diff --git a/src/ol/color/color.js b/src/ol/color/color.js
index 92ef3f35dd..d1f2882cbc 100644
--- a/src/ol/color/color.js
+++ b/src/ol/color/color.js
@@ -48,6 +48,34 @@ ol.color.rgbaColorRe_ =
     /^(?:rgba)?\((0|[1-9]\d{0,2}),\s?(0|[1-9]\d{0,2}),\s?(0|[1-9]\d{0,2}),\s?(0|1|0\.\d{0,10})\)$/i;
 
 
+/**
+ * @param {ol.Color|string} color Color.
+ * @return {ol.Color} Color.
+ */
+ol.color.asArray = function(color) {
+  if (goog.isArray(color)) {
+    return color;
+  } else {
+    goog.asserts.assert(goog.isString(color));
+    return ol.color.fromString(color);
+  }
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {ol.Color|string} color Color.
+ * @return {string} String.
+ */
+ol.color.asString = function(color) {
+  if (goog.isString(color)) {
+    return color;
+  } else {
+    goog.asserts.assert(goog.isArray(color));
+    return ol.color.toString(color);
+  }
+};
+
+
 /**
  * @param {ol.Color} color1 Color1.
  * @param {ol.Color} color2 Color2.