diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index a013f6c8..1f069259 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -4923,8 +4923,21 @@ Type
 Default
     ``{"success": "1;32", "skip": "2"}``
 Description
-    Controls the `ANSI colors <https://gist.github.com/fnky/458719343aabd01cfb17a3a4f7296797#colors--graphics-mode>`__
-    used with |mode: color|__ for successfully downloaded or skipped files.
+    Controls the
+    `ANSI colors <https://gist.github.com/fnky/458719343aabd01cfb17a3a4f7296797#colors--graphics-mode>`__
+    used for various outputs.
+
+    Output for |mode: color|__
+
+    * ``success``: successfully downloaded files
+    * ``skip``: skipped files
+
+    Logging Messages:
+
+    * ``debug``: debug logging messages
+    * ``info``: info logging messages
+    * ``warning``: warning logging messages
+    * ``error``: error logging messages
 
 .. __: `output.mode`_
 
diff --git a/gallery_dl/output.py b/gallery_dl/output.py
index 2bcc222f..4ef71db0 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/output.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/output.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from . import config, util, formatter
 LOG_FORMAT = "[{name}][{levelname}] {message}"
 LOG_FORMAT_DATE = "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S"
 LOG_LEVEL = logging.INFO
+LOG_LEVELS = ("debug", "info", "warning", "error")
 
 
 class Logger(logging.Logger):
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ class Formatter(logging.Formatter):
 
     def __init__(self, fmt, datefmt):
         if isinstance(fmt, dict):
-            for key in ("debug", "info", "warning", "error"):
+            for key in LOG_LEVELS:
                 value = fmt[key] if key in fmt else LOG_FORMAT
                 fmt[key] = (formatter.parse(value).format_map,
                             "{asctime" in value)
@@ -187,16 +188,34 @@ def configure_logging(loglevel):
     # stream logging handler
     handler = root.handlers[0]
     opts = config.interpolate(("output",), "log")
+
+    colors = config.interpolate(("output",), "colors") or {}
+    if colors and not opts:
+        opts = LOG_FORMAT
+
     if opts:
         if isinstance(opts, str):
-            opts = {"format": opts}
-        if handler.level == LOG_LEVEL and "level" in opts:
+            logfmt = opts
+            opts = {}
+        elif "format" in opts:
+            logfmt = opts["format"]
+        else:
+            logfmt = LOG_FORMAT
+
+        if not isinstance(logfmt, dict) and colors:
+            ansifmt = "\033[{}m{}\033[0m".format
+            lf = {}
+            for level in LOG_LEVELS:
+                c = colors.get(level)
+                lf[level] = ansifmt(c, logfmt) if c else logfmt
+            logfmt = lf
+
+        handler.setFormatter(Formatter(
+            logfmt, opts.get("format-date", LOG_FORMAT_DATE)))
+
+        if "level" in opts and handler.level == LOG_LEVEL:
             handler.setLevel(opts["level"])
-        if "format" in opts or "format-date" in opts:
-            handler.setFormatter(Formatter(
-                opts.get("format", LOG_FORMAT),
-                opts.get("format-date", LOG_FORMAT_DATE),
-            ))
+
         if minlevel > handler.level:
             minlevel = handler.level