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Darty.ai
Get Started
Basics
Methods
Colors
UI
Workflows
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Appearance - Colors & Swatches

There are two basic methods of methods of coloring objects with Darty-Ai.

  • Entering individual properties of a color in a single spreadsheet cell.
  • Entering multiple properties of a color in a single spreadsheet cell. In most cases this method will be more convenient.

You can also combine these two methods, but it's crucial to follow this rule to avoid conflicts: Place the spreadsheet's individual property cells to the right of the multiple property cells. Individual property cells placed to the left will be ignored. This rule does not apply to colors applied to an effect where individual color properties will always override multiple properties set in a single cell.

Partial Color and Swatch Definitions

🌈 Colors When you set partial color properties, for example you only set the red channel of the color to 255 ff, only the red channel of the objects will be changed. So if you have two objects labeled "star", one colored #00ff00 and the other #0000ff, they would become #ffff00 and #ff00ff respectively. If this is what you want to do then fantastic 🎉 otherwise provide a complete definition of the color.

🎨 Swatches When you provide a swatch name with no information about it's color, what will happen? 🤔

  • If the swatch exists, the tagged objected will be colored with the existing swatch 😯
  • If the swatch does not exist, it will be created based on the tagged object's color properties. 😮
  • If there are several tagged objects being targeted then, the swatch will take on the properties of one of the targeted objects.
    Which one? Who knows! 😲 If this is what you want to do then fantastic 🎉 otherwise provide a complete definition of the swatch or target a single tagged object.
  • If you provide a color definition and a swatch name, the swatch will be created or modified based on the properties that you provide and the properties of the existing color or swatch.
    For example, if you only provide color values to an existing spot swatch, the swatch will remain a spot color, only it's color values will change.

Colors and Swatches, The Two Big Rules

(1) When you make changes to a tagged object's color, and do not provide a swatch name, the color of the tagged object will be changed in the same way it would be as if you used Illustrator's Color Picker tool, the properties of the swatch will not be changed.

(2) When you provide a swatch name, the swatch will be created or modified as it would be by the New Swatch or Swatch Options panels.

Individual Color properties

Swatch Options

Individual properties of a color for strokes

PropertyDescription
strokeColorMode / strokeColorSpace 4
The color mode to used.
Valid values: CMYK, RGB, Lab, Gray or Grayscale
strokeDestColorMode / strokeDestColorSpace 
You can enter values in one color space output in another
For example enter values in CMYK and output the color in Gray-scale
Valid values: CMYK, RGB, Lab, Gray or Grayscale (Casings for all constants are ignored, i.e. RgB is valid too)
strokeGlobal 3
Whether or not the color is a global color.
Valid values: true, false
strokeSpot 2
Whether or not the color is a spot color.
Valid values: true, false
strokeSwatchName 1
The name of and existing swatch to be used or to be created or modified as per the objects color properties after applying the provided properties. For example an object colored with rgb values 255, 0, 0 has it's green value set to 128 and is given a swatchName, a new swatch of the give name will be created with the rgb values 255, 128, 0
strokeTint 
If the color is spot or global, it can be applied as a tint.
Example values: 50, 75
strokeType 2
The color type
Valid values: spot global process none (Casings for all constants are ignored)
strokeChannel1 / strokeColor1 / strokeC1 / strokeRed / strokeR / strokeCyan / strokeC / strokeGray / strokeGrey / strokeL 5
For CMYK: C (0 - 100), for RGB: R (0 - 255), for Lab: L (0 - 100), for Gray: G (0 - 100)
Example values: 0, 100
strokeChannel2 / strokeColor2 / strokeC2 / strokeGreen / strokeG / strokeMagenta / strokeM / strokeA 6
For CMYK: M (0 - 100), for RGB: G (0 - 255), for Lab: a (-128 - 127)
Example values: 0, 100
strokeChannel3 / strokeColor3 / strokeC3 / strokeBlue / strokeB / strokeYellow / strokeY 7
For CMYK: Y (0 - 100), for RGB: B (0 - 255), for Lab: b (-128 - 127)
Example values: 0, 100
strokeChannel4 / strokeColor4 / strokeC4 / strokeBlack / strokeK 8
For CMYK: K (0 - 100)
Example values: 0, 100

Individual properties of a color for fills

PropertyDescription
fillColorMode / fillColorSpace 4
The color mode to used.
Valid values: CMYK, RGB, Lab, Gray or Grayscale
fillDestColorMode / fillDestColorSpace 
You can enter values in one color space output in another
For example enter values in CMYK and output the color in Gray-scale
Valid values: CMYK, RGB, Lab, Gray or Grayscale (Casings for all constants are ignored, i.e. RgB is valid too)
fillGlobal 3
Whether or not the color is a global color.
Valid values: true, false
fillSpot 2
Whether or not the color is a spot color.
Valid values: true, false
fillSwatchName 1
The name of and existing swatch to be used or to be created or modified as per the objects color properties after applying the provided properties. For example an object colored with rgb values 255, 0, 0 has it's green value set to 128 and is given a swatchName, a new swatch of the give name will be created with the rgb values 255, 128, 0
fillTint 
If the color is spot or global, it can be applied as a tint.
Example values: 50, 75
fillType 2
The color type
Valid values: spot global process none (Casings for all constants are ignored)
fillChannel1 / fillColor1 / fillC1 / fillRed / fillR / fillCyan / fillC / fillGray / fillGrey / fillL 5
For CMYK: C (0 - 100), for RGB: R (0 - 255), for Lab: L (0 - 100), for Gray: G (0 - 100)
Example values: 0, 100
fillChannel2 / fillColor2 / fillC2 / fillGreen / fillG / fillMagenta / fillM / fillA 6
For CMYK: M (0 - 100), for RGB: G (0 - 255), for Lab: a (-128 - 127)
Example values: 0, 100
fillChannel3 / fillColor3 / fillC3 / fillBlue / fillB / fillYellow / fillY 7
For CMYK: Y (0 - 100), for RGB: B (0 - 255), for Lab: b (-128 - 127)
Example values: 0, 100
fillChannel4 / fillColor4 / fillC4 / fillBlack / fillK 8
For CMYK: K (0 - 100)
Example values: 0, 100

Individual properties of a color for indexed stroke, fill, and paint fields

PropertyDescription
colorMode / colorSpace 4
The color mode to used.
Valid values: CMYK, RGB, Lab, Gray or Grayscale
destColorMode / destColorSpace 
You can enter values in one color space output in another
For example enter values in CMYK and output the color in Gray-scale
Valid values: CMYK, RGB, Lab, Gray or Grayscale (Casings for all constants are ignored, i.e. RgB is valid too)
global 3
Whether or not the color is a global color.
Valid values: true, false
spot 2
Whether or not the color is a spot color.
Valid values: true, false
swatchName 1
The name of and existing swatch to be used or to be created or modified as per the objects color properties after applying the provided properties. For example an object colored with rgb values 255, 0, 0 has it's green value set to 128 and is given a swatchName, a new swatch of the give name will be created with the rgb values 255, 128, 0
tint 
If the color is spot or global, it can be applied as a tint.
Example values: 50, 75
type 2
The color type
Valid values: spot global process none (Casings for all constants are ignored)
channel1 / color1 / c1 / red / r / cyan / c / gray / grey / l 5
For CMYK: C (0 - 100), for RGB: R (0 - 255), for Lab: L (0 - 100), for Gray: G (0 - 100)
Example values: 0, 100
channel2 / color2 / c2 / green / g / magenta / m / a 6
For CMYK: M (0 - 100), for RGB: G (0 - 255), for Lab: a (-128 - 127)
Example values: 0, 100
channel3 / color3 / c3 / blue / b / yellow / y 7
For CMYK: Y (0 - 100), for RGB: B (0 - 255), for Lab: b (-128 - 127)
Example values: 0, 100
channel4 / color4 / c4 / black / k 8
For CMYK: K (0 - 100)
Example values: 0, 100

Example Spreadsheet Setting Individual Color Properties In Cells

individual-color-properties.csv

rectanglecircle
appearance
fillChannel1fillColor2fillC3fillKfillTintfillSwatchNamefillSpotfillColorModefillcolorfillChannel1fillSwatchName
10050200Foocmyk20,0,50,0100"CMYK Spot"
100200Foocmyk20CMYK Spot
100200Foo150,0,50100
1002020
100Browncmyk100
100100CMYK Spot
Download: individual-color-properties.zip
Download: individual-color-properties.ai
Download: individual-color-properties.csv

Multiple properties of a color for strokes, fills, and paint fields

Colors can conveniently be set by using the properties listed in the below tables.

The color, strokeColor and fillColor can be considered as master properties and the other properties as minor variation of the master properties
For example to set an rgb Royal Blue #4169e1 color using the color, strokeColor or fillColor properties you would enter rgb 65 105 225, specifying the color mode inside the data cells, if you used the RGB, strokeRGB or fillRGB properties you would simply enter 65 105 225, with no need to specify rgb in the data cells. If you use the color function and do not specify the color mode, the result could be unexpected.

Likewise the CMYK, Lab, and Grayscale properties, automatically set the color mode, and you only need to enter the values and not the color mode in the data cells.

The HSB, HSV, and HSL functions are used for entering values of those color modes, the values will be converted into rgb values and applied to the objects.

The # method can be used to set colors by their # values or given names. For example Royal Blue could be set by using any of the following values:
4169e1, #4169e1, RoyalBlue, "Royal Blue", "Royal Blue". The last two examples need to be quoted because they contain a space. See Named Colors for a list of all the valid named colors and their rgb # values.
Names are case and space insensitive but if spaces or hyphens are used the name must be quoted "royal-blue", and "royal blue" need quotes, royal_blue, and royalBlue do not.

Hash-Value Color Properties

All the properties listed below can accept # values and named swatches. There are some minor differences on how they are treated.

  • When using #, stroke#, or fill#, you can enter the # values or names without entering the # in the data cell, 4169e1, #4169e1 will all color the objects #4169e1
    For all the other functions you must enter the # in the data cells.
    #4169e1 will color the objects #4169e1 but 4169e1 will not.

  • When using the swatch, strokeColor, fillColor, strokeSwatch, and fillSwatch properties with # values or names, a swatch will be created with the name and casing used.
    #4169e1, RoyalBlue, and "Royal Blue" (Note the quoted swatch-name) will create swatches called 4169e1, RoyalBlue, and Royal Blue, retaining the given case and spaces.
    If you want to create a swatch called #4169e1 then you need to enter ##4169e1 (Note the doubled # symbol).
    When you use # values or names with all other properties, swatches will not automatically be created.

Values that can be set using the the Multiple Color Properties

ValueDescription
Color ValuesThe cell's first, one to four numeric values depending on the color mode will be designated as the color's values
Color ModeThe first occurrence of RGB, CMYK, Lab, HSB, HSV, HSL, Gray, Grayscale, Grey or Greyscale in the cell will designate the color mode of the values entered⭐️
Color TypeThe first occurrence of spot, process of global will be designated as the color type.
Destination Color ModeThe second occurrence of RGB, CMYK, Lab, Gray, Grayscale, Grey or Greyscale in the cell will define the color mode used to color the objects⭐️. This is only needed if different than the color mode. Could be used if you want to make a Lab color based on RGB values.
Swatch NameDon't forget to quote when needed!
Swatch TintA number from 0 to 100, to use a tint of spot or global swatches
#Hex values and named swatches. For automatically assigning rgb values. If used with the swatch property and no other name is given then the name will automatically by assigned.

Properties for setting multiple color properties to the objects' paint fields or effects (like dropshadow color)

PropertyDescription
color 
Set the paint field's color by providing multiple color properties in a single cell. The color mode should be provided. A swatch will not be created unless a swatch name is provided.
Example Values: rgb 255 0 0 spot red, cmyk cyan spot cyan, 100 (would adjust the channel 1 color value applied to the object)
# 
Set the paint field's color by providing an rgb hex value or a know color name, see Named Colors for a list of all the valid named colors and their rgb # values.
Example values red, f00, abcdef
CMYK 
Set the paint field's color by providing cmyk values.
Example Values: 100 20 0 20 "My blue" global, 50, 20, 20, 0
grayscale / greyscale 
Set the paint field's color by providing grayscale values.
Example Values: 30, 50, 85
HSB / HSV 
Set the paint field's color by providing HSB / HSV values.
Example Values: 300 20 100, 200, 60, 70 global "Metallic Blue"
HSL 
Set the paint field's color by providing HSl values.
Example Values: 300 20 100, 200, 60, 70 global "Dull Blue"
Lab 
Set the paint field's color by providing HSl values.
Example Values: 100 127 -128 The object will be colored with the closest RGB / CMYK match to the Lab color unless a swatch name is provided, 100 127 127 "My Swatch"
RGB 
Set the paint field's color by providing rgb values.
Example Values: 20 5 299 "My blue" global, 250, 120, 20, 50 Global Orange (Will produce a 50% tint color swatch called orange with the color values 250, 120, 20)
swatch 
Create, modify, apply a swatch
Example Values: "My New Swatch" 100 50 0 0, "My Existing Swatch" 100 50 0 0, "My Existing Swatch", red (A red colored swatch called red will be created), Red (A red colored swatch called Red will be created) Red Acrobat (A red colored swatch called Acrobat will be created)

