Eyedropper Tool and Color Swatches

In this tutorial, we explore how to work with colors in Photoshop, starting with picking and applying colors using various tools and methods.

Using the Eyedropper Tool

• This tool allows you to pick up, or sample, any color you want from an image;
• The sample ring shows the current and most recent colors picked;
• Disable the sample ring in the options bar if preferred;
• Adjust the sample size (Point, 3x3 average, 5x5 average, etc.) for more color picking options.

Color Picker and Hex Codes

• Double-click the foreground color in the Color panel to open the Color Picker;
• Use the Color Picker to choose colors with hexadecimal value, or hex codes. They are useful for web and mobile app designs;
• You can also use hex codes when you want to copy any color from a specific website, or from a color palette generator website. Simply paste them in the hex code box in the Color Picker or while creating a new color swatch;
• You can always manually adjust the settings for Hue, Saturation, Brightness (HSB), RGB, or CMYK values for any color you want;
• Be mindful of color warnings for print and web-safe colors.

Swatches and Libraries

• Add selected colors to swatches and name them for easy access;
• Organize swatches into groups for better management;
• You can export and import swatches for collaboration with other artists;
• Drag a swatch over the document to create a color fill layer. You can also apply colors to text and shape layers quickly by dragging swatches onto them as well.

Remember, you can click the letter "D" on your keyboard for default colors and click the letter "X" on your keyboard to switch between the foreground and the background color.