Choose colors with the Eyedropper Tool
It is easy to pick colors to use with any painting, filling, or any other type of tool, or even when using some filters. The color box in the Tool Options bar on the top of the canvas indicates the currently selected color.
1. Select the Eyedropper Tool in the Tools palette.
2. Click to select a color in the image.
**Tip:** To switch with a previously selected color, press the X keyboard shortcut.
- Select the Eyedropper Tool in the Tools palette.
Click to select a color in the image.
Tip: To switch with a previously selected color, press the X keyboard shortcut.
You can use the Eyedropper Tool to copy color as a hexadecimal or HEX color value, which is useful for users who work with Web images. You can simply copy the HEX color value and paste it into your CSS or HTML code for further editing.
1. Control-click in an image with the Eyedropper Tool selected.
2. Choose Copy as HEX from the Eyedropper shortcut menu.
**Tip:** To display color values as HEX while sampling, click the Action pop-up menu in the Tool Options bar and choose Display Color Value as HEX.
- Control-click in an image with the Eyedropper Tool selected.
Choose Copy as HEX from the Eyedropper shortcut menu.
Tip: To display color values as HEX while sampling, click the Action pop-up menu in the Tool Options bar and choose Display Color Value as HEX.
You can also change the sample size of the Eyedropper. To do that, in the Tool Options bar, click the Action pop-up menu to choose:
* Point Sample - Reads the precise value of the pixel you click.
* 3 by 3 average - Reads the average value of the area within the adjacent 3 by 3 pixels.
* 5 by 5 average - Reads the average value of the area within the adjacent 5 by 5 pixels.
* 11 by 11 average - Reads the average value of the area within the adjacent 11 by 11 pixels.
You can also change the sample size of the Eyedropper. To do that, in the Tool Options bar, click the Action pop-up menu to choose:
- Point Sample - Reads the precise value of the pixel you click.
- 3 by 3 average - Reads the average value of the area within the adjacent 3 by 3 pixels.
- 5 by 5 average - Reads the average value of the area within the adjacent 5 by 5 pixels.
- 11 by 11 average - Reads the average value of the area within the adjacent 11 by 11 pixels.
Hold down the Option key to temporarily switch to the Eyedropper Tool while using the Pencil, Brush, Paint Bucket or Gradient tools.
Hold down the Option key to temporarily switch to the Eyedropper Tool while using the Pencil, Brush, Paint Bucket or Gradient tools.
Pixelmator comes with a Web Color plug-in for the Apple Colors palette that allows viewing a selected color's hexadecimal color code, which can be copied to the clipboard for later pasting into your HTML or CSS editor.
1. Select any color using the Eyedropper Tool, in the Apple Colors palette, or any other way you like.
2. Open the Colors palette. If it's not yet visible, choose View > Show Colors in the Menu bar.
3. In the Colors palette toolbar, click the Web Colors icon to view the hexadecimal color code for your selected color.
4. Edit the color code if necessary and click the Copy to Clipboard button to copy the color code to the clipboard.
5. Paste your hexadecimal color code anywhere you like, whether in HTML, CSS, or simply your own notes.
The Web Color plug-in is automatically installed into the Apple Colors palette when Pixelmator is launched.
- Select any color using the Eyedropper Tool, in the Apple Colors palette, or any other way you like.
- Open the Colors palette. If it's not yet visible, choose View > Show Colors in the Menu bar.
- In the Colors palette toolbar, click the Web Colors icon to view the hexadecimal color code for your selected color.
- Edit the color code if necessary and click the Copy to Clipboard button to copy the color code to the clipboard.
Paste your hexadecimal color code anywhere you like, whether in HTML, CSS, or simply your own notes.
The Web Color plug-in is automatically installed into the Apple Colors palette when Pixelmator is launched.
question:"416":"Choose colors with the Eyedropper Tool:"
question:"423":"To temporarily switch to the Eyedropper Tool:"
question:"424":"To adjust the sample size of the Eyedropper Tool:"