

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3

Selecting Colors by Values

Selecting colors by their values ensures precise, consistent color throughout your web page. Dreamweaver allows you to select a color by specifying a hexadecimal, RGB, or HSL value. In this document, you will learn how to select a color by entering its value.

return to topEntering Color Values: Hexadecimal Values

Every color has a hexadecimal (hex) value. When designing a web page, you may need to use a specific color (e.g., the Blugold colors). To simplify the process of choosing colors, and to assure that the colors you choose are correct, you may enter a specific color's hex value.

Color values begin with the pound symbol ( # ) and are followed by a six-digit code. Each hex color value is made up of three 2-digit codes with each 2-digit code representing the amount of red, green, or blue combined to create the color. A color value that starts with 00 has no red and a color value that ends in 00 has no blue. A color value beginning with FF has full red and a color value with FF as its middle pair of digits has full green. For example, the hex value for blue is "#0000FF" (no red, no green, full blue).

  1. Select the desired element to become colored

  2. From the Properties pane, in the Color text box, type the 6-digit hex value for the desired color, beginning with the pound symbol ( # )
    EXAMPLE: #FF0000
    Color text box

  3. Press [Enter]
    Color has been applied to the selected element.

return to topEntering Color Values: HSL or RGB Values

Video monitors use light to create colors according to the RGB system. The acronym RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. Monitors have three "guns" inside that "shoot" red, green, and blue light to every pixel on the screen. The computer blends these three light beams together in varying proportions to create the range of colors displayed.

The acronym HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity. Hue refers to the shade or tint of a color. Saturation refers to how dull or vivid a color appears. Luminosity refers to the brightness of a color.

  1. Select the desired element to become colored

  2. From the Properties pane, click the color box Color box
    The Color palette appears.
    Color palette

  3. Click COLOR WHEELColor Wheel button
    The Color dialog box appears.
    Color dialog box

  4. In the Red, Green, and Blue text boxes, type the desired value of each color
    In the Hue, Sat, and Lum text boxes, type the desired value of each color
    NOTE: As you alter the values, you will see the color change in the Color/Solid box.

  5. Click OK

return to topColors and Their Values

For a list of various colors and their values as well as a list of web safe colors, go to Web Development's Web Color Swatches page.

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