The RAL D4 Colour Atlas is a professional reference atlas containing all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours in a clear, systematic ring-binder format. Developed for architecture, interior design, product development, industrial design, graphic design, coatings, paints, engineering and colour education, it provides a structured overview of one of the most precise colour systems for professional design and specification.
RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus is based on the CIELab colour model and organises colour according to hue, lightness and chroma. This makes it especially valuable for professionals who need to work beyond intuitive colour preference and develop colour concepts in a precise, methodical and reproducible way. Each colour is defined through a 7-digit RAL code that describes its position in the colour space, supporting clear colour communication between design, planning, production and suppliers.
The RAL D4 Colour Atlas presents the entire 3D colour space of the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus across 40 pages. The colours are coded according to HLC: hue, lightness and chroma. This systematic arrangement helps users understand colour families, compare colours with similar brightness or saturation, build nuanced sequences and develop controlled palettes for products, interiors, architecture and collections.
The atlas is supplied as a slipcase with one ring binder. The slipcase measures approximately 37.7 × 32.6 cm, while the ring binder measures approximately 36.4 × 31.5 cm. Ring binder and slipcase are covered with a high-quality embossed glossy film, giving the tool a professional presentation and helping protect the colour samples during storage and everyday use.
Inside the atlas are 1,825 colour chips in a 1.7 × 1.7 cm format. Each chip is presented as an original paint sample with a semi-matt gloss level. This physical representation is essential for professional colour work, because it provides a more realistic impression than screen colour, office printouts or ordinary printed approximations.
The individual colour graduations are shown on grey, dull-matt paper. This background reduces disruptive reflected light and helps colours appear clear and distinct. For visual comparison, this is an important advantage: users can evaluate differences in hue, lightness and chroma without the page background interfering strongly with colour perception.
A register helps users locate specific shades quickly. This is especially useful in a system with 1,825 colours, where efficient navigation is essential for client presentations, design meetings, colour teaching, palette development and project documentation. The D4 is designed to make a complex colour space accessible at a glance.
The atlas also includes a 16-step greyscale page from 000 90 00 to 000 15 00. This helps users understand neutral value relationships and supports the development of palettes where brightness, contrast and tonal balance are central. Greyscale references are particularly useful in architecture, interiors, product design and colour education.
For product design and industrial design, the RAL D4 Colour Atlas supports the systematic development of colour ranges for consumer goods, appliances, electronics, furniture, mobility products, packaging components, tools and technical products. Designers can compare colour families, analyse chroma levels and create coherent palettes that can be translated into technical specification language.
For architecture and interior design, the atlas is useful for developing colour sequences, wall colour concepts, façade palettes, interior schemes, material combinations, public spaces, signage, retail environments and hospitality interiors. Its systematic HLC structure allows designers to build balanced concepts by controlling hue, brightness and saturation relationships.
For industrial manufacturing, the D4 supports colour communication between design, engineering, sourcing, suppliers and production teams. The RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus code provides a precise reference, while the physical colour chip helps teams discuss and evaluate colour direction before moving into samples, coatings or production-specific approval processes.
For paints, varnishes and coatings, the atlas is a practical reference for colour consultation, range development and preliminary specification. Paint producers, coating specialists, contractors and designers can use the D4 to identify colour families, build sequences and compare neighbouring shades before producing material-specific samples or application references.
The RAL D4 is especially valuable for colour sequences and collections. It helps users see colours not as isolated choices, but as part of a structured space. This is useful for trend palettes, product ranges, architectural schemes, interior collections, brand colour systems and educational colour studies. Colours with uniform chroma and brightness become easier to identify, compare and combine.
For graphic design, branding and environmental communication, the atlas supports projects where colour must move from visual identity into physical environments and materials. Signage, wayfinding, branded interiors, exhibitions and applied surface graphics often need physical colour references because final results depend on paint, coating, material, light and surrounding colours.
For academic and educational use, the RAL D4 Colour Atlas is particularly strong because it offers a direct overview of the modern RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colour definition model. It helps explain hue, lightness and chroma relationships visually and can support colour theory, design teaching, material studies and professional training.
The pages can be used for demonstration and design tasks, making the atlas practical for workshops, presentations and teaching contexts. It provides a clear overview of the complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus range while remaining more compact than large removable-sheet collections.
Compared with the RAL D3 Colour Toolbook, which provides removable chips for flexible project work, the RAL D4 is more focused on structured overview and systematic analysis. Compared with the RAL D6 Design Box, which offers larger individual A6 sheets, the D4 provides a more compact atlas view of the entire colour system. It is ideal when users need to understand relationships across the full 3D colour space.
The RAL D4 Colour Atlas should be understood as a professional colour overview, design and communication tool. For binding production approval, formal quality control or final coating decisions, application-specific samples, controlled viewing conditions and relevant technical procedures may be required. The D4 is ideal for systematic selection, education, palette building and precise pre-production communication.
For professionals working with RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours, the RAL D4 Colour Atlas offers a clear and intelligent way to navigate the complete 1,825-colour system. It supports precise colour definition, systematic palette development and confident colour communication across design, architecture, interiors, coatings, manufacturing and education.
Key Benefits
- Complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus Colour Atlas
- Contains all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours
- Slipcase with one ring binder
- Slipcase format approx. 37.7 × 32.6 cm
- Ring binder format approx. 36.4 × 31.5 cm
- 1,825 colour chips in 1.7 × 1.7 cm format
- Semi-matt gloss level
- Original paint sample representation
- Grey dull-matt background for clearer colour perception
- 40-page overview of the 3D HLC colour space
- 16-step greyscale page from 000 90 00 to 000 15 00
- Register for quick shade navigation
- Supports colour sequences, collections and trend palettes
- Useful for design, architecture, interiors and education
- Ring binder and slipcase covered with embossed glossy film
FAQ
What is the RAL D4 Colour Atlas?
The RAL D4 Colour Atlas is a professional ring-binder atlas containing all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours as semi-matt colour chips.
How many colours are included?
The atlas contains the complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus range with 1,825 colours.
What size are the colour chips?
Each colour chip measures approximately 1.7 × 1.7 cm and is presented in a semi-matt finish.
How are the colours organised?
The colours are arranged according to the HLC structure of the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus: hue, lightness and chroma.
What is the purpose of the grey background?
The grey, dull-matt paper helps reduce reflected light and allows the colour samples to appear clearer and more distinct during visual comparison.
Is the RAL D4 suitable for final colour control?
The RAL D4 is mainly a colour overview, design and communication tool. For binding production approval, application-specific samples and controlled quality procedures may be required.