It’s not news that the default palette for Flash is dreadful. There’s not much that you can do with this, other than pretend it’s not there:
I made my own early in the 2000s; it’s much more subdued (maybe a bit too subdued) but you’ll find it much more useful than the default. Here’s an empty Flash file containing my personalised flash palette. It was created in Macromedia Flash MX, so it’ll work with very old versions, and will open with all the later ones. Macromedia MX Screenshot:
All you need to do is download the .fla file, open it, then in the color swatch window, do this (note that this screenshot is Flash CS 5.5, all versions are much the same):
Once you save this palette as the default, any future .fla files that you open will have that new palette. If you ever want the old, ugly palette back, open that same swatch panel and select ‘Web 216’, and party like it’s 1999.
Notice that there’s a top row of green, blue, tan, turquoise, etc. I reserve these for layer colours, as you can see layers in outline mode very clearly when these colours are applied.
This is also the palette that I use in all my Lynda courses…so if you want to follow along with those, it’s a very handy thing to have.
That color palliate is really cool! Thanks for uploading!
This color palette is so useful. Thank you for sharing this resource with us, Dermot!
Sorry, but there is a problem with the file, no palette included. I am using Animate cc.
Try this (then import it into your .fla file using the import color in the color panel:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pif8wl4butsojt9/dermot.clr?dl=0
That worked, thank you. By the way, I am really enjoying your online courses. Keep it coming.
Hi,
Great site, thank you for the tips!
If it’s okay, I’d like to ask an off-topic question, move it or delete it if desired.
I was following a Flash 5.5 tutorial on YouTube and noticed that his Color panel is different from mine. He is on Apple, I’m on PC. His panel is far more useful.
Below is a link to an image that shows the difference between the PC version and the Apple version:
https://i0.wp.com/www.agentsofdisrupt.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/flash-color-panels-pc-versus-apple.jpg?w=511
On the left, the PC version shows a color range from pink to blue. On the right the scale goes from light pink to darker pink, which is more useful to me. How do I get the PC version to behave like the Apple version?
Thanks!
If you see the HSB sliders = by selecting a different HSB value you should be able to access the different mechanism.
I agree – the one on the left is awful.
Thanks!
Now I see what they are doing with that palette, it’s actually a bit more useful. I was wrong about the other one being different because it’s on an Apple, it’s CS4 not CS5.5