A colorist is an artist who specializes in adding color to artwork, especially in comic books, graphic novels, and animation. While a penciler draws the characters and scenes in black and white, and an inker traces over those lines in ink, the colorist brings everything to life with carefully chosen colors. They decide whether a sunset should glow orange and pink or burn red and purple, whether a superhero's costume should pop off the page or blend into shadows, and how to use color to set the mood of each scene.

Professional colorists understand how colors work together and affect emotions. They know that cool blues and grays can make a scene feel mysterious or sad, while warm yellows and reds create energy and excitement. Modern colorists usually work digitally, using tablets and specialized software to layer colors and lighting effects.

The word can also refer to someone who colors hair professionally at a salon, mixing and applying dyes to achieve exactly the shade a client wants. Both types of colorists share the same core skill: understanding how colors interact and using them to create something beautiful or dramatic.