If you would like to extract colors from an image and use them in your artwork, you can do one of the following options:

1. Extract colors using Object mosaic
2. Extract colors using image trace

Both methods create a color group in the swatches panel

How to get a color from an image in illustrator

Method 1: To copy an image color in illustrator please follow the instructions here. you can use below image as a sample image

From the file menu select Place.

• Choose your image file and make sure “link” option is not selected. This will embed your image to AI file.

Go to Object menu and select Create object mosaic

Type 5 for the width and High dimensions

You should have a similar vector like this:

Open your swatches panel.

• if you can not find your swatches panel you can find it by going window>swatches menu.
• Once you opened your panel go to the upper right corner of the panel and click it. Then choose “new color group“. Now you should see your colors in the swatches panel as a new group.

How to extract colors from an image

Method 2:

Place your image to the artboard.

• Choose your image file and make sure “Link” option is not selected. This will embed your image to AI file.

Convert your image to vector

• if not selected. select your image first
• Use image trace command.
• little down arrow near Image Trace button will pop up standard trace options. select 16 color.

• Once your image is converted to vector, expand it.

• As in the first method open your swatches panel
• Create a new color group from the panel options.

I hope this helps you. Thank you for being here.

Bye.

The post How to extract colors from an image in illustrator appeared first on Illustrator Tutorials.

How to select colors from the swatches panel for shape builder

Swatches panel is the default option to pick a color for shape builder tool. You can select any color from the swatches panel and use it directly with the shape builder tool.

1. Hit CTRL + A keys to select your objects ( Shape builder tool produce results only for the selected objects)
2. Click shape builder tool in the toolbox
3. Pick any color/texture from the swatches panel and drag your Mouse in your drawings and create your shape with the color you select.

If you don’t know how to use the shape builder tool please watch these videos:

•  braid brush 
• Shape builder

How to select colors from the artwork for shape builder

In order to use the shape builder tool with artwork color:

1. double-click shape builder icon in the toolbox.
2. Select the color picking method from the “pick color” option. As you may notice, there are only two options: color swatches and artworks.
3. Select pick color from “artworks” and hit ok.

In this method, the color is determined by where you start the drag. The below gif animation shows the usage of this method. In such drawings, it is a very easy way of combining objects with colors.

Shape builder tool usage animated Gif

I hope this helps

The post How to select colors while using shape builder tool in illustrator appeared first on Illustrator Tutorials.