diff --git a/packages/color/src/api.ts b/packages/color/src/api.ts
index 5da90f7b98..3cf54a52f3 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/api.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/api.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@ import type { IVector, ReadonlyVec, Vec } from "@thi.ng/vectors";
 export type Color = Vec;
 export type ReadonlyColor = ReadonlyVec;
 
-export type MaybeColor = string | number | ReadonlyColor | IColor;
+export type MaybeColor =
+    | TypedColor<any>
+    | IParsedColor
+    | ReadonlyColor
+    | string
+    | number;
 
 export type ColorOp = (out: Color | null, src: ReadonlyColor) => Color;
 
@@ -64,13 +69,8 @@ export interface ColorSpec<M extends ColorMode, K extends string> {
 }
 
 export interface ColorFactory<T extends TypedColor<any>> {
-    (
-        col: TypedColor<any> | ParsedColor | string | number,
-        buf?: Color,
-        idx?: number,
-        stride?: number
-    ): T;
-    (col?: Color, idx?: number, stride?: number): T;
+    (col: MaybeColor, buf?: Vec, idx?: number, stride?: number): T;
+    (col?: Vec, idx?: number, stride?: number): T;
     (a: number, b: number, c: number, ...xs: number[]): T;
 
     /**
@@ -124,7 +124,14 @@ export interface TypedColor<T> extends IColor, IDeref<Color>, IVector<T> {
      * Step size between channels
      */
     stride: number;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    /**
+     * Randomizes all color channels based on channel ranges defined for this
+     * color type (usually [0..1] interval). Alpha channel will remain
+     * untouched.
+     *
+     * @param rnd
+     */
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     /**
      * Copies `src` into this color's array.
      *
@@ -138,7 +145,13 @@ export interface TypedColor<T> extends IColor, IDeref<Color>, IVector<T> {
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
 
-export class ParsedColor implements IDeref<Color> {
+export interface IParsedColor extends IColor, IDeref<Color> {}
+
+/**
+ * Result type returned by {@link parseCss}, a simple wrapper for a raw color
+ * array and color mode.
+ */
+export class ParsedColor implements IParsedColor {
     constructor(public readonly mode: ColorMode, public value: Color) {}
 
     deref() {
diff --git a/packages/color/src/css/css.ts b/packages/color/src/css/css.ts
index 8d62d615d5..31faa468f3 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/css/css.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/css/css.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { Fn } from "@thi.ng/api";
 import { isNumber, isString } from "@thi.ng/checks";
-import type { ColorMode, TypedColor, ReadonlyColor } from "../api";
+import type { ColorMode, IParsedColor, MaybeColor, TypedColor } from "../api";
 import { convert } from "../convert";
 import { hslCss } from "../hsl/hsl-css";
 import { hsvCss } from "../hsv/hsv-css";
@@ -19,7 +19,18 @@ const CSS_CONVERSIONS: Partial<Record<ColorMode, Fn<any, string>>> = {
     srgb: srgbCss,
 };
 
-export const css = (src: TypedColor<any> | ReadonlyColor | string | number) => {
+/**
+ * Takes a color in one of the following formats and tries to convert it
+ * to a CSS string:
+ *
+ * - any {@link TypedColor} instance
+ * - raw sRGB(A) vector
+ * - number (packed 0xaarrggbb int, MUST provide alpha channel)
+ * - string (passthrough)
+ *
+ * @param col - source color
+ */
+export const css = (src: Exclude<MaybeColor, IParsedColor>) => {
     if (isString(src)) return src;
     if (isNumber(src)) return int32Css(src);
     if ((<TypedColor<any>>src).mode) {
diff --git a/packages/color/src/css/parse-css.ts b/packages/color/src/css/parse-css.ts
index 41e67b1123..5b000eab68 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/css/parse-css.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/css/parse-css.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { assert } from "@thi.ng/api";
 import { isString } from "@thi.ng/checks";
 import { illegalArgs, unsupported } from "@thi.ng/errors";
 import { clamp01, TAU } from "@thi.ng/math";
-import { ParsedColor } from "../api";
+import { IParsedColor, ParsedColor } from "../api";
 import { CSS_NAMES } from "../api/names";
 import { CSS_SYSTEM_COLORS } from "../api/system";
 import { int32Srgb } from "../int/int-srgb";
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import { ensureHue } from "../internal/ensure-hue";
  *
  * @param src
  */
-export const parseCss = (src: string | IDeref<string>) => {
+export const parseCss = (src: string | IDeref<string>): IParsedColor => {
     src = (isString(src) ? src : src.deref()).toLowerCase();
     const named = (<any>CSS_NAMES)[src] || (<any>CSS_SYSTEM_COLORS)[src];
     if (named || src[0] === "#")
diff --git a/packages/color/src/css/resolve.ts b/packages/color/src/css/resolve.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 1255563ad5..0000000000
--- a/packages/color/src/css/resolve.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-import { isArrayLike, isString } from "@thi.ng/checks";
-import type { IColor, ReadonlyColor } from "../api";
-import { css } from "./css";
-import { int32Css } from "../int/int-css";
-import { srgbCss } from "../srgb/srgb-css";
-
-/**
- * Takes a color in one of the following formats and tries to convert it
- * to a CSS string:
- *
- * - any IColor instance
- * - raw sRGB vector
- * - number (packed 0xaarrggbb int)
- * - string (unchanged)
- *
- * @param col - source color
- */
-export const resolveAsCss = (col: string | number | ReadonlyColor | IColor) =>
-    isString(col)
-        ? col
-        : isArrayLike(col)
-        ? isString((<any>col).mode)
-            ? css(<any>col)
-            : srgbCss(col)
-        : int32Css(<number>col);
diff --git a/packages/color/src/defcolor.ts b/packages/color/src/defcolor.ts
index f750fa2282..eae3675e5f 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/defcolor.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/defcolor.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { FloatArray, IDeref } from "@thi.ng/api";
+import type { FloatArray } from "@thi.ng/api";
 import {
     implementsFunction,
     isArrayLike,
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ import type { IRandom } from "@thi.ng/random";
 import {
     declareIndices,
     eqDelta,
-    IVector,
     mapStridedBuffer,
     randMinMax,
+    set,
     stridedValues,
 } from "@thi.ng/vectors";
 import type {
@@ -21,13 +21,14 @@ import type {
     ColorFactory,
     ColorMode,
     ColorSpec,
-    IColor,
+    MaybeColor,
     ReadonlyColor,
+    TypedColor,
 } from "./api";
 import { CONVERSIONS, convert } from "./convert";
+import { parseCss } from "./css/parse-css";
 import { int32Rgb } from "./int/int-rgba";
 import { ensureArgs } from "./internal/ensure-args";
-import { parseCss } from "./css/parse-css";
 
