Grabbing Colors with the Colors Pane

· by · Tips

Sometimes the color you want to work with just doesnit seem to be in Appleis Colors pane, but you can find it in a digital image you have. No problem. The Colors pane will let you grab a color from anything you see on your display.


Use the magnifying glass to select colors from your Desktop.

Hereis how:

  • Open the Colors pane. Most applications let you access it from a Format menu option. In Text Edit, for example, choose Format > Font > Show Colors.
  • Click the magnifying glass next to the current color swatch at the top of the pane.

  • Position the magnifying glass over the color you want to sample.
  • Move the magnifying glass over the color you want, and then click to select it. As long as the color is visible on your display you can select it.


The magnifying glass creates a new swatch from your color.

I use this trick when I want to select a specific color from an image for use in a different document, or to use as a complementary color in the project I plan on using the image in. Itis also handy when you need to use a specific color, but donit know what the exact color values are.

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Jeff Gamet

Jeff Gamet

Jeff is the Mac Observer's Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of "The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X" from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also co-hosts the We Have Communicators podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other podcasts, too. Jeff dreams in HD.

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