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boaruey
Known Participant
August 4, 2023
Question

Why is the color theme tool (eyedropper) in InDesign so difficult to use?

  • August 4, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 1859 views

Why is the color theme tool (eyedropper) in InDesign so difficult to use... Can't it be as simple and intuitive as Illustrator?

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 4, 2023

In the headline of your query, you equate the Color Theme tool with the Eyedropper tool.

 

They are not the same. Look at the illustration below. I wanted to be clear about which tool you are referring to:

 

boaruey
boarueyAuthor
Known Participant
August 4, 2023

Firstly, thank you for your response. I'll use an image to illustrate

 

How can I use the eyedropper tool here to change the grass green color to the same deep green color as on the right?

 

I've been trying for a while, but I just can't figure it out. If I'm mistaken, please correct me. Thank you!

 

boaruey
boarueyAuthor
Known Participant
August 4, 2023

Correction... is to make it the same color as the one on the left.

Community Expert
August 4, 2023

Hello

It's difficult to know how to help you - certainly have no issue with it - and it's relatively easy to use.

That being said I don't use it a lot. I actually dislike these shortcut tools to creating colours, as I work in print mainly and typically create my own specific colours/swatches that are required for production. 

 

I always just kinda looked at these tools for a microsecond and shrugged. Useful, maybe. 

boaruey
boarueyAuthor
Known Participant
August 4, 2023

I understand your example. For instance, if there is a fill color in the artwork with values C80, M30, Y0, K0, and you want to sample this color to apply it to other elements like text, shapes, or lines. However, after sampling, the resulting color may always appear slightly different, even though it looks similar. The numerical values could be something like C83, M28, Y11, K5 instead of the exact C80, M30, Y0, K0. Is there a specific setting I might have missed?

rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
August 4, 2023

if there is a fill color in the artwork...Is there a specific setting I might have missed?

 

Hi @boaruey ,  Are you sampling from a placed artwork? If that’s the case the file format affects the sampled colors. If the artwork is an image format, the eyedropper will accurately sample the image’s actual pixel colors. If the artwork is a vector object (.AI or PDF), the eydropper samples the vector art’s RGB preview proxy—the conversion to CMYK would depend on your document’s color profile assignments and would not come from the actual file values.