The internal LEGO Color scheme

[Aanchir]

This color list from Peeron is perfect for "translation" of the color names. It lists the colors name from Peeron, Bricklink and TLC. And after a quick check I didn't find that many new colors. Just Dark Nougat, which I guess will be "dark Flesh" in Bricklink-ish as "Nougat" is LEGO's name for the fleshie skin color.

Good idea linking. I've got a useful link I can share too. Isodomos has several useful color references, including cross-referenced AFOL and official LEGO names. The list also has some official names that Peeron doesn't (although it also lacks some Peeron has).

[Legorski]

I think the colours are as follows:

# 18 - Nougat - is what we commonly call Dark Flesh

# 283 - Light Nougat - is what we commonly call Light Flesh

and

#312 - Medium Nougat - probably the new caramelly colour seen in the Prince of Persia Battle of Alamut set

That clears things up. 8D

[Piranha]

Thanks Copmike!

This is really very interesting.

I am sad that chrome black or green didn't make it

[Chris Phipson]

Nougat huh? I always thought of that as more of a mocha caramel with whipped cream...

Jokeing aside for a sec, I've never been able to get any of the color "names" right and to be honest, I was never that upset about it. I mean, I've been calling "brownish red" just regular brown as long as I can remember. Their "earth green" to my friends and I is "That sexy new dark green"... depending on context of course... For the greys, my names for them have been (and I KNOW this is "wrong" but it's just how I labeled them before I knew any better and the names just stuck) regular grey, bley and brey (the last one being that "old dark grey" I think. the name is a combo of saying "brownish grey")

My opinion on this whole thing goes something like this...

YEAH! They gave us the "real" names of the colors that they use. If there's any doubt as to a colors official name, now we know... is it going to change the way I build? Most likely not. But yeah, still a cool bit of info to have. Thanks for tracking it down and getting it to us, the unwashed masses, Mike!

~Chris.

[Izzy]

Cooooool!!!

Thanks Jan and Mike for sharing this with us. I just printed out a copy and am off to do some studying! Just don't quiz me on it for the next 6 months... haha!

[Mariann Asanuma]

This could be quite useful, especially the official names for the colors. I wonder what the logic behind the numbering scheme is though. The numbers seem to be pretty random.

Of course, this table doesn't cover all the different shades of each color that TLG produces these days.

Although they appear random, the numbers actually are not random. What they refer to is the official color number -- 1 for White, 26 for Black, etc.

The reason they seem random is that every time TLC comes up with a new color they give it a new number. Since White was one of the first colors it is #1. The newer colors like #141 Earth Green (what AFOL's call Dark Green) have later numbers. I think it also has something to do with where on the color pallet the color falls. What we are seeing in this list is only the colors that LEGO is using this year. Not all the colors LEGO has ever produced.

You also have to remember that LEGO "downsized" their color pallet a few years ago from over 120 colors used to something like 56 (I can't remember the exact number). There are even more colors than that if you count all the one-off colors that were made specifically for one element in Duplo or Scala for example. And some numbers have been retired such as the old brown and grays.

If you had all of the colors LEGO has ever produced laid out in a color pallet, it would probably make a lot more sense.

[brickzone]

Yeah, the horse has kind of bolted when it comes to colour names. I really don't want to have to relearn them all again

I wonder if the 312 Medium Nougat shade is the new Prince of Persia colour in the Alamut set? The other nougat shades seem to correspond to flesh tones. If this is the 2010 chart you'd think any new colours would have to be included.

Maybe just a new flesh tone (perhaps even for PoP) - as you say the others appear to be the fleshie hues. It doesn't really match the "butterscotch" in the desaturated photos we've seen. Note that Dark Orange *is* on the chart - so hopefully it's just a bit of a storm in a teacup.

[Superkalle]

If you had all of the colors LEGO has ever produced laid out in a color pallet, it would probably make a lot more sense.

