Lesson 1
Working With Colors
by Kathleen Kinder
k.kinder@daelnet.co.uk

Hello Everyone - Before we begin, it is necessary to explain that the colour method I have found to be most efficent in colour reduction in Paint Shop Pro. This is based on the electronic colour system Red-Green-Blue. The colours we use on the computer are not pigment colors but the colours of light (like an electronic rainbow), so red and yellow for example, do not make orange!.

Once we enter a colour's RGB components we can get that colour every time. Every paint program including those specifically for knitters has a colour changing facility using the RGB numbers.

I'm giving you a list of over a 100 common colours and how to get them by entering the RGB numbers (and you can get others by playing around with the numbers) . If you have no program except Paint or Paintbrush, you can still try altering the colours. Go to Options/Edit colors (also Define colors in Paint) and start entering some of the numbers.

Note: there are 256 colors, starting with 0 to 255. Colours with 0 and 255 arrangements are the major primary colours - 0,0,0, is black and 255,255,255, is white. Black is a non-colour (I keep telling my daughter!) whereas White, like white light holds all the colours. All other colours come between black and white. When you design for real, it is important to save the palette containing your custom colours. It is always a good idea to keep a note of the RGB numbers of a colour you are playing with.

Below is a list I got from a paint program called PC Paintbrush. It works for a 256 colour resolution. I've not seen it anywhere else. I've already found it most useful in trying to match yarn to colour on the screen in DAK. (I start from the nearest colour and adjust). I suggest you print it out, put it in a transparent folder and have it by you. Now read the message on H.O.W. preliminaries.

Mixing RGB Colors:

Below is a list of RGB values for common colors. Color values are listed in the order you adjust them: Red, Green, and then Blue. Each value is separated by a comma.

Red
Dark: 85, 0, 0
Medium: 170, 0, 0
Bright: 255, 0, 0
Light: 255, 85, 85
Brick: 160, 64, 64
Cherry: 255, 0, 85
Maroon: 192, 0, 80
Pink: 255, 170, 170
Salmon: 255, 144, 128
Violet-Red: 255, 0, 170

Green
Dark: 0, 85, 0
Medium: 0, 170, 0
Bright: 0, 255, 0
Light: 170, 255, 170
Forest: 85, 170, 0
Grass: 0, 176, 112
Lime: 170, 255, 85
Olive: 120, 144, 0
Pine: 43, 85, 0
Sea Green: 170, 255, 255
Spring Green: 208, 255, 160
Yellow-Green: 192, 255, 0

Blue
Dark: 0, 0, 85
Medium: 0, 0, 170
Bright: 0, 0, 255
Light: 85, 85, 255
Baby Blue: 170, 170, 255
Blue-Gray: 144, 144, 160
Cobalt Blue: 96, 80, 208
Cornflower: 170, 170, 255
Navy: 0, 0, 128
Periwinkle: 224, 208, 255
Sky Blue: 85, 170, 255
Violet Blue: 170, 0, 255
Cyan (Blue-Green)
Dark: 0, 85, 85
Medium: 0, 170, 170
Bright: 0, 255, 255
Light: 85, 255, 255
Aquamarine: 160, 255, 224
Blue-Green: 0, 255, 170
Green-Blue: 0, 128, 112
Pale: 170, 255, 255
Turquoise: 0, 176, 160

Earthtones
Dark Brown: 128, 64, 0
Brown: 176, 80, 0
Burnt Sienna: 176, 64, 0
Copper: 176, 96, 64
Indian Red: 144, 0, 0
Mahogany: 192, 64, 0
Raw Sienna: 176, 96, 0
Raw Umber: 144, 96, 0
Rust: 160, 80, 48
Sepia: 144, 64, 0
Tan: 255, 144, 96

Flesh
Dark: 170, 85, 85
Medium: 255, 170, 170
Light: 255, 192, 192
Apricot: 255, 224, 192
Peach: 255, 208, 192

Gray
Black: 0, 0, 0
Very Dark: 64, 64, 64
Dark: 85, 85, 85
Medium: 128, 128, 128
Light: 170, 170, 170
Very Light: 213, 213, 213
White: 255, 255, 255
Silver: 208, 208, 224

Magenta (Red-Violet)
Dark: 85, 0, 85
Medium: 170, 0, 170
Bright: 255, 0, 255
Light: 255, 85, 255
Mulberry: 170, 0, 85
Orchid: 255, 85, 170
Pale: 255, 170, 255
Red Violet: 255, 0, 160

Orange
Dark: 128, 85, 0
Medium: 170, 113, 0
Bright: 255, 170, 0
Light: 255, 170,85
Bittersweet: 255, 112, 80
Burnt Orange: 224, 96, 0
Melon: 255, 128, 112
Orange-Red: 255, 80, 0
Tangerine: 255, 112, 0
Yellow-Orange: 255, 144, 0

Purple
Dark: 43, 0, 85
Medium: 85, 0, 170
Bright: 128, 0, 255
Light: 128, 85, 255
Violet: 96, 0, 112
Lavender: 213, 170, 255
Plum: 160, 0, 112

Yellow
Dark: 85, 85, 0
Medium: 170, 170, 0
Bright: 255, 255, 0
Light: 255, 255, 170
Amber: 255, 170, 0
Cream: 255, 255, 208
Gold: 176, 112, 64
Goldenrod: 255, 176, 0
Green-Yellow: 170, 255, 0
Lemon: 255, 255, 85
Maize: 255, 176, 112
Orange-Yellow: 255, 208, 0

Best wishes, Kathleen
k.kinder@daelnet.co.uk

Feel free to make copies of the Graphic Lessons for your personal use. The following copyright notice must appear on all copies
Copyright (c)Kathleen Kinder, 1997, 1998.