Working+With+Colors+cs3

=Working with Colors= With Photoshop, you can alter the appearance of an image by changing the colors that make up the image. Photoshop allows you to work with the //Foreground// color and the //Background// color. These color choices also correspond to the various drawing tools included with Photoshop (e.g., the //Paint Bucket// tool and //Brush// tool).

Selecting Colors
You can move between two color options at a time, the //Foreground// and //Background// colors. The //Background// and //Foreground// colors are used differently by each tool. For example, the //Brush// tool uses whatever color is in the //Foreground// box. The //Background// and //Foreground// colors can be switched at any time.

The Color Picker Dialog Box
The //Color Picker// dialog box allows you four options to set the color: the color field, the color slider, numeric values, and hexadecimal values. The //Color Picker// opens when you go to select a color using the //Toolbox// Four groups of text boxes appear:
 * ~ Option  ||~  Definition  ||
 * **Color Field** || Identify which color will be added by moving a small circle which appears in the //Color Field//. ||
 * **Color Slider** || Change the color tone by moving the arrows along the bar or by clicking inside the //Color Slider//. ||
 * **Numeric Values** || Select a color by typing the numeric value in the group of text boxes.
 * 1) //HSB// (hue, saturation, brightness)
 * 2) //RGB// (red, green, blue)
 * 3) //Lab// (lightness, green-red axis, blue-yellow axis)
 * 4) //CMYK// (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) ||
 * **Hexadecimal Values** || Enter a six digit hexadecimal value representing the color you want. ||

Using the Color Picker Dialog Box
HINT: The //Toolbox// is located at the left hand side of the work area by default. If the //Toolbox// is not visible, re-select it in the //View// menu.
 * 1) From the //Toolbox//, click the **FOREGROUND** or **BACKGROUND**color squareThe //Color Picker// dialog box appears.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/other/Colbox-a.gif width="161" height="118"]]
 * 2) Using the //Color Picker// dialog box, select the desired colorYour selection appears in the //Color Preview// box.
 * 3) When you have decided on a color, click **OK**Your new color now appears on the //Toolbox// in the color square that you clicked in step one.

**Moving Between Foreground and Background Colors**
The //Color Selection// box on the //Toolbox// contains a toggle switch to alternate between the //Foreground// and //Background// colors.
 * 1) In the //Color Selection// box, click the **TOGGLE SWITCH**The background color has now moved to the foreground color.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/other/Colbox-a.gif width="161" height="118" caption="Color Squares"]]

Using the Foreground and Background Default Colors
In addition to your //Foreground// and //Background// colors, the //Color Selection// box on the //Toolbox// also contains default black and white colors.
 * 1) In the //Color Selection// box, click **DEFAULT COLORS**[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/buttons/defaultcol.gif width="17" height="17" caption="Default Color button"]]The default black and white colors have now become your //foreground// and //background// colors, respectively. NOTE: Any custom colors you previously selected will disappear.

Recoloring Graphics
Photoshop allows you to recolor images. For example, if you wish to change the color scheme of a document, you can recolor related images in Photoshop. The active //Foreground// or //Background// color can be applied to any selected area of the image. For information on how to select an area, refer to Selecting an Area.

Recoloring Graphics: Using the Fill Command
One way to change the color of an image is by using the //Fill// command. The //Fill// dialog box allows you to fill with either the //Foreground// or //Background// color, or with black, white, or gray.
 * 1) If you will be using the //Foreground// or //Background// color, verify that the color is correct
 * 2) Select the area you wish to apply color toFor information on how to select an area, refer to Selecting an Area.
 * 3) From the //Edit// menu, select //**Fill...**//The //Fill// dialog box appears.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/dialog/fill.gif width="313" height="239"]]
 * 4) From the //Use// pull-down list, select the desired option.
 * 5) OPTIONAL: In the //Blending// section, make any necessary changes to the Opacity and/or Mode setting
 * 6) Click **OK**Your selected area is filled with the color you chose.

Recoloring Graphics: Using the Paint Bucket
You can use the //Paint Bucket// tool to change the color of an image. The //Paint Bucket// tool does not require you to select the area to be filled. The //Paint Bucket// tool, like the //Magic Wand//, selects like-colored pixels to fill. You can affect which pixels are filled by adjusting the tolerance. NOTE: The //Paint Bucket// command will not work on a bitmap image. If this tool is not available, check your image mode. . > Select your desired //Foreground// color =Working with Color Swatches= For easy and accurate color selection, the //Swatches// palette provides over 130 of the most used colors. If you are working with a specific color scheme, you can customize the //Swatches// palette to display your choice of colors and color names in addition to the pre-selected colors. The //Swatches// palette consists of small color squares called "swatches." When selected, a swatch-color becomes the active foreground color for the image you are working with.
 * 1) From the //Image// menu, select **//Mode » RGB Color//** NOTE: The option is selected if a checkmark appears before it.
 * 1) From the //Toolbox//, select the **//Paint Bucket Tool//** [[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/buttons/paintbucket.gif width="27" height="23" caption="Paint Bucket Tool"]] NOTE: If it is not visible, it is hidden behind the //Gradient Tool//[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/buttons/gradient.gif width="26" height="22" caption="Gradient Tool"]]
 * 2) To display the //Paint Bucket Too//l, click and hold the mouse over the //Gradient Tool//**OR**Right click the //Gradient Tool »// select Paint Bucket Tool[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/other/PntBuckt.gif width="180" height="42"]]
 * 3) Position the //Paint Bucket Tool// over the area you would like to color
 * 4) Click the mouseThe area you pointed to is now filled with the //Foreground// color.

