ColorCraft Getting Started

DOWNLOAD COLORCRAFT

After purchase, you'll receive a download link via email containing ColorCraft.jsx.

INSTALL THE SCRIPT

Copy ColorCraft.jsx to your ScriptUI Panels folder:

Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/

Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels\

RESTART AFTER EFFECTS

Close After Effects completely and reopen it for the script to appear in the menu.

OPEN COLORCRAFT

Go to Window > ColorCraft.jsx

The panel will open and can be docked anywhere in your workspace.

FIRST LAUNCH

On first launch, ColorCraft automatically creates a "ColorCraft Schemes" folder in your Documents directory with two example schemes:

• Archetype – Dark, sophisticated color scheme

• Horizon – Bright, modern color scheme

These examples demonstrate the scheme system and can be used as starting points.

THREE-TAB LAYOUT

ColorCraft is organized into three main tabs:

MANAGE TAB Your central hub for color management:

• Add colors manually via hex input or color picker

• Scan compositions or entire projects for colors

• View all colors in an organized list with swatches

• Rename colors with custom names

• Edit hex values directly

• Delete individual or all colors

• Import from Coolors, Adobe Color, or Figma

ANIMATE TAB Create dynamic color animations:

• Shuffle – Random instant color assignment

• Cycle – Animated color transitions with keyframes

• Adjustable timing and sequencing options

SCHEMES TAB Save and load color libraries:

• Save current colors as named schemes

• Browse your scheme library

• Load schemes in any project

• Rename or delete schemes

• Organize with color and emoji tags

• Import and export scheme files

PANEL FEATURES

• Color Count – Shows current number of colors (max 100)

• Status Bar – Provides feedback on actions

• Dockable – Position anywhere in your workspace

SCAN CURRENT COMP

Click "Scan Comp" to extract all colors from your active composition.

ColorCraft finds colors in:

• Text layers

• Solid layers

• Shape layer fills and strokes

• Fill effects

All unique colors appear in your color list automatically.

SCAN ENTIRE PROJECT

Click "Scan Project" to scan all compositions in your project file. Perfect for auditing color usage across large projects.

ADD COLORS MANUALLY

Three ways to add colors:

1. HEX INPUT
   • Type or paste hex codes directly into the input field
   • Press Enter to add
   • Supports standard 6-digit hex format (#FF5733)

2. COLOR PICKER
   • Click the color picker button
   • Choose color visually
   • Click OK to add

3. FROM SELECTED LAYER
   • Select a layer in your composition
   • Click "Add from Layer"
   • Color extracts automatically

APPLY COLORS TO LAYERS

Once colors are in your list:

1. Select layers in your composition

2. Double-click any color in ColorCraft

3. Color applies instantly to all selected layers

Works with text layers, solids, and shape layers.

SAVE A SCHEME

Build your color palette, then save it for reuse:

1. Add colors to ColorCraft (scan, import, or manual)

2. Switch to the Schemes tab

3. Click "Save Current Colors as Scheme"

4. Enter a name (e.g., "Client Brand Q4")

5. Optionally add color tag and emoji tag for organization

6. Click Save

Your scheme is now saved to: Documents/ColorCraft Schemes/

LOAD A SCHEME

Use saved schemes in any project:

1. Open the Schemes tab

2. Browse your saved schemes

3. Select a scheme from the list

4. Choose Append (add to current colors) or Replace (clear and load)

5. Click "Load Scheme"

Colors appear in your list instantly, ready to apply.

ORGANIZE SCHEMES

Use tags to keep schemes organized:

• Color Tags – Choose from 8 colors for visual grouping

• Emoji Tags – Choose from 8 emojis for quick identification

Tags make it easy to find schemes in large libraries.

RENAME OR DELETE SCHEMES

• Rename – Select scheme, click Rename, enter new name

• Delete – Select scheme, click Delete (confirmation required)

SHARE SCHEMES WITH TEAM

Export scheme files to share with team members:

1. Navigate to Documents/ColorCraft Schemes/

2. Share .json scheme files via email, Dropbox, Slack, etc.

3. Team members place files in their ColorCraft Schemes folder

4. Schemes appear in everyone's library

Perfect for maintaining brand consistency across teams.

IMPORT FROM COOLORS.CO

Bridge the gap between design and motion:

1. Design your palette on Coolors.co

2. Copy the page URL

3. In ColorCraft (Manage tab), click "Import from Clipboard"

4. Paste the Coolors URL

5. Click Import

ColorCraft automatically extracts all colors from the URL.

