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Creative work · After Effects · GitHub

Crit Panel

Make the colour decision. Keep making the work.

Build a colour harmony in After Effects and apply it across selected layers. Choose, preview and use your palette without leaving the composition.

Get the extension ↗Two builds
  • CEP extension
  • Open student build since Jul 2026
  • Latest on GitHub
The Crit Panel window in After Effects, with a colour wheel, harmony selection and palette

Point at a red pin to read the crit

Why this exists

Colour belongs in the workflow.

A palette chosen in another window still has to make its way into the composition. Crit Panel brings the decision and its application together: choose the relationship between colours, inspect the palette, then put it to work on the selected layers. It came from the everyday friction of making, teaching and handing off colour.

  • Six ways to build a harmony

    Monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary, triadic and tetradic relationships from one base colour.

  • Preview different colour vision

    Inspect the palette through deuteranopia, protanopia and tritanopia previews before using it.

  • Put the palette to work

    Apply colours to selected layers, add a swatch board or build a gradient background inside the composition.

  • Take it into the next tool

    Export .ase, copy a hex list or send a palette to CRIT Bridge in Figma as paint styles.

ApplyApplying a harmony to selected layers, with swatch and export actions.
Crit Panel applying a palette to the selected layers, with swatch and export actions
ImportReceiving a palette sent across from CRIT Bridge.
Crit Panel importing a palette sent across from CRIT Bridge
Builds

Two builds. The same core tools.

The student build unlocks every core feature without a licence key or activation. AI features use your own API key. The studio build adds a configured AI layer, team-managed keys and direct support. Use in the classroom shaped the builds: the licence gate went, replaced by an open student build and a studio build.

Colour input
Base colour or a palette extracted from a still
AI features
Palette naming, critique and brief-led exploration
Install
Download from GitHub; install as a CEP extension
Studio build

For teams that want the AI layer.

For studio licensing, contact licensing@critstudios.com.

Get the student build ↗
Stops at

Good to know.

Saved palettes stay on the machine where they were made. AI features require an API key in the student build. Composition feedback needs an open composition.

Product support ↗

  • Saved palettes stay on the machine where they were made.

  • AI features require an API key in the student build.

  • Composition feedback needs an open composition.

Keep exploring / Creative workSettle