{"id":22277,"date":"2014-10-28T18:01:02","date_gmt":"2014-10-28T10:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/?p=22277"},"modified":"2023-10-31T23:06:03","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T15:06:03","slug":"color-swatches-organized","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/color-swatches-organized\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Organize Color Swatches and Palettes in Illustrator (10 tips)"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s frustrating to know you have something but can\u2019t find it. Especially when it comes to colors you\u2019ve saved for your projects. Searching for color swatches repeatedly slows down your work. Instead of wasting time picking colors from your design or typing color values, why not organize them?<\/p>\n

Every expert designer knows that organized color groups speed up your work. Both in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, you can easily organize your colors. Here are 10 easy ways to keep your colors tidy and improve your design flow.<\/p>\n

To start, open Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop. Then, go to the Window menu and select Swatches<\/strong>. Now, your color group window is open and you can start organizing.<\/p>\n

1. Remove Unwanted Default Colors<\/h2>\n

When you start a new design, a default set of colors appears. You might not use many of them. So, start with a clean slate by removing them. In Photoshop, right-click the color and choose Delete Swatch.<\/p>\n

\"Example<\/figure>\n

In Illustrator, click on the menu icon<\/strong> at the swatch window\u2019s corner. Choose Select All Unused. Then, click the \u2018Delete Swatch\u2019 button (it looks like a bin) at the bottom. Confirm by clicking Yes. You can also drag colors to the Delete Swatch button to remove them.<\/p>\n

2. Begin with a Fresh Color Group<\/h2>\n

Starting with a fresh color group helps you stay organized for each project. And, you can set up Adobe Illustrator to always start this way.<\/p>\n

\"Example<\/figure>\n

First, open a blank design and remove all default colors. Save this as a blank file in the plug-ins folder of the Illustrator application. Name it something like \u201cIllustrator Fresh Color Start\u201d. Now, every time you open Illustrator and start a new design from this template, you\u2019ll begin with a clean color group.<\/p>\n

3. Remove or Replace Colors<\/h2>\n

When you want to remove a color, you have two simple methods. First, you can delete the color<\/strong>. Just click on it and then press the bin icon in the corner of the color window. Alternatively, if you want to replace it, hold down Option\/Alt. Then, drag a new color or shade<\/strong> over the one you want to replace.<\/p>\n

4. Combine Similar Colors<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re working across multiple designs, you might find duplicate colors<\/strong>. These duplicates can make your color group messy and confusing.<\/p>\n

Combining colors is easy. First, pick the color you want to keep and click on it<\/strong>. Then, use Command\/Control to click the duplicates. Finally, choose Merge Colors from the color window menu. Only your chosen color stays, and the duplicates are gone.<\/p>\n

5. Arrange Your Colors<\/h2>\n

When you add new colors, they might not show where you want. So, move your colors to your preferred spot by dragging and dropping them<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Example<\/figure>\n

If you prefer a list view, there\u2019s a bit more to do. Illustrator sorts colors by name in List View. So, to arrange them, you\u2019ll need to name them in a specific order.<\/p>\n

\"Colors<\/figure>\n

A quick trick is to start color names with a number or letter<\/strong>. This way, you can group them how you like. Just double-click the color in the window, and a menu will show up for renaming.<\/p>\n

6. Make Color Groups<\/h2>\n

In Adobe Illustrator, there\u2019s a handy tool called color group. It lets you bundle similar color shades together in the Color window<\/strong>. This is a great way to gather variations of the same color when you\u2019re working on a design.<\/p>\n

\"Example<\/figure>\n

After setting your colors, save them as a group. This way, you can quickly find them later. Just press the menu in the Color window<\/strong> and pick one of the Save Color Library options. When naming the library, choose a name related to your design<\/strong> to easily remember it.<\/p>\n

7. Organize with Your Library<\/h2>\n

The color library is a great tool in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to keep, manage, and sort your colors and color groups. It lets you store your color collections for future designs<\/strong>. Both Photoshop and Illustrator have built-in libraries that you might find useful.<\/p>\n

\"Organizing<\/figure>\n

If you plan to use a color set or collection just once, think twice before saving it in the library<\/strong>. These libraries are best for colors or designs you\u2019ll revisit.<\/p>\n

8. Find and Store Color Collections<\/h2>\n

If you can\u2019t spot the colors you want or need some inspiration, many free tools let you make and bring in color collections<\/strong> in no time.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tBest Color Tools for Web Designers<\/span><\/a>\n
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