IMPORT FROM ADOBE COLOR

Works with hex code lists:

1. Copy hex codes from Adobe Color (or any source)

2. Click "Import from Clipboard" in ColorCraft

3. Paste the hex codes

4. Click Import

ColorCraft accepts multiple formats:

• Comma-separated: #FF5733, #33FF57, #3357FF

• Space-separated: #FF5733 #33FF57 #3357FF

• Line-separated (one hex per line)

IMPORT FROM FIGMA

Use the free ColorCraft Export plugin:

1. Install ColorCraft Export in Figma (free download)

2. Open plugin in your Figma file

3. Select colors to export

4. Click "Copy to Clipboard"

5. In ColorCraft, click "Paste from Figma"

6. Colors import with names preserved

Perfect for working from brand guidelines and design files.

AUTOMATIC EXTRACTION

ColorCraft automatically detects and extracts hex codes from:

• URLs (Coolors, Adobe Color)

• Comma-separated lists

• Space-separated lists

• Line-separated lists

• Mixed formats

Just paste and ColorCraft figures it out.

UPDATE COLORS GLOBALLY

Change every instance of a color throughout your project in seconds.

HOW TO USE

1. Open the Manage tab

2. Click "Find & Replace"

3. Use the color picker to select the color to find

4. Use the second color picker to select the replacement color

5. Choose scope: Current Comp or Entire Project

6. ColorCraft shows how many instances will be replaced

7. Click "Replace"

Changes apply instantly across all comps.

WHAT GETS UPDATED

Find and Replace works on:

• Solid layers

• Fill effects

• Shape layer fills

• Shape layer strokes

• Text colors

INTELLIGENT EXPRESSION HANDLING

ColorCraft automatically handles expression-linked colors:

• Detects expressions on color properties

• Removes expressions before replacing

• Ensures changes stick permanently

No fighting with linked colors or expressions that override changes.

PERFECT FOR

• Client revision requests ("make all blues more teal")

• Brand color updates (global rebrand)

• Color corrections (fix wrong colors)

• Template customization (adapt colors quickly)

TIME SAVINGS

Manual process: 30 minutes to 2+ hours ColorCraft process: 5 seconds

360x faster for typical projects.

GENERATE PROFESSIONAL COLOR SCHEMES

Create complete color harmonies based on color theory. Perfect for expanding brand palettes or exploring color options.

HOW TO USE

1. Select a layer with a color in your composition

2. Open the Manage tab

3. Click "Generate Harmony"

4. Choose harmony type from dropdown

5. ColorCraft generates a complete color scheme

6. Colors appear in your list, ready to apply or save

SIX HARMONY TYPES

COMPLEMENTARY Opposite colors on the color wheel. Creates strong contrast and visual impact.

TRIADIC Three colors evenly spaced around the color wheel. Vibrant and balanced.

ANALOGOUS Neighboring colors on the wheel. Harmonious and natural.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY Variation on complementary. Uses colors adjacent to the complement.

TETRADIC Four colors in a rectangle pattern on the wheel. Rich and complex.

MONOCHROMATIC Shades and tints of a single hue. Cohesive and elegant.

AUTOMATIC NAMING

Generated colors are automatically named by type:

• "Complementary 1", "Complementary 2"

• "Triadic 1", "Triadic 2", "Triadic 3"

Rename them as needed for your workflow.

PERFECT FOR

• Extending brand palettes (3 colors to 8)

• Creating accent colors

• Exploring color variations

• Building cohesive schemes

• Learning color theory in practice

BASED ON COLOR THEORY

ColorCraft uses professional color theory algorithms to ensure generated colors work together harmoniously.

CREATE DYNAMIC COLOR ANIMATIONS

ColorCraft includes two animation modes for creative color transitions.

SHUFFLE MODE

Instantly randomize colors across selected layers.

How to Use:

1. Select layers in your composition

2. Switch to the Animate tab

3. Click "Shuffle"

4. Each selected layer gets a random color from your palette

Perfect For:

• Testing color variations quickly

• Creating dynamic compositions

• A/B testing different color combinations

• Exploring creative options

CYCLE MODE

Animated color transitions with keyframes.

How to Use:

1. Select layers in your composition

2. Switch to the Animate tab

3. Choose Cycle mode

4. Set timing options:
   • Duration (how long each color displays)
   • Hold Time (pause between transitions)
   • Sequential or Random order
   • Loop animation (optional)

5. Click "Create Cycle Animation"

ColorCraft creates keyframes and animates colors smoothly.

Perfect For:

• Logo color animations

• UI mood transitions

• Background color shifts

• Kinetic typography

• Motion graphics color reveals

PROFESSIONAL CONTROL

Both modes use your managed color palette, ensuring:

• Brand consistency maintained

• No random off-brand colors

• Systematic approach to color animation

• Easy to update color schemes

Animations automatically update if you change colors in your palette.

