Name color

[furushil]

Is it possible to name the colors in the color picker bin, so that you can "mouse over" it and then see the name?
Sometimes an old character appears in a new scene and I have to look up again which color was for what.

I don't mean the name of the color pallete but the name of the specific color square.

I am still using 10.0.18. Is it possible in 10.5.1 ?

[ematecki]

It's not possible.

But the best way to do what you want, is to make a small image with your character and its colors, and load it into the color mixer.
So you have the character, it's colors and even where they belong (shirt, pant, eyes, etc...).

Something like your avatar...

[Elodie]

You may also save your colors in a custom panel and give a name to the saved color.

[furushil]

But the best way to do what you want, is to make a small image with your character and its colors, and load it into the color mixer.

I'm not sure what you mean or how this is possible. How can I load an image into the mixer? Wouldn't it be so small, that I would not be able to pick small parts?

You may also save your colors in a custom panel and give a name to the saved color.

yes, that would be an option, but it saves more space to have small color swatches. If I save the color in a custom panel, it is always the A and B color in a square and I can't see the right color there right away .

[Elodie]

In the Palette, go to the Mixer tab and make a right click on the palette (where you mix colors) > files > load (or import) a mixer.

[furushil]

In the Palette, go to the Mixer tab and make a right click on the palette (where you mix colors) > files > load (or import) a mixer.

I see, I did not know this!
That is a good feature but there are some problems for me. The image is too small to pick the right color and if I import a bigger image, I have to make the window really large. Another big problem for me is, that sometimes when I get a character color-layout the color is not always "clean" so that you have slight variations but I have to use e.g. color " #421BE0". So when I would have to pick the color all the time, I would make mistakes.
I could take the "clean color" and make color patches but still the window size would too big, I think.

There is probably a reason, why it is not possible to name the color and it is actually not essential at all, but I was missing it sometimes.
When you have a tool in your tool bar, you can edit it and write something in the comment field and then it pops up every time you "mouse over" it. So I was just wondering if this would also be possible for color swatches.

[ematecki]

You either:
- have to abstract your character (I think you can fit all the parts colors in the size of the mixer),
with a non-antialiased tool, so you always pick the right color.
- or you can load the char-sheet in another project,
this means you need screen space to put both projects side-by-side,
or switch project all the time (that's not cool....)
- or you can use one of dhomas plugins (Paul will tell you the exact name, it is something like "picture palette")

[Elodie]

When you have a tool in your tool bar, you can edit it and write something in the comment field and then it pops up every time you "mouse over" it. So I was just wondering if this would also be possible for color swatches.

It is, but only if you save the color in a custom panel (tool bar).

yes, that would be an option, but it saves more space to have small color swatches. If I save the color in a custom panel, it is always the A and B color in a square and I can't see the right color there right away .

You can save your colors via the "Bin" tab in the Palette and when all your nuances are saved > right click and turn it into a custom panel. You'll have big colored squares.

[furushil]

- or you can use one of dhomas plugins (Paul will tell you the exact name, it is something like "picture palette")

Thank you, I will take a look at that.

You can save your colors via the "Bin" tab in the Palette and when all your nuances are saved > right click and turn it into a custom panel. You'll have big colored squares.

This might be what I was looking for but how to turn it into a custom panel? When I right click there is not such an option . I am using 10.0.18 standard version.

[Elodie]

Oops, sorry, it's a 10.5 feature

[furushil]

Ok, I will wait for the official release then

[Paul Fierlinger]

Yes, the name is Picture Palette and once you see what it does you will wonder why this has not been introduced as a built in feature of TVPaint, because dhomas has long given up on marketing it. Go to http://www.youngmonkey.ca" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Just be prepared to enter a maze of an extraordinarily confusing website but with some patience you should be able to find it. We've been using this flawless plugin for years, actually dhomas trenn (yes, name without capitals) developed it for us. He has also converted it to 64 bit OS -- PC only though (I think). I think it costs $50 but I promise you it is worth the price -- we have actually paid him hundreds of dollars over the years to keep improving it.

[Svengali]

I've been mulling another solution that I think might be ideal for animators working from model sheets and/or a preset color palette.

Essentially, all you do is create a new LAYER ZERO (top layer) as an IMAGE LAYER (set Post Behavior to HOLD) which you can setup as reference page for color palette swatches and/or model sheet. This "palette layer"remains locked but can be toggled on when you need to sample a color or reference the model sheet. You can then leave it on or toggle it off when not needed.

So, I created a button called "Tog Palette" which can be pressed to toggle the visibility of the top layer on and off. The Tog Palette button could also be assigned to a shortcut key.

Here's the process I'd follow to set it up:

1. download the .tvpx file and drop it into TVPaint. You can move the TOG PALETTE button to any of your existing custom panels or simply hide it if you assign a shortcut key to the button.

2. create a TOP LAYER (layer zero) as an IMAGE LAYER (in hold mode so it remains visible above ANY frame in the Clip Timeline). paste your palette swatches and/or your model sheet on that layer which you will toggle on and off as needed and which is always protected (locked) so you can't accidentally draw over your references.

3. While you work on any other layer, just press the TOG PALETTE button (or your hit the assigned shortcut key) to toggle layer zero VISIBLE when needed for reference or to SAMPLE any color in your custom palette, and toggle it HIDDEN again when you are drawing/painting on all other layers.

4. The features of the Tog Palette Button include:
a. you can continue working on any layer and any frame in the layer when you toggle the palette layer between visible and hidden. Work on any other layer with the Palette Layer on OR off. The Palette Layer need never be selected except when being created or editing the reference content.
b. the Tog Palette Button will keep the Palette Layer LOCKED at all times. So you will need to explicitly TURN OFF THE LAYER LOCK in the layer zero header if you want to replace or modify/update any part of the Palette Layer Zero image.

Sven

[furushil]

This "palette layer"remains locked but can be toggled on when you need to sample a color or reference the model sheet. You can then leave it on or toggle it off when not needed.

This is great for model sheets I will try that out, thank you.
But for color, what if you zoom in and then don't see the pallete in the corner anymore. You would have to zoom out again to pick the color.

[Paul Fierlinger]

But for color, what if you zoom in and then don't see the pallete in the corner anymore. You would have to zoom out again to pick the color.

Picture Palette can turn your entire model sheet into one, extensive color sampler.