Impressionist plugin: color palettes

[oyster]

It may be that many who use this plugin neglect the color palettes found in the "More Controls>Color" tab. I suspect most users go with the default "None" and allow the application's brushes to work with the image colors, perhaps with a little background color as well. However, the application offers several sets of colors, and the programming is amazing in its ability to deploy the colors according to the values present in the image. Moreover, the plugin offers a blank palette into which you may insert one, two, or up to eight colors, and Impressionist will execute the image using only these. If you have any skill with colors, and know how they play together, you come to appreciate the skills of professional painters whose palettes are much more limited than the photographers'.

However, clever as the programmers have been, they neglected to provide a <save> function for the user's custom color palettes. You have to keep a set of notations for each of your preferred color sets and tediously enter them into that tiresome Windows color picker that comes up when you click on a blank color space in the <Custom> palette. I wonder if anyone has found a work around for this, such that the worker can keep a set of his own colors like those listed in the plugin -- "Flat Muddy", "Yellow Green", "Ice", etc. -- and call them up into the application when he wants them. Anybody?

Oyster

[mikajomc]

I am far from an expert on Impressionist and I had never played with this palette feature before. So thanks for pointing it out to me.
I see no way to save just the color palette. However, you could save a style with your custom color palette. Then you would have to pick that style and modify the rest of the settings to your preference. Not an elegant solution, but at least you wouldn't have to keep typing in the color numbers.
Perhaps someone who knows more about Impressionist will chime in with more info.

[DannyRaphael]

Oyster:

You're right about the possibilities and challenges of using this obscure function. Thanks for giving it some visibility. I have enjoyed tinkering this afternoon.

Originally Posted by oyster

However, clever as the programmers have been, they neglected to provide a <save> function for the user's custom color palettes.

In all fairness Impressionist was written in the early