In LDD, which uses LXFML (a Lego XML format), the numbers (1-312) are called "MaterialID's". This would imply a wider scope than just colors. If several types of materials (plastic, rubber, cloth etc) are included, it would explain why the number series is up to such a high number as 312.

Edited January 29, 2010 by superkalle

[blueandwhite]

Does this mean that all the greys used with the fantasy castle theme are being replaced? E.g. Bluish Gray is getting the axe?

No. Medium and dark stone grey are the same as 'bluish gray' which is the name used on Bricklink to distinguish new and old grey. The old greys were simply called grey and dark grey. I doubt we will ever see the old greys again. What this chart tells us is what colours are currently in production. There are definitely a few colours I miss though (sand red being one of the big ones).

I don't think you'll have to wory about a colour change like the one that occured in 2004. LEGO upset a lot of AFOLs with that one, and I doubt they will repeat such a mistake in the future.

[Ricecracker]

Note that Dark Orange *is* on the chart - so hopefully it's just a bit of a storm in a teacup.

Yes, because it's already been used in Woody's Roundup, the Toy Story set.

[CP5670]

Although they appear random, the numbers actually are not random. What they refer to is the official color number -- 1 for White, 26 for Black, etc.

The reason they seem random is that every time TLC comes up with a new color they give it a new number. Since White was one of the first colors it is #1. The newer colors like #141 Earth Green (what AFOL's call Dark Green) have later numbers. I think it also has something to do with where on the color pallet the color falls. What we are seeing in this list is only the colors that LEGO is using this year. Not all the colors LEGO has ever produced.

I was thinking about that, but nougat (presumably the flesh color) comes before most of the classical colors like blue, red, and so on. Maybe they are reusing numbers from old colors no longer in production.

I don't think you'll have to wory about a colour change like the one that occured in 2004. LEGO upset a lot of AFOLs with that one, and I doubt they will repeat such a mistake in the future.

They have essentially done it again several times since then. It's just that fewer people have noticed.

[blueandwhite]

They have essentially done it again several times since then. It's just that fewer people have noticed.

Beyond the bley/brown replacement in 2004, what other major colours have been replaced? I know that colour consistency has been a big issue with other colours, but what other significant colours which have actually been removed and replaced? I'm very interested because beyond the bley/grey brown/reddish brown change I don't really see any comprable changes (to the point that LEGO actually gave those varriant colours different names).

[CP5670]

Beyond the bley/brown replacement in 2004, what other major colours have been replaced? I know that colour consistency has been a big issue with other colours, but what other significant colours which have actually been removed and replaced? I'm very interested because beyond the bley/grey brown/reddish brown change I don't really see any comprable changes (to the point that LEGO actually gave those varriant colours different names).

The more extreme differences in color consistency are actually bigger than the differences between the old and new grays, browns, etc. Apart from that though, there were also more consistent changes in dark red and dark blue around 2007. See this post. I'm not sure if these latter changes were intentional and if TLG changed the color names for them, but the effect for us is the same either way.

[Svelte]

The more extreme differences in color consistency are actually bigger than the differences between the old and new grays, browns, etc. Apart from that though, there were also more consistent changes in dark red and dark blue around 2007. See this post. I'm not sure if these latter changes were intentional and if TLG changed the color names for them, but the effect for us is the same either way.

The amazing Jamie Berard said that they had actually gone back to pre-coloured ABS pellets for dark red, which explains the dramatic improvement in consistency. It still doesn't explain why 'new' dark red is so different to everything that came before Sorry - I should have posted this in the Quality thread a while ago

I'd still like to know if the one gold colour listed on this chart replaces the previous two versions of gold - metallic and pearl - as seen in the dramatically different colour used in the Atlantis tridents and gate pieces (which also arguably could be separate golds).

[brickzone]

Beyond the bley/brown replacement in 2004, what other major colours have been replaced? I know that colour consistency has been a big issue with other colours, but what other significant colours which have actually been removed and replaced? I'm very interested because beyond the bley/grey brown/reddish brown change I don't really see any comprable changes (to the point that LEGO actually gave those varriant colours different names).

