Impressionist Palette Generator

Inspired by the Impressionist movement (Monet, Renoir, Pissarro) and Neo-Impressionism (Seurat, Signac).

Overview

Impressionism revolutionized color by:

• Broken color - Separate brushstrokes that blend visually at distance
• No black shadows - Use blue/violet for shadows instead
• Complementary juxtaposition - Colors next to each other that intensify
• Light-focused - Capturing the quality of light at different times

Usage

import { impressionist } from "@skchr/color";

// Default: broken color technique
impressionist("green");
// ['#228b22', '#4169e1', '#daa520', '#dc143c', ...]

// Optical mixing style (pointillism)
impressionist("blue", { technique: "optical" });

// Morning light (soft, warm)
impressionist("yellow", { timeOfDay: "morning" });

// Noon light (bright, high saturation)
impressionist("white", { timeOfDay: "noon" });

// Dusk (purples, pinks)
impressionist("gray", { timeOfDay: "dusk" });
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Options

Techniques

Broken Color

Short, visible brushstrokes of pure color placed next to each other. When viewed from a distance, colors visually blend.

impressionist("forest", { technique: "broken" });
// Returns palette with distinct color strokes
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Optical (Pointillism)

Based on Seurat and Signac's scientific approach. Uses RYB color wheel (not RGB) for color relationships.

impressionist("sunset", { technique: "optical" });
// Returns palette based on RYB relationships
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Time of Day

Morning

• Soft, warm light
• Yellows, oranges, pale blues
• Lower contrast

Noon

• Bright, direct light
• High saturation
• Strong shadows (blue)

Evening

• Golden hour warmth
• Oranges, purples, deep reds
• Warm undertones

Dusk

• Fading light
• Purples, pinks, deep blues
• Cool temperature

Examples

// Monet's garden
impressionist("pink", {
  timeOfDay: "morning",
  blueShadows: true,
});

// River scene
impressionist("blue", {
  timeOfDay: "evening",
  technique: "broken",
});

// Seurat style
impressionist("green", {
  technique: "optical",
  num: 8,
});
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Color Theory

Key Impressionist principles:

1. No black - Shadows are colored, usually blue/violet
2. Complementary neighbors - Colors that intensify each other when adjacent
3. RYB primary - Traditional primaries (not RGB) for mixing
4. Light > form - Capturing the impression of light

Monet painted the same subject 25+ times to capture different light conditions.