RENAME COLORS

Give colors meaningful names for easy identification:

1. Select a color in the list

2. Click "Rename"

3. Enter new name (e.g., "Brand Primary", "Accent Blue")

4. Press Enter

Good naming convention:

• Brand Primary, Brand Secondary

• Accent 1, Accent 2

• Background Light, Background Dark

• Text Primary, Text Secondary

EDIT HEX VALUES

Update colors directly:

1. Select a color in the list

2. Click "Edit Hex"

3. Enter new hex code

4. Press Enter

The color swatch updates immediately.

DELETE COLORS

Remove colors you no longer need:

• Delete Individual – Select color, click Delete

• Delete All – Click "Delete All Colors" (confirmation required)

Deleting colors doesn't affect layers already using those colors – they retain their current values.

COLOR LIMIT

ColorCraft supports up to 100 colors per project. The status bar shows your current count.

If you hit the limit, delete unused colors or save current palette as a scheme before starting fresh.

ORGANIZE YOUR PALETTE

Best practices for keeping colors organized:

• Use consistent naming (Brand, Accent, Background, etc.)

• Delete unused colors regularly

• Save different color systems as separate schemes

• Group similar colors together in your naming

WORKFLOW TIPS

START WITH SCHEMES
Build a color library of your most-used palettes (client brands, personal favorites, etc.). Load them as starting points for new projects.

SCAN FIRST
Before manually adding colors, scan your comp to see what's already there. Avoid duplicates and understand your current color usage.

MEANINGFUL NAMES
Rename colors with descriptive names immediately. "Brand Primary" is easier to find than "Color 1".

SAVE VARIATIONS
When exploring color options, save promising palettes as schemes (e.g., "Client V1", "Client V2"). Easy to compare and return to later.

USE FIND AND REPLACE EARLY
If you're building with temporary colors, use Find and Replace to swap to brand colors once approved. Much faster than manual updates.

SCHEME TAGGING
Use color tags and emoji tags consistently. For example, all client work gets a specific color tag, personal projects get another.

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

After Effects doesn't support custom script shortcuts, but you can:

• Dock ColorCraft permanently for quick access

• Use Tab to navigate between input fields

• Press Enter to confirm actions

FILE MANAGEMENT

Schemes are stored as .json files in: Documents/ColorCraft Schemes/

Back up this folder regularly, especially if you have many client schemes. Consider syncing via:

• iCloud Drive

• Dropbox

• OneDrive

• Google Drive

PERFORMANCE

ColorCraft is lightweight and fast. However:

• Scanning very large projects (100+ comps) may take a few seconds

• Find and Replace on entire projects processes all comps

• Animation features work best with 50 or fewer layers at once

COMPATIBILITY

ColorCraft works with After Effects CC 2019 and later on both Mac and Windows. It's compatible with all plugins and scripts.

COMMON ISSUES

COLORCRAFT DOESN'T APPEAR IN WINDOW MENU

• Check you copied ColorCraft.jsx to the correct ScriptUI Panels folder

• Ensure After Effects was restarted after installation

• Look for ScriptUI Panels folder in the correct version of After Effects

• File must be named exactly "ColorCraft.jsx"

COLORS NOT IMPORTING FROM CLIPBOARD

• Ensure hex codes are in a supported format

• Check clipboard actually contains text (Cmd/Ctrl+V in text editor to verify)

• Try pasting individual hex codes one at a time to test

• Coolors URLs must be full page URLs, not shortened links

FIND AND REPLACE NOT WORKING

• Ensure you're targeting the correct color (use color picker for accuracy)

• Check scope setting (Current Comp vs Entire Project)

• Some layers may have expressions or locked properties

• Try selecting specific layers before using Find and Replace

SCHEMES NOT SAVING

• Check you have write permissions to Documents folder

• Ensure Documents/ColorCraft Schemes/ folder exists

• Try creating the folder manually if it doesn't exist

• Check available disk space

HARMONY GENERATOR NOT WORKING

• Ensure a layer is selected in your composition

• Layer must have a color (text, solid, or shape with fill)

• Try selecting a different layer if one doesn't work

GETTING HELP

If you encounter issues not covered here:

Email: hello@thecreativesupply.com Response time: Within 24 hours

Include in your email:

• After Effects version

• Operating system (Mac/Windows)

• Description of the issue

• Screenshots if possible

FEEDBACK & FEATURE REQUESTS

We're constantly improving ColorCraft. If you have suggestions for new features or improvements:

Email: hello@thecreativesupply.com

Your feedback helps shape future updates.

UPDATES

All ColorCraft updates are free for existing customers. You'll receive email notification when new versions are available.