A lot of the colours look significantly different in the newer (softer) plastic - even apart from inconsistency of colours it seems inherently to have a hint of translucency. Red brown, dark red, dark blue, white - these are all noticeably brighter in the new plastic (giveaway being fainter printing of "LEGO" on the studs and softer clutching - although this can be obscured if you are combining old/new plastic bricks - both having come in some sets together as old bricks get used up - hence two distinct tones in the likes of early Café Corner sets - even apart from minor variation).

However, I'm not an expert - these are just my observations. It probably differs too in North America (Mexico) from Europe (Hungary, etc.).

Edited January 29, 2010 by brickzone

[CommanderFox]

Thanks for showing this CopMike!

The colours are really nice, im looking forward to having some parts in quite afew of them.

Thanks again!

CommanderFox

Edited February 1, 2010 by CommanderFox

[Dunjohn]

Hmm. I'm relatively new to the AFOL scene. Which naming scheme should I adopt...?

Nah, this really is a fascinating (yet at the same time, incredibly nerdy) document. Any colours "really" missing? I'd like turquise, but I suppose sand green is close enough.

What about flourescent solid colours? How well would that go down?

[Fugazi]

Well it's an impressive palette. The problem is, many of the colours, like the different flesh colours, are only used for some specific parts. How many are the colours in which there is actually a good variety of building bricks available? Say for instance a random selection of the most common pieces, like 1x2 brick, 1x2 plate and 1x2 tile. Nothing fancy! According to bricklink, the 3 selected pieces have been made and are available in the following of the 2010 colours:

1 White

5 Tan

21 Red

23 Blue

24 Yellow

26 Black

28 Green

102 Medium Blue

106 Orange

119 Lime

135 Sand Blue

138 Dark Tan

140 Navy Blue

141 Dark Green

151 Sand Green

154 Dark Red

192 Brown

194 Medium Stone

199 Dark Stone

So these would be the "really" available colours according to my totally unscientific investigation. By the way, I left the transparent colours aside for now, too much work for one day

So we have 2 reds, 4 blues, 3 yellows/tans, 4 greens, 2 greys, plus orange and brown. Dark orange could also be included in the list if the Prince of Persia sets provide enough variety of that colour. What's missing? The purple-pink colours don't seem to be well represented, this may be due to some changing colour codes in the recent years as older pinks are generally available.

Turquoise? Sand red? Another shade of grey? What other colours would you like to come back or be introduced?

[Ras 74]

I also printed one of those just to have it around.

Don´t know if it is to any use really for me though.

I would like to have as I have seen a palett built in LEGO.

I will ask my dear friend superkalle to take pictures and show his version.

[Superkalle]

I will ask my dear friend superkalle to take pictures and show his version.

Aha, you mean this:

[CP5670]

Those transparent 2x2 tiles look great. I have always wanted to see more basic pieces (bricks, plates, tiles, etc.) in transparent colors. We never seem to get enough of those.

[Ras 74]

Thanks superkalle!

I was going to call you tomorrow to ask you about that!

Thanks for doing that, it is just so lovely to see.

[Holodoc]

Aha, you mean this:

Wow!

Did you do this on your own, or is this table an official Lego version?

I have to copy this! I started with basic 2x4 bricks, but if the tiles are even more common, then it's really worth the try.

BL, here I come!

[Superkalle]

Did you do this on your own, or is this table an official Lego version?

I made it myself. The bricks are collected from various sources over a long time. Some cheating though. For exampel with the 1x2 tiles, since I couldn't find them in 2x2. Also, I made an excel-sheet with all the colors and their corresponding short name that I used to make small name stickers. I have attached it if you want to download it.

Lego_Colors_to_EB.zip

[CP5670]

Wow, how did you manage to get all those tiles? I think at least half the tiles on there have never appeared in any set in those colors. Even the test mold pieces usually only exist in trans-clear, red or black.