 type $DefColor<M extends ColorMode, K extends string> = {
     [k in K]: number;
@@ -36,9 +37,7 @@ type $DefColor<M extends ColorMode, K extends string> = {
     random(rnd?: IRandom): $DefColor<M, K>;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): $DefColor<M, K>;
     toJSON(): number[];
-} & IColor &
-    IDeref<Color> &
-    IVector<$DefColor<M, K>>;
+} & TypedColor<$DefColor<M, K>>;
 
 export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
     spec: ColorSpec<M, K>
@@ -50,8 +49,7 @@ export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
     );
     const max = spec.order.map((id) => (spec.channels[id].range || [0, 1])[1]);
 
-    const $clazz = class
-        implements IColor, IVector<$DefColor<any, any>>, IDeref<Color> {
+    const $clazz = class implements TypedColor<$DefColor<any, any>> {
         buf: Color;
         offset: number;
         stride: number;
@@ -92,15 +90,12 @@ export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
             return <any>new $clazz();
         }
 
-        deref(): Color {
+        deref() {
             return [this[0], this[1], this[2], this[3]];
         }
 
         set(src: ReadonlyColor) {
-            this[0] = src[0];
-            this[1] = src[1];
-            this[2] = src[2];
-            this[3] = src[3];
+            set(this, src);
             return this;
         }
 
@@ -112,9 +107,8 @@ export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
             return this.deref();
         }
 
-        random(rnd?: IRandom) {
-            randMinMax(this, min, max, rnd);
-            return this;
+        randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this {
+            return <any>randMinMax(this, min, max, rnd);
         }
     };
     declareIndices($clazz.prototype, channels);
@@ -129,10 +123,7 @@ export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
         return res;
     };
 
-    const factory = (
-        src?: string | number | ReadonlyColor | IColor,
-        ...xs: any[]
-    ): $DefColor<any, any> => {
+    const factory = (src?: MaybeColor, ...xs: any[]): $DefColor<any, any> => {
         if (src == null) return <any>new $clazz();
         if (isString(src)) {
             return factory(parseCss(src), ...xs);
@@ -152,9 +143,7 @@ export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
             ) {
                 return <any>new $clazz(...ensureArgs([src, ...xs]));
             }
-            // FIXME disallow (since wrong for anything but rgb)
-            // or enforce mandatory `from` int conversion
-            return factory(<any>int32Rgb([], src), ...xs);
+            return <any>fromColor(int32Rgb([], src), "rgb", xs);
         }
         illegalArgs(`can't create a ${spec.mode} color from: ${src}`);
     };
@@ -164,11 +153,7 @@ export const defColor = <M extends ColorMode, K extends string>(
         buf?: Color,
         idx?: number,
         stride?: number
-    ) => {
-        const res = new $clazz(buf, idx, stride);
-        randMinMax(res, min, max, rnd);
-        return <any>res;
-    };
+    ) => <any>new $clazz(buf, idx, stride).randomize(rnd);
 
