selector : Wheel 3,4 & 5
Similar to the Opponent line, these wheels have a different number of tips, each of which will show the colour it covers. This will give 3, 4 or 5 colours of the same nuance divided by equal distance in hue.
Selector : Whiteness
This creates a line where all the colours share the same whiteness. Move the position of the line by clicking on a new colour position.
- A selector which will show all colours intersected by the selector line in the colour flow box below the selected view mode (Triangle, Blackness, Whiteness or Chromaticness)
- Clicking on different positions in the selected view mode (Triangle, Blackness, Whiteness or Chromaticness) will move the position of the selectors
- The Line and Curve selectors can be manipulated by dragging on their anchor points
- Double click on a colour in the colour flow box to add it to your colour workspace
- To add all colours to the colour workspace, click the button "Add these colours to workspace"