OS X Tip #86
OS X’s built-in color picker is a nice way to choose colors within the applications that use it. Some applications don’t use and instead of using another application (like Art Directors Toolkit, $29.99) just to help pick a simple color would it be nice to use the built-in color picker in OS X? This really helpful when doing web development and are only using a text editor for style sheets (CSS).

You can make the OS X color picker into a very useful application easily using AppleScript.

Here’s how:
Launch AppleScript Editor located Applications -> AppleScript Editor

Type in this text:
choose color

Now go to File -> Save As and choose the File Format drop down to “Application.” Save it to your Application folder as Color Picker” or another name you like.

Launch the new Color Picker app as you would any OS X application. To Quit the Color Picker simply hit cancel on the Color Picker window. This part is done, now let’s improve it.

Web Colors add-on
Download HEXColorPicker, free – so you will have everything a web developer might need to pick colors.

Install HEXColorPicker by unzipping the downloaded application and putting the “HEXColorPicker.colorPicker” folder in any of one of these locations:

Macintosh HD (Startup drive) -> Library -> ColorPickers

Macintosh HD (Startup drive) -> Home -> Library -> ColorPickers or

Macintosh HD (Startup drive) -> System -> Library -> ColorPickers

Note: You can also add Painter’s Picker, $15.85 shareware (has a free trial) that has too many functions to explain here so visit their website. It installs the basically same way as HEXColorPicker. This is a great add-on.

Add Custom Icon
Add a custom or copied application icon to your new Color Picker Application.

To copy another icon you like to replace your new Color Picker Application. Just find an application you whose icon you like to use and Control + click (or right mouse click for multi-button mouse users) on the Application you want to copy and select “Get Info.”

Click once on the icon at the top left and use the Command (Apple key) + C key to copy icon.

Now Control + click on the new Color Picker Application and select “Get Info.”

Click once on the icon at the top left and use the Command (Apple key) + V key to paste in the new icon.

You can of course create custom icons using some shareware also. See my top picks Iconverter and Can Combine Icons.

Drag your new Color Picker Application to the Dock for everyday use or you can assign a hotkey to access it from any application. Butler or QuicKeys X can help you with this.

Finished Color Picker Application

Using Your New Color Picker Application
The Digital Color Meter (far left) is great for grabbing any color off your screen. Just use the magnifying glass.

The color wheel, color sliders and image profile can help you choose your colors. you can save the colors you choose by dragging it into the palette well. You can also use the Color Palettes section to save a color collection.

If you use Photoshop, Fireworks or another application you can opt to use the OS X color picker instead. Allowing you have a common color palette between all your creative applications.

Make sure to check out MacWorld’s Secrets of the Color Picker they have some great online videos showing you how to use the OS X color picker’s features.

Also see:
The Macintosh OS X Color Picker by Robin Wood.

Use images in the Color Picker

Shades: A Better Color Picker

CodePoetry’s The Colors! post.

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