     factory.mapBuffer = (
         buf: FloatArray,
diff --git a/packages/color/src/hcy/hcy.ts b/packages/color/src/hcy/hcy.ts
index 15d0f39c45..bf90a76765 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/hcy/hcy.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/hcy/hcy.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export declare class HCY implements TypedColor<HCY> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): HCY;
     eqDelta(o: HCY, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/hsi/hsi.ts b/packages/color/src/hsi/hsi.ts
index 2b66982097..99507ba368 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/hsi/hsi.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/hsi/hsi.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export declare class HSI implements TypedColor<HSI> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): HSI;
     eqDelta(o: HSI, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/hsl/hsl.ts b/packages/color/src/hsl/hsl.ts
index 2418efee3a..7d338afbea 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/hsl/hsl.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/hsl/hsl.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export declare class HSL implements TypedColor<HSL> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): HSL;
     eqDelta(o: HSL, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/hsv/hsv.ts b/packages/color/src/hsv/hsv.ts
index c1fff47021..a09f370753 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/hsv/hsv.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/hsv/hsv.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export declare class HSV implements TypedColor<HSV> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): HSV;
     eqDelta(o: HSV, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/index.ts b/packages/color/src/index.ts
index 04a677e1c5..6e8db11891 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/index.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ export * from "./defcolor";
 
 export * from "./css/css";
 export * from "./css/parse-css";
-export * from "./css/resolve";
 
 export * from "./hcy/hcy-rgb";
 export * from "./hcy/hcy";
diff --git a/packages/color/src/lab/lab.ts b/packages/color/src/lab/lab.ts
index 68c300665a..1536136ff1 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/lab/lab.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/lab/lab.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export declare class Lab implements TypedColor<Lab> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): Lab;
     eqDelta(o: Lab, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/lch/lch.ts b/packages/color/src/lch/lch.ts
index 5ec4c8f33f..d07726c072 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/lch/lch.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/lch/lch.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export declare class LCH implements TypedColor<LCH> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): LCH;
     eqDelta(o: LCH, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/oklab/oklab.ts b/packages/color/src/oklab/oklab.ts
index e363248e13..7087aefc07 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/oklab/oklab.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/oklab/oklab.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export declare class Oklab implements TypedColor<Oklab> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): Oklab;
     eqDelta(o: Oklab, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/ops/luminance.ts b/packages/color/src/ops/luminance.ts
index fbef87d1a8..bd0f9e1e0b 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/ops/luminance.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/ops/luminance.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { DEFAULT, defmulti, MultiFn1 } from "@thi.ng/defmulti";
-import type { IColor, ReadonlyColor } from "../api";
-import { luminanceRgb, luminanceSrgb } from "./luminance-rgb";
+import type { MaybeColor } from "../api";
 import { rgb } from "../rgb/rgb";
+import { luminanceRgb, luminanceSrgb } from "./luminance-rgb";
 
 /**
  * Multi-method to compute relative luminance from any supported input color
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@ import { rgb } from "../rgb/rgb";
  * unless a direct implementation is available, colors will first be converted
  * to linear RGB.
  */
-export const luminance: MultiFn1<
-    number | string | ReadonlyColor | IColor,
-    number
-> = defmulti((col: any) => col.mode);
+export const luminance: MultiFn1<MaybeColor, number> = defmulti(
+    (col: any) => col.mode
+);
 
 luminance.addAll({
     hcy: (x: any) => x[2],
diff --git a/packages/color/src/rgb/rgb.ts b/packages/color/src/rgb/rgb.ts
index 32f57fcb18..f2902fea04 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/rgb/rgb.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/rgb/rgb.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export declare class RGB implements TypedColor<RGB> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): RGB;
     eqDelta(o: RGB, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/srgb/srgb.ts b/packages/color/src/srgb/srgb.ts
index a954d18916..bed461af1d 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/srgb/srgb.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/srgb/srgb.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export declare class SRGB implements TypedColor<SRGB> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): SRGB;
     eqDelta(o: SRGB, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/xyy/xyy.ts b/packages/color/src/xyy/xyy.ts
index 3514c16b3a..beb2175078 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/xyy/xyy.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/xyy/xyy.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export declare class XYY implements TypedColor<XYY> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): XYY;
     eqDelta(o: XYY, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/xyz/xyz.ts b/packages/color/src/xyz/xyz.ts
index eb404b1b07..a42c894b5e 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/xyz/xyz.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/xyz/xyz.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export declare class XYZ implements TypedColor<XYZ> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): XYZ;
     eqDelta(o: XYZ, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/color/src/ycc/ycc.ts b/packages/color/src/ycc/ycc.ts
index be05d78f60..1485da24f1 100644
--- a/packages/color/src/ycc/ycc.ts
+++ b/packages/color/src/ycc/ycc.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export declare class YCC implements TypedColor<YCC> {
     deref(): Color;
     empty(): YCC;
     eqDelta(o: YCC, eps?: number): boolean;
-    random(rnd?: IRandom): this;
+    randomize(rnd?: IRandom): this;
     set(src: ReadonlyColor): this;
     toJSON(): number[];
 }