Color Picker

The Color Picker can be accessed anytime a color property is clicked. The Color Picker gives you the ability to both change colors quickly or test colors visually. Colors may be changed using the Color Bar, Color Map, Color Sliders (and their numerical inputs), or by dragging and dropping from the Color Swatches. 

Color Names

This allows you to give your color a name. Colors that have the same name will automatically be linked to each other. To unlink them click the plus icon to create a new color.

Multi-Colors

To create a Multi-Color, click on the Multi-Color icon next to the Color Name field. You can add sub-colors to your Multi-Color by clicking on the plus icon and changing the color manually or by dragging and dropping an existing color from the library. Just like single colors, Multi-Colors will be linked when they are given the same name.

Note

It is important to set up Multi-Colors if you plan on creating Colorways in your Scene. Colorways cannot be created without setting up Multi-Colors first.

Color Bar

The Color Bar area contains the current color and a comparison of the New/Old color if the current color is changed. It also has the Eye Dropper tool and the option to save a color to the Library. 

Color Sliders

The Color Picker also provides Color Sliders for various Color Spaces and Value scales. The Color Space can be changed from the Color Space drop-down menu at the lower right corner of the Color Map. The following options are available:

  • RGB – Color channels for Red, Green and Blue
  • CMYK – Color channels for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black
  • HSV – Color channel for Hue, Saturation, and Value
  • Grayscale – Value channel for Brightness
  • CIE-L*ab – Value channels for Lightness (L), red-green (a), and blue-yellow (b)
  • Kelvin – Value channels for Temperature

When a Color Map is selected, the Color Sliders will update to provide input for the corresponding Color Space. Though you won’t see the Color Map change when a new Color Space is selected, as you adjust the sliders and inputs the Color Bar and the Color Map will change to display to color selected or values entered. Likewise, the Model will display the new color in the Real-time View.

Warning

You can switch between Color Spaces without changing your color, however switching to Grayscale or Kelvin Value scales will limit the color range to those scales.

 Color Options

Directly below the Color Map, you will see a gear icon  with additional color options.

  • Use gamma corrected values for input
    Checking this option will apply Gamma correction to the Color Sliders. (Selected on by default.)
  • Apply Image Gamma to colors in Swatches and Color Pickers
    Checking this option will apply gamma correction to both the color swatches of materials and the Color Picker. This will only adjust the actual color preview, not the values. (Selected on by default.)

This is also where you can switch between the Hue Color Field or the Triadic Color Wheel.

Color Swatches

The Color Swatches at the bottom of the Color Picker provides quick access to colors you regularly use across scenes. Here, you can quickly add color swatches, refine them and, if desired, save the individual colors to a color folder later. The Color Swatches are loaded with preset colors.

Add new swatch
The color(s) represented in the Color Bar at the top of the Color Picker (both New and Old) can be dragged and dropped to the Color Swatch grid to create your own color palette. Color swatches can be overwritten by simply dragging and dropping new colors onto existing colors or by dragging and dropping within the Color Swatch area itself. 

Scene Colors

The Colors show a list of swatches of colors currently in the scene. Selecting a color in this list, will change the color into that color, effectively linking the color with where ever else it is used.

Using the Color Picker

When you open the Color Picker you will see the Color Bar, the Color Map, the Color Sliders and the Color Swatches. The current color will be shown in the Color Bar, located in the Color Map by a white/black circle, and on the Color Sliders with vertical lines and a value corresponding to the Color Space selected from the Color Space dropdown menu.

With the cursor on another area of the Color Map, click to select a new color, or click-hold and drag to change colors dynamically. For finer control over the color, select a Color Space that corresponds to the color control you desire, then use the color/value channels and input fields to adjust to the color desired. 

Using the Eye Dropper Tool

The Eye Dropper tool  gives you the ability to select any color on your display. When you select the Eye Dropper tool, the color under your mouse cursor will appear in the New Color Bar area. Use the left mouse button to select the color or hit Esc to exit the Eye Dropper selection mode.

Saving a Color

When you have selected your desired color, you may drag and drop the color from the new area of the Color Bar to the Color Swatch grid for later use. To save a New color to your library, click the Save icon . A prompt will appear to choose a Color folder in the KeyShot Library where you would like to save your new color.

Add folder

To add a new folder to the Color Library, go to the Library, Color tab and select the New Folder icon  or right-click, at the location in the folder list where you want to add the new folder, and select Add. Likewise, the rename or remove a folder, right-click the folder and select Rename or Remove.