Congratulations—you’re now the proud owner of a PrismaCalc, the ultimate color palette generator for creative minds! Whether you’re a graphic designer, an artist, or just someone who loves playing with color, PrismaCalc is here to add a splash of inspiration to your work.
This little gadget blends science, art, and a touch of cyberpunk cool to make exploring harmonic color palettes easy, tactile, and fun. No apps, no screens—just you, your imagination, and a quirky device that’s as at home on your desk as it is on the go.
Ready to dive in? Below, you’ll find everything you need to get started, plus some tips and tricks to get the most out of your PrismaCalc. Let’s make your next masterpiece a colorful one!
It looks like you’ve stumbled onto this page without a PrismaCalc in hand—no worries! PrismaCalc is a special promotional item, not available for sale. It’s our way of adding a little color and fun to the world of design while giving something unique to our valued clients and collaborators.
If you’re intrigued and want to learn more about PrismaCalc or how you might get your hands on one, feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you and see if there’s a way PrismaCalc can brighten your creative toolkit! Contact us here.
PrismaCalc didn’t start as a grand plan—it started with a circuit board business card. My cousin Brian, an engineer and all-around creative tinkerer, made it for a conference. Not content to stop there, he also built a lanyard with a tiny color screen that could play Flappy Bird. That’s Brian for you—he’s one of those makers who can’t help but turn materials and components into something extraordinary.
Brian and I grew up in Canada, but while I moved to Japan to focus on fonts, he headed to China to dive into engineering. We’ve always stayed close, and when I decided to create a cool, inexpensive gadget, I knew Brian was the perfect partner. For weeks, I tossed around ideas—laser measuring devices, flashlights, you name it—but nothing felt right. I needed something that would really resonate with graphic designers.
Then it hit me: a palette generator! I’ve always used an old cardboard color wheel to come up with schemes, so why not turn that into a pocket-sized gadget? Not just a random color generator—that would be pointless—but something that could calculate harmonious palettes based on real color theory.
I started with the algorithm, plotting out classic schemes like complementary, triadic, tetradic, and analogous. The first color is chosen at random, but the rest are calculated based on specific angles on the wheel, with just a hint of randomness to keep things feeling organic. Saturation and brightness were trickier—each scheme needed its own rules for how those should vary. Once I had the math nailed down, I passed it over to Brian to turn my nerdy musings into a tangible device.
We made some deliberate choices to keep PrismaCalc practical and fun. It runs on AAA batteries, so even if you forget it in a drawer for years, it’ll spring back to life when you find it again (no sad, dead lithium battery here). The display uses those old-school 7-segment digits, but in white to avoid distracting from the colors. There’s one button for simplicity and a physical power switch because tactile things are satisfying. And the circuit board? Black, of course—no distractions allowed.
Brian worked his magic sourcing parts and keeping costs low. The design is compact, about the size of a pocket calculator, with smart LEDs to display the colors. While the LEDs aren’t 100% accurate—thanks to their white plastic casing—they’re close enough to give you an idea of your palette.
PrismaCalc was never meant to replace your favorite app or online tool. It’s more like a fun, tactile companion for when you want to leave your screen behind. Grab a pencil, some paper, and a couple of batteries, and let PrismaCalc spark your creativity wherever you go.
Have you got your own gadget idea that you aim to make real?
Talk to Brian!
Deep within PrismaCalc’s exposed circuitry lives a tiny electronic brain with one obsession: creating beautiful color combinations. It’s not just throwing colors at the wall to see what sticks—it’s using serious color theory with just enough randomness to keep things spicy.
Those HEX codes are your ticket to color paradise. Copy them into your favorite design app’s color picker. Feel free to tweak the Saturation and Brightness—we won’t judge. Just maybe don’t mess with the Hue too much, or the color harmony ghosts will haunt you. Remember: The LEDs are more “inspired by” than “exactly like” the real colors, especially for darker shades. The “b” looks similar to “6” so pay attention, dammit!
To change modes, hold the SHUFFLE button until the mode number changes. Each mode has its own personality, like your weird co-workers.
The default mode. Screen-friendly colors that’ll make your designs pop.
For when you need a vintage, muted aesthetic with colors that are a bit more print-friendly.
The secret sauce! Find a dark corner or hide under a blanket. These modes unlock the dark side where you can access some deeper tones. The display dims automatically because we think of everything. Can’t write in the dark? That’s what friends are for. Shout out those codes!
This is not a toy! PrismaCalc has exposed components and solder joints so keep it away from little kids. Keep dry (it’s shy around water). Remove batteries if storing long-term.
Although we endeavor to ensure the reliability of this device, neither Typodermic Fonts Inc. nor any third-party supplier will be liable for any loss or damages in connection with the sale and use of this product. ALL EXRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS, WARRANTIES OR OTHER UNDERTAKINGS (OTHER THAN EXPRESSLY STATED, OR IMPLIED BY STATUTE AND WHICH CANNOT BE EXCLUDED), WHETHER ORAL, OR IN WRITING, INCLUDING WARRANTIES AS TO SATISFACTORY QUALITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXCLUDED.