Select multiple colors by using the Eyedropper tool in combination with the Touch Shortcut. Then choose any of Fresco’s Pixel or Watercolor brushes to paint using the multicolor swatch.
Published
Introduction
Multicolor selection is a powerful new feature in Adobe Fresco that will open up a world of possibilities for artists.
Any pixel brush or live watercolor brush can be used to sample literally any area of the canvas to create a new multicolor swatch.
The swatch is added to the color history and immediately loaded onto the brush, allowing for a wide range of painting effects.
Here are just a few of them.
To the right of the canvas, you'll see a variety of swatches
Creating multicolor swatches from canvas samples
I've painted in Fresco.
By using the touch modifier with one finger I can select any area of canvas with my other finger and instantly create a multicolor swatch.
Zooming allows me to control the size of the area I'm selecting, which makes it very easy to control.
Now, all I have to do is paint with whatever brush I'm using and voila, multicolor magic.
Now, since this feature works with any pixel brush,
Exploring painting effects with multicolor brushes
there are thousands of possibilities.
For example, watch how fun it is for me to use multicolor for spatter, or even multicolor halftone dots, or, if I select this swatch that has subtle color variations, I can create beautiful brushstrokes with a more controlled range of hues like the water in this illustration.
Want to paint some stripes?
Simply paint a swatch like this blue and yellow one here, sample it and then paint, simple.
Adjusting brush settings for 3D and patterned effects
This green sphere that I painted looks three-dimensional and all of the brush settings in Fresco allow for even more options.
By using a simple round brush with tight spacing, I can take that swatch and paint a 3D tubular shape like this or I can increase the stamp spacing, make sure my pen pressure is tied to brush size and then paint beads with the same multicolor stamp.
One of the most innovative aspects of this feature
Modifying colors using hue, saturation, and value controls
is the ability to change the hue, saturation and value of any multicolor stamp with the HSB sliders in our color window.
And just like that, I retain the same range of color variation but with new hues.
This is revolutionary.
What about creating custom brushes on the fly?
Building custom brushes and advanced creative applications
By sampling any shape on the canvas like this chain link, I can immediately take a simple round brush and paint with this new swatch, thus creating an instant custom brush for painting chains.
Another example of this is shown in this painting.
I quickly painted the leaf shape off to the right.
I then sample it as a multicolor swatch and by controlling the Spacing and Shape Dynamics in my brush settings panel, I'm able to paint a leafy vine with absolute control.
Live watercolor brushes can even be used with this feature as I mentioned earlier, which means you can paint with real wet media using any number of colors at the same time.
Multicolor swatches are an Adobe innovation that will change the way digital artists work, and we've only begun to explore the possibilities of this new feature.
What you learned: Use the Eyedropper tool to select multiple colors from artwork
Create a multicolor swatch
Any area of the canvas can be sampled to create a multicolor swatch. First, ensure that your canvas contains a mix of multiple colors close enough together to simultaneously eyedrop. Zoom in to ensure easy control of the size of the area you’d like to sample, and choose any default Pixel brush (the Sketching and Marker brushes will not work with this feature) or Watercolor brush. Next, tap on the Eyedropper tool in the toolbar or tap-and-hold anywhere on the canvas with your finger to launch it. Press the Touch shortcut to activate it (or double-tap it to lock it in the active state). Move the Eyedropper tool around until you see a multicolor swatch. Then just tap the Pixel brush icon and start painting.
Access the swatch any time
Multicolor swatches become a part of a canvas’s Recents so they can be loaded onto other brushes at any time. Experiment with different Pixel brushes (like Spatter 1 or Spatter 2 in FX or Halftone in Comics) to explore the possibilities.
Change the hue, saturation, and brightness of any swatch
With a multicolor swatch selected, launch the Color panel and tap HSB Sliders. Play around with the settings to experiment with dramatic color changes of the swatch as Hue, Saturation, and Brightness values are adjusted. A new swatch with those HSB changes will be saved to Recents as soon as a stroke has been brushed on the canvas.
Create custom brushstrokes on the fly
Sample a multicolored pattern on the canvas and choose the Hard Round brush in Pixel Basic. Draw a stroke for an instant brush stamp pattern. The possibilities are endless as Spacing and Shape dynamics are adjusted in the Brush settings panel. Next try a Watercolor brush to see the impact of this effect on wet media.
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