Properties for setting multiple color properties to the objects' stroke color

PropertyDescription
strokeColor 
Set the stoke color by providing multiple color properties in a single cell. The color mode should be provided. A swatch will not be created unless a swatch name is provided.
Example Values: rgb 255 0 0 spot red, cmyk cyan spot cyan, 100 (would adjust the channel 1 color value applied to the object)
stroke# 
Set the stoke color by providing an rgb hex value or a know color name, see Named Colors for a list of all the valid named colors and their rgb # values.
Example values red, f00, abcdef
strokeCMYK 
Set the stoke color by providing cmyk values.
Example Values: 100 20 0 20 "My blue" global, 50, 20, 20, 0
strokeGrayscale / strokeGreyscale 
Set the stoke color by providing grayscale values.
Example Values: 30, 50, 85
strokeHSB / strokeHSV 
Set the stoke color by providing HSB / HSV values.
Example Values: 300 20 100, 200, 60, 70 global "Metallic Blue"
strokeHSL 
Set the stoke color by providing HSl values.
Example Values: 300 20 100, 200, 60, 70 global "Dull Blue"
strokeLab 
Set the stoke color by providing HSl values.
Example Values: 100 127 -128 The object will be colored with the closest RGB / CMYK match to the Lab color unless a swatch name is provided, 100 127 127 "My Swatch"
strokeRGB 
Set the stoke color by providing rgb values.
Example Values: 20 5 299 "My blue" global, 250, 120, 20, 50 Global Orange (Will produce a 50% tint color swatch called orange with the color values 250, 120, 20)
strokeSwatch 
Create, modify, apply a swatch
Example Values: "My New Swatch" 100 50 0 0, "My Existing Swatch" 100 50 0 0, "My Existing Swatch", red (A red colored swatch called red will be created), Red (A red colored swatch called Red will be created) Red Acrobat (A red colored swatch called Acrobat will be created)

Properties for setting multiple color properties to the objects' fill color

PropertyDescription
fillColor 
Set the fill color by providing multiple color properties in a single cell. The color mode should be provided. A swatch will not be created unless a swatch name is provided.
Example Values: rgb 255 0 0 spot red, cmyk cyan spot cyan, 100 (would adjust the channel 1 color value applied to the object)
fill# 
Set the fill color by providing an rgb hex value or a know color name, see Named Colors for a list of all the valid named colors and their rgb # values.
Example values red, f00, abcdef
fillCMYK 
Set the fill color by providing cmyk values.
Example Values: 100 20 0 20 "My blue" global, 50, 20, 20, 0
fillGrayscale / fillGreyscale 
Set the fill color by providing grayscale values.
Example Values: 30, 50, 85
fillHSB / fillHSV 
Set the fill color by providing HSB / HSV values.
Example Values: 300 20 100, 200, 60, 70 global "Metallic Blue"
fillHSL 
Set the fill color by providing HSl values.
Example Values: 300 20 100, 200, 60, 70 global "Dull Blue"
fillLab 
Set the fill color by providing HSl values.
Example Values: 100 127 -128 The object will be colored with the closest RGB / CMYK match to the Lab color unless a swatch name is provided, 100 127 127 "My Swatch"
fillRGB 
Set the fill color by providing rgb values.
Example Values: 20 5 299 "My blue" global, 250, 120, 20, 50 Global Orange (Will produce a 50% tint color swatch called orange with the color values 250, 120, 20)
fillSwatch 
Create, modify, apply a swatch
Example Values: "My New Swatch" 100 50 0 0, "My Existing Swatch" 100 50 0 0, "My Existing Swatch", red (A red colored swatch called red will be created), Red (A red colored swatch called Red will be created) Red Acrobat (A red colored swatch called Acrobat will be created)

