Creating colors

Create your own colors and apply them to objects, add them to the Swatches panel, or use them to make a new swatch group.


 
Creating colors in the Color Mixer

Use the Color Mixer to view the values of the active color and create new colors.

You can create your own colors using any of these color models: RGB, Hexadecimal, HSB, CMY, and Grayscale.

By default, the Color Mixer identifies colors as Hexadecimal RGB, displaying color values using red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color components. RGB values are calculated based on a range from 00 to FF.
Choose To express color components as

RGB

Values of Red, Green, and Blue, where each component has a value from 0 to 255. 0-0-0 is black and 255-255-255 is white.

Hexadecimal

Values of Red, Green, and Blue, where each component has a hexadecimal value of 00 to FF. 00-00-00 is black and FF-FF-FF is white.

HSB

Values of Hue, Saturation, and Brightness, where Hue has a value from 0 to 360 degrees, and Saturation and Brightness have a value from 0 to 100%.

CMY

Values of Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, where each component has a value from 0 to 255. 0-0-0 is white and 255-255-255 is black.

Grayscale

A percentage of black. The single Black (K) component has a value of 0 to 100%, where 0 is white and 100 is black, and in between are shades of gray.


You can choose alternative color models from the Color Mixer Options pop-up menu. The current color's component values change with each new color model.

To cycle the color bar through the color models:

In the Color Mixer, hold down Shift and click the color bar at the bottom of the Color Mixer.

The options in the Color Mixer do not change.

Note: When the Hexadecimal color bar appears, color choices are restricted to the Web 216 Palette.

To apply a color from the color bar to a selected object:

1 In the Color Mixer, click the stroke or fill color well to make it the active well.
2 Move the pointer over the color bar. The pointer becomes the eyedropper pointer.
3 Click to pick a color.
The color is applied to the selected object and becomes the active stroke or fill color.

To create a color in the Color Mixer:

1 To prevent unwanted object editing as you mix colors, deselect all objects before mixing a color.
2 Click either the stroke or fill color well to make it the destination for the new color.
3 Choose a color model from the Color Mixer Options pop-up menu.
4 Specify color component values:
Enter values in the color component text boxes.
Use the pop-up sliders.
Pick a color from the color bar.

You can add the color to the Swatches panel for reuse.