Welcome to the 3D Navigator beta
Step into colour. In three dimensions. Colour always exists in relation to other colours. The NCS System provides a functional and precise way to describe colour based on how we actually perceive it, creating a shared language that helps professionals communicate colour with confidence. With our new 3D Navigator beta in NCS+, that language becomes even more accessible, easy to understand and something you can truly explore.
Presented in three dimensions, it offers a clearer and more intuitive understanding of how colours relate to one another within the system, allowing you to move through the space, change perspective and experience colour in relation to each in a new way. Whether you are learning the NCS System, refining a palette or exploring colour relationships, the 3D Navigator offers a more engaging and hands-on way to work with colour.
Making colour relationships visible
The NCS colour space showcases all 2050 Standard colours, merging the NCS colour circle and the NCS colour triangle in one space. By visualising the NCS colour space in three dimensions, the 3D Navigator adds depth and context to the system. It makes abstract relationships visible and easier to grasp, helping users develop a more intuitive feel for colour rather than relying on notation alone. This visual approach supports learning, exploration and more confident colour decisions.
”Our aim is always to make the NCS System more accessible and easier to understand. The whole is what matters most, and being able to navigate the colour space as a complete system in three dimensions helps people see how colours relate to one another, not in isolation but in context. That is why we are excited to offer this new way of exploring colour.”
– Asta Florestedt, Colour Academy Lead
Explore the NCS colour space with depth and context
The 3D Navigator allows you to move freely through the full NCS colour space. By applying nuance and hue filters, you can narrow the space by blackness, chromaticness and hue, watching the colour space reshape itself in real time to show only the colours relevant to your focus. This creates a clearer understanding of transitions, balance and contrast within the system.
Navigate colour intuitively
Navigation is designed to feel natural and immersive. Rotate, pan and zoom to view the space from different angles, or reset the view at any time to return to the default perspective. For a more dynamic experience, cinematic and target modes can be combined to automatically rotate around a selected colour, helping you understand its position and role within the wider colour space. Freely switch back and forth between the traditional 2D colour space, the 3D space and the Colour Grid without loosing track of the colour you're working with, to tap into the benefits of each way of displaying the system.
Open beta for all users
The 3D Navigator is released as a beta and will remain free to use for all users throughout the beta period. By opening access during the beta phase, we invite more people to explore the NCS colour system, deepen their understanding of colour, and experience the value of seeing colour relationships come to life in three dimensions.
The 3D Navigator and all its capabilities are available freely to all NCS+ users during the beta period. Welcome to a more visual, intuitive and engaging way of understanding colour.
