Editing swatches


    You can change individual attributes of a swatch--such as its name, color mode, color definition, whether it is a process color or spot color, or whether a process color can be changed globally--using the Swatch Options dialog box.

    Any swatch can be named in Adobe Illustrator; for example, you can change the name of a CMYK process color, and it still prints and separates with each of its CMYK values intact.

To edit a swatch in the Swatches palette:

  1. Select a swatch, and do one of the following:
    • Double-click the swatch.
    • Choose Swatch Options from the palette menu.
  2. Do any of the following, and click OK:
    • Enter a name in the Swatch Name text box.
    • Choose Spot Color or Process Color from the Color Type pop-up menu. Both spot colors and process colors can be changed globally.
    • Select Global if you want changes to the selected process color to be applied globally throughout the document. (See Comparing global and non-global process colors.)
    • Choose Grayscale, RGB, HSB, CMYK, or Web Safe RGB from the Color Mode pop-up menu and change the color definition (if desired) using the color sliders or text boxes at the bottom of the dialog box.

    Note: When separated, each spot color is converted to a process color by default, unless you deselect the Convert to Process option in the Separation Setup dialog box. (See Returning output (separation) options to the defaults.)

    • Select Preview to preview the color on any selected objects to which the swatch is currently applied.