Work with solid colors and gradient fills in the Color panel

You can create any color using the Color panel. If an object is selected on the Stage, the color modifications you make in the Color panel are applied to the selection. You can select colors in RGB or HSB, or you can expand the panel to use hexadecimal mode. You can also specify an alpha value to define the degree of transparency for a color. In addition, you can select a color from the existing color palette.

You can expand the Color panel to display a larger color space in place of the color bar, a split color swatch showing the current and previous colors, and a Brightness slider to modify color brightness in all color modes.

Create or edit a solid color with the Color panel

  1. To apply the color to existing artwork, select an object or objects on the Stage, and select Window > Color.
  2. To select a color mode display, select RGB (the default setting) or HSB from the panel menu in the upper-right corner.
  3. Click the Stroke or Fill icon to specify which attribute to modify.
    Note: Click the icon, not the color control, or the Color Picker opens.
  4. If you selected the Fill icon in step 3, verify that Solid is selected in the Type menu.
  5. If an object is selected on the Stage, the color modifications you make in the Color panel are applied to the selection. Do one of the following:

    • To select a color, click in the color space in the Color panel. To adjust the brightness of the color, drag the Brightness slider.

      Note: To create colors other than black or white, make sure the Brightness slider is not set to either extreme.

    • Enter values in the color value boxes: Red, Green, and Blue values for RGB display; Hue, Saturation, and Brightness values for HSB display; or hexadecimal values for hexadecimal display. Enter an Alpha value to specify the degree of transparency, from 0 for complete transparency to 100 for complete opacity.

    • To return to the default color settings, black and white (white fill and black stroke), click the Default Stroke and Fill button.

    • To swap colors between the fill and the stroke, click the Swap Stroke and Fill button.

    • To apply no color to the fill or stroke, click the No Color button.

      Note: You cannot apply a stroke or fill of No Color to an existing object. Instead, select the existing stroke or fill, and delete it.

    • Click the Stroke or Fill color control, and select a color.

  6. To add the color defined in step 7 to the color swatch list for the current document, select Add Swatch from the menu in the upper-right corner.

Create or edit a gradient fill with the Color panel

  1. To apply a gradient fill to existing artwork, select an object or objects on the Stage.
  2. If the Color panel is not visible, select Window > Color.
  3. To select a color mode display, select RGB (the default setting) or HSB.
  4. Select a gradient type from the Type menu:
    Linear

    Creates a gradient that shades from the starting point to the end point in a straight line.
    Radial

    Produces a gradient that blends outward in a circular path from a central focal point.

    Note: When you select a linear or radial gradient, the Color panel also includes two other options if you are publishing for Flash Player 8. First, the Overflow menu appears below the Type menu. Use the Overflow menu to control the colors applied past the limits of the gradient. Second, the gradient definition bar appears, with pointers below the bar indicating the colors in the gradient.
  5. (Optional) To apply to the gradient, select an overflow mode: Extend (the default mode), Reflect, and Repeat.
  6. (Optional) To create an SVG-compliant (Scalable Vector Graphics) linear or radial gradient, select the Linear RGB check box.
  7. To change a color in the gradient, select one of the color pointers below the gradient definition bar and double-click the color space that appears directly below the gradient bar to display the Color Picker. Drag the Brightness slider to adjust the lightness of the color.
  8. To add a pointer to the gradient, click on or below the gradient definition bar. Select a color for the new pointer, as described in step 7.

    You can add up to 15 color pointers, letting you create a gradient with up to 15 color transitions.

  9. To reposition a pointer on the gradient, drag the pointer along the gradient definition bar. Drag a pointer down and off of the gradient definition bar to remove it.
  10. To save the gradient, click the triangle in the upper-right corner of the Color panel, and select Add Swatch from the menu.

    The gradient is added to the Swatches panel for the current document.

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