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Help Using Inkscape => Inkscape Beginners' Questions => Topic started by: ScrotieFlapWack on January 25, 2017, 05:21:58 AM

Title: Color Palettes
Post by: ScrotieFlapWack on January 25, 2017, 05:21:58 AM

Hi,

Is there anyway to import or store custom color palettes inside of Inkscape.

If you are working with a certain color palette it's handy to have the colors accessible from somewhere. I can see all the available colors along the color strip at the bottom of the UI but I was wondering if there is anyway to have custom color palettes saved or would it just be easier to make your own color palette somewhere on the canvas.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Color Palettes
Post by: brynn on January 25, 2017, 03:25:30 PM

Yes, there are a number of palettes installed with Inkscape.  Click on that tiny triangle-arrow on the far right end of the palette bar, and you will see a menu.  In addition, you can install more palettes, even one you created yourself.

I seem to recall a couple of tutorials for creating a custom palette, but I might only be able to find one.  Let me know if you'd like a link.  Inkscape uses the same palette format as GIMP, which if I'm not mistaken, is GPL.  So any GIMP palettes are completely compatible!

Besides that, you can create a different kind of palette, which Inkscape refers to as Swatches.  You may have figured this out already.  But in the Fill and Stroke dialog, this button :swa: will create a single swatch.  If you have already applied a fill or stroke color to an object, you can click that button and it will create a swatch of that color.  Or you can change swatch colors later, as well.  So this is a way to create a custom palette, sort of on the fly.  Swatches palettes can be managed using View menu > Swatches dialog.

As far as I remember, a palette made of swatches is a per-document feature.  So some extra steps would be needed to make that palette available for other documents.  One way would be to create a custom document template, which includes that swatches palette.  There's another way, which I don't know exactly how to do, but others surely will know.

 :fyi:  Even though the Inkscape manual is slightly out of date, it stilll will answer many of these basic questions.  Help menu > Inkscape manual.

Title: Re: Color Palettes
Post by: Lazur on January 25, 2017, 04:01:19 PM

Hi.

Some related recent topic (http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=31666).
You can put the palette file in the palette folder in inkscape/share and there is supposed to be a config folder it may be strored better -then you can keep it after uninstalling as well-.

Ragnar had some nice examples with swatches.

Off-Topic: show

Wondering if he is still good, haven't seen him in a long time.

Like these:
Molotow 251+ Premium color pallete (http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13476)
Create a palette file - by hand. (http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15227)
Swap Palette Colors - Extension (http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14090)

Title: Re: Color Palettes
Post by: brynn on January 25, 2017, 04:45:26 PM

Off-Topic: show

Last I heard, he had moved his family from Texas to.....I wanna say Denmark or Belgium, or somewhere much closer to you than me.  Not sure why, but I guess he just doesn't seem to have time to post lately.  Every now and then, I'll see he makes a post, and I try to chat, but he doesn't come back.  I've tried PM, but doesn't reply - probably didn't use a real email address to reg.  But I hope things will change, and he'll be regular posting again someday.