Example Spreadsheet Setting Multiple Color Properties In Cells

color-properties.csv

star
appearance
strokeColorfillSwatchFill Swatch Namefill[2]RGBfill[2]grayscalefill[2]#fill[2]modestroke[2]HSBstroke[2]labstroke[2]hsl
Using the color propertyUsing the swatch propertyUsing the RGB propertyUsing the grayscale propertyUsing the HSB propertyUsing the Lab property
"Violet Blue"yellow200, 35, 40100, 127, 128
#0F0sugarPlum194, 169, 30cmyk 50, 30, 70 brownish spot
cmyk 100 0 0 0Pink[55, 240]#BEEFEE
cmyk 0 100 0 0/Pink0, 200, 30#DECADE
Nonergb #EEFFBB[200, 130, 40]#D0000D
Foliagergb 254, 143, 94 Clementine#f0fcmyk 15 0 71 0
grayscale 30lab 100 88 87 Orange-Peach60100,70,100100 -128 127 LiMe
grayscale 70Pinkff0220 100 10045 100 50
hsv 270 100 50hsl 180 50 5030270,100,90220 60 80
0 100 50 20Sky#008000
#15f0880 100 0 0e55088
255 0 255none[0 60 80]
100 50 -50 labedit[0, 100, 50]
AmazondartyGreen#0ff
Download: color-properties.zip
Download: color-properties.ai
Download: color-properties.csv

color-properties-500.csv

circle
appearance
fillColorfill[2]hsbfill[3]hslstrokeCmykstroke[2]Labstroke[3]grayscale
RGB / CMYK 3 or 4 ValuesHSBHSLCMYKLABGRAYSCALE
100, 0, 0, 0 global "Cyan" 126, 99, 68 260, 63, 54 "C=10 Y=86 M=93 K=5" spot 10, 93, 86, 5 "L=46 A=23 B=47" 46, 23, 47 93
134, 183, 226 global "Fill 1 Global RGB Swatch" 28, 60, 79 243, 97, 59 "C=75 Y=7 M=22 K=8" spot 75, 22, 7, 8 "L=85 A=73 B=53" 85, 73, 53 77
8, 43, 86, 7 "Fill 1 CMYK Swatch" 223, 86, 84 311, 52, 40 "C=40 Y=40 M=83 K=18" spot 40, 83, 40, 18 "L=60 A=37 B=38" 60, 37, 38 57
82, 36, 8 "Fill 1 RGB Swatch" 41, 88, 81 154, 99, 52 "C=81 Y=95 M=90 K=9" spot 81, 90, 95, 9 "L=32 A=-12 B=-125" 32, -12, -125 28
254, 110, 46 global "Fill 1 Global RGB Swatch" 344, 83, 61 238, 71, 55 "C=37 Y=90 M=84 K=19" spot 37, 84, 90, 19 "L=51 A=14 B=62" 51, 14, 62 47
61, 148, 63 global "Fill 1 Global RGB Swatch" 315, 76, 88 213, 90, 40 "C=13 Y=90 M=6 K=17" spot 13, 6, 90, 17 "L=30 A=39 B=42" 30, 39, 42 23
18, 14, 94, 3 global "Fill 1 Global CMYK Swatch" 190, 79, 91 40, 50, 45 "C=43 Y=68 M=20 K=10" spot 43, 20, 68, 10 "L=12 A=113 B=-11" 12, 113, -11 24
38, 18, 55, 16 "Fill 1 CMYK Swatch" 284, 65, 90 277, 60, 58 "C=85 Y=15 M=59 K=6" spot 85, 59, 15, 6 "L=8 A=57 B=99" 8, 57, 99 26

color-properties-500

color-properties-500.ai

Download: color-properties-500.zip
Download: color-properties-500.ai
Download: color-properties-500.csv
Last Updated: 3/18/26, 2:59 PM
Contributors: Trevor
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