Accessing the Swatches Palette
The //Swatches// palette shares a window with the //Color// and //Styles// palettes. If the //Swatches// palette is not visible, do the following:
 * 1) From the //Window// menu, select //**Swatches**//**OR**If thewindow is open, but the //Color// palette or //Styles// palette is active, select the **//Swatches//** tabThe //Swatches// palette appears.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/dialog/swatches.gif width="212" height="148" caption="Swatches palette"]]

[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/Images/arrow.jpg width="22" height="16" align="left"]]Selecting Swatches
To select a color currently displayed on the //Swatches// palette:
 * 1) Position the mouse over the //Swatches// paletteThe arrow becomes the //Eyedropper Tool//.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/other/swatch-drpr.gif width="35" height="23" caption="Swatch Dropper"]]
 * 2) Click the desired color That color becomes the active foreground color.

[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/Images/arrow.jpg width="22" height="16" align="left"]]Creating New Swatches
In addition to using the pre-selected //Swatches// palette colors, you can customize new color swatches for a specific color or set of colors that you use frequently. Creating New Swatches: Button Option
 * 1) Set the foreground color to the color you wish to save as a swatch
 * 2) From the //Swatches// palette, click **CREATE NEW SWATCH** **OF FOREGROUND COLOR**[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/buttons/swatch.gif width="19" height="14" caption="Create New Swatch Of Foreground Color button"]] A new color swatch is added to the unused portion of the //Swatches// palette.

Creating New Swatches: Swatch Option

 * 1) [|Set the foreground color] to the color you wish to save as a swatch
 * 2) Position your mouse over the unused portion of the //Swatches// palette NOTE: The pointer appears as the //Paint Bucket Tool//.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/other/swatch-ptbkt.gif width="47" height="23" caption="Swatch Paint Bucket"]]
 * 3) Click the unused portion of the //Swatches// paletteThe //Color Swatch Name// dialog box appears with a sample of the new color swatch next to the //Name// text box.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/dialog/col-swatch.gif width="457" height="95" caption="Color Swatch Name dialog box"]]
 * 4) In the //Name// text box, type the new swatch name
 * 5) Click **OK**A new color swatch is added to the //Swatches// palette.

Creating New Swatches: Color Picker Option
==Renaming Swatches== You can rename the pre-selected color swatches that Photoshop has already named or change the name of your own saved swatches.
 * 1) In the //Toolbox//, click **SET FOREGROUND COLOR** or **SET BACKGROUND COLOR**The //Color Picker// //(Foreground Color)// or //Color Picker (Background Color)// dialog box appears.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/dialog/colorpick-d.gif width="548" height="362" caption="Color Picker Dialog Box"]]
 * 2) Select the appropriate color
 * 3) Click **ADD TO SWATCHES**The //Color Swatch Name// dialog box appears.
 * 4) In the //Name// text box, type the new color name
 * 5) Click **OK**A new color swatch is added to the //Swatches// palette.

Renaming Swatches: Swatch Option

 * 1) Double click the color swatch you wish to renameThe //Color Swatch Name// dialog box appears. [[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/dialog/col-swatch.gif width="457" height="95" caption="Color Swatch Name dialog box"]]
 * 2) In the //Name// text box, type the new color name
 * 3) Click **OK**

Renaming Swatches: Right Click Option

 * 1) Right click the color swatch you wish to rename » select //**Rename Swatch...**//The //Color Swatch Name// dialog box appears.
 * 2) In the //Name// text box, type the new swatch name
 * 3) Click **OK**

[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/Images/arrow.jpg width="22" height="16" align="left"]]Deleting Swatches
Deleting the unused swatches from the color palette makes finding your other swatches easier and faster.

Deleting Swatches: Swatch Option

 * 1) Click and drag the color swatch to **DELETE SWATCH**[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/buttons/deletelayer.gif width="24" height="15" caption="Delete Swatch"]]
 * 2) Release the mouse buttonThe color swatch is removed from the //Swatches// palette.

Deleting Swatches: Right Click Option

 * 1) Right click the color swatch you wish to delete » select //**Delete Swatch**//The color swatch is removed from the //Swatches// palette.

Deleting Swatches: Keyboard Option

 * 1) Position the mouse over the //Swatches// paletteThe pointer appears as the //Eyedropper Tool//.[[image:http://www.uwec.edu/help/PhotoshopCS3/Images/other/swatch-drpr.gif width="35" height="23" caption="Swatch Dropper"]]
 * 2) Press [**Alt**] + click the color swatch you wish to delete The pointer appears as a scissors and the color swatch is removed from the //Swatches// palette.