Understanding color palettes
Follow this tutorial to learn all about color models (RGB, CMYK and Spot color), and how to
find and use the many different color palettes available in CorelDRAW.
What is a Color Palette?
A color palette is a set of colors in a group meant to be used for a certain kind of output. You use
them to apply FILL and OUTLINE colors to text and objects.
The primary color groups or models are RGB, CMYK and SPOT color (i.e. Pantone® and Roland®).
Some common uses for these color models are:
CMYK colors are for offset
RGB are for web graphics, digital printing, sublimation and laser engraving
SPOT colors for screen printing, vinyl cutting and some other printing methods. Some colors
cannot be printed in CMYK so a SPOT COLOR will be used to acquire an exact color match.
Each kind of color has specific values or name. This blue color all looks the same but there are
actually 3 different color models.
Where to Find Palettes
To open the Palettes docker, go to Window > Dockers > Palettes. Here you see the whole array of
color palettes available. If you need to turn on any palettes other than the default palette, this is
where you do it.
For example, if you need a Pantone Spot or Roland palette, click the arrow next to the name to
expand the list. Check the box beside the palette that you want, and it will appear on the right side of
your workspace.
If you hover your mouse over the grey dots at the top of the palette you will see your cursor change
to a four-way arrow. Click and drag to reposition the color palette if you wish – it can attach to left,
right, bottom or in the top tool bar area. Put it where it feels comfortable for you.
Palette Options
At the top or left end of all palettes (depending on if the palette is docked horizontally or vertically) is
a small black arrow (flyout button) to open the palette options.
You can set a palette as the default palette, choose to show color names on the swatches, or have
the palette displayed in 1, 2 or 3 rows. And if you click on Customize in the flyout menu, you have
further palette options available such as large swatches and wide borders.
The Document Palette
The Document palette contains the colors used in your current document and appears in the bottom
left corner of the interface, above the status bar. Every time you use a color in your document it’s
automatically added to the Document palette – even if you later change the color or remove it from
your document.
If you have removed colors from your Document palette, or added a bitmap, you can choose to reset
your color palette. Click on the flyout arrow and select Palette > Reset Palette. This will then give
the opportunity to add colors from a bitmap.
However, if you prefer to control which colors are added to the Document palette, you can disable
the automatic updates and add colors manually by dragging colors from your document down into
the palette. To disable automatic updates, click on the flyout arrow and select Customize. Uncheck
the setting Automatically update the document palette.
The Document palette is open by default but if you don’t see it, go to Window > Color Palette >
Document Palette to open it.
The Document palette is saved with the document so that if you take the file to a different system,
you will have it there as well.
Creating Custom Palettes
You can also create and save your own custom color palettes. Click on the plus sign at the bottom of
the Palettes docker and select:
New empty color palette to create a palette from scratch and add your own colors;
New palette from selected objects to create a palette containing the colors of an object or
group of objects you have selected;
New palette from document to create a palette containing the currently used colors in the
document you have open. Unlike the Document palette, this will not include any colors that
were previously used in the document but deleted or changed before you created the New
document from palette.
How to Apply Color
Now that you have a good understanding what and where the color palettes are, let’s learn the
basics of applying colors. It can be done in several ways.
1. Select an object then click a swatch in the color palette. Left click sets the fill color and right-click
sets the outline color. To remove a color fill click on the No Color swatch (right-click to remove the
outline).
2. Drag and drop a swatch from a color palette onto an object or color swatch in interactive fills.
3. Hold down your right mouse button and click and drag one object over top of another object.
When you release your right mouse button a popup menu will appear, with options to Copy
Fill or Copy Outline.
4. Double-click the fill swatch or outline swatch in the status bar to open the Edit Fill or Outline
Pen windows.
5. Use the Eyedropper tool to sample a color and apply it to the selected object.
6. Click and hold a color swatch to see tint or variations of that color, then click to select a new color.
