ColorLab for Illustrator

4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
167 Reviews

$25.00 USD $39.00 USD

( / )
Unavailable

Please select all options.

Buy now, download later • Easy install on your device
RetroSupply Co. Guarantee

Don't lose a minute of sleep with our Better Than Money Back Guarantee.

Learn More

Get Authentic Vintage Halftone Colors

Note: ColorLab is available for Procreate, Photoshop, and Affinity as well. Be sure to look closely at the first few preview images. You'll see that because the Illustrator version is vector the dots are sharper and the colors are slightly different.

ColorLab makes getting retro archival comic effects fun and easy.

This industrial-strength collection of brushes, swatches, textures, and templates will help you achieve the cheap comic effects of your dreams with ease. 

We designed this pack with care so you can fine-tune your work. Get clean comic halftones or gritty smudged pulp print textures with ease.

Video Thumbnail
3:19

We designed this pack with care so you can fine-tune your work. Get clean comic halftones or gritty smudged pulp print textures with ease.

  • Authentic comic color halftones. We created this set from historic color formulas, color charts, and manual color matching with vintage comics. Plus, we've included a CMYK version (use this if you want exact CMYK printing).
  • Devilish details. We know that it's the little details that make these effects magic. That's why we've carefully emulated color sequences, screen angles, and ink bleeds. It's all built in so you can focus on your work.
  • Historic paper templates. A big secret to emulating vintage CMYK colors is how they interact with the paper. We've curated 8 archival paper samples including newsprint, kraft paper and more.
  • Non-destructive texturing. Everything can be dialed in including paper aging, ink textures, fading, and comic grading imperfections.
  • Easy to use. We've cut out as much of the confusing garbage as possible. No clunky actions, extra layers, or careless file bloating.

Software: Adobe Illustrator CS6 and above and Adobe Photoshop CS6 and above

Hardware: 2.4ghz processor or higher

Memory: 16 gb of RAM or higher

Storage: 8 GB

  • 125 pre-mixed process color halftone swatches (Illustrator swatches)
  • 12 manual color build halftone swatches (Illustrator swatches)
  • 3 brush pens in tip, art, and no-stretch versions (for a total of 12 Illustrator brushes)
  • 8 paper texture templates in two sizes (layered Illustrator .ai file)
  • 10 print defect brushes (Photoshop .abr brushes)
  • ColorLab Color Chart
  • 3 tutorial videos
  • The Complete ColorLab User Guide

There's nothing like vintage comics. The yellowing paper. The smudged ink. The musty smell of chemicals and newsprint.

And of course... cheap color halftones.

This is the stuff that our love of 1960's comics, cheesy mail-order ads, and bubble gum packaging is made of.

Unfortunately, these effects are insanely hard to achieve digitally.

Even with tutorials, brushes, and filters, the results can look mediocre

And to rub salt in the wound, a few select artists capture this look in their work. But they're tight-lipped about how they do it. Why? They know these kinds of authentic results are hard to pin down and make their work irresistible.

No more!

ColorLab makes achieving these retro archival effects easy and fun.

With an industrial-strength collection of brushes, swatches, textures, and templates, you can achieve rich vintage color halftone effects.

Get tight and clean comic halftones or make it gritty pulp print textures with ease. No other kit offers this much control to fine-tune your work.

Plus, we've included two ways to create your effects. Manually and with premixes. Whether you want to fine-tune every ink spot and registration error or want rapid results for a looming deadline, we've got you covered.

No other halftone or comic kit offers the options, control, or software compatibility.

4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
Based on 167 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 155 Total 4 star reviews: 12 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
100%would recommend these products
Customer-uploaded media carousel. Press left and right arrows to navigate. Press space or enter to open more details.
Slide 1 selected
167 reviews
  • DT
    daniel t.
    Verified Buyer
    ColorLab for Clip Studio Paint
    Reviewing
    ColorLab for Clip Studio Paint
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    4 months ago
    ColorLab is amazing fun!

    It took me a little while to figure out how aspects of ColorLab worked with solid and toned color, but once I did, it was like magic ! It is so fun to use, and I just can't stop thinking about how much I enjoy the vintage halftones in all comics, and Colorlab brings it back! I'm still learning the colors but I'm enjoy playing around with this great product!

    RC Profile picture for RetroSupply Co.
    RetroSupply Co.
    4 months ago

    Hi Daniel,

    Thank you for purchasing ColorLab! We are grateful for your review and are happy to hear you're enjoying your order. If you need extra help using ColorLab, you can check out our tutorials page or email us at support@retrosupply.co.

    Thank you for sharing your work with us, and have a great day!

    -The RetroSupply Co. Team

  • MI
    Mark I.
    Verified Buyer
    ColorLab for Procreate
    Reviewing
    ColorLab for Procreate
    I recommend this product
    Product Standouts Ease of use, Great Quality, Excellent instructions
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    4 months ago
    A new perspective on colour.

    I’ve been obsessed with the ColorLab comic color kit ever since I purchased it. I had never worked in layered halftones before and found it exciting and refreshing. I can’t stop drawing with them!

    The results they give are fantastic adding an authentic retro look to anything you apply them too.

    The accompanying colour guides, pallets and skin tone charts are beautifully put together and extremely helpful.

    To top it all off, the brushes are simple to use and feel natural and fluid. I couldn’t be more stoked with my purchase. Many thanks RetroSupply. Keep up the great work

  • AM
    Alice Mena B.
    Verified Buyer
    ColorLab for Procreate
    Reviewing
    ColorLab for Procreate
    I recommend this product
    Product Standouts Ease of use, Excellent instructions, Great Quality, Value for Money
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    5 months ago
    Great pack!

    I just loved how real those brushes look on digital drawings. I'm still learning how to use them, but I can say that I'm addicted to them! Plus, there's the paper pack, color sheet and instructions to make your piece looks really vintage.

  • LL Profile picture for Lewis L.
    Lewis L.
    ColorLab for Procreate
    Reviewing
    ColorLab for Procreate
    I recommend this product
    Product Standouts Value for Money, Great Quality, Excellent instructions
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    5 months ago
    Best offset printing brushes ever made!

    This brush set is the perfect tool to simulate the retro offset printing style! The colors and patterns really capture that authentic feel. Pair it will all the tricks of the trade and you really establish a modern version of a classic style. Being the Graphic Designer/Prepress Manager of an offset printing company it is fun to bridge the gap between actual offset printing and the digital space.

  • PT
    Pontus T.
    Verified Buyer
    ColorLab for Procreate
    Reviewing
    ColorLab for Procreate
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    3 days ago
    And just like that, everything falls into place..

    I am not a great artist, but I do love to sit hours on end, sketching and drawing. And sometimes, I end up with something I like. I’ve bought a few bits and pieces from Retro Supply before, but I’ve struggled getting it to work in my favor. Then I got ColorLab for Procreate, and with the instructions, I’m really getting the hang of everything. If you’re getting your first Retro Supply thingy, this should be it. You’ll be accomplished and famous in almost no time. You go! Just like I go!

    Thanks Retro Supply, keep bringing that good stuff!

    RC Profile picture for RetroSupply Co.
    RetroSupply Co.
    3 minutes ago

    Hi Pontus,

    Thank you for your support and for writing such a lovely review of your ColorLab purchase! We're glad that it helped you get the look you were going for. Make sure to thank us in your award speech when you're famous!

    -The RetroSupply Co. Team

Reviews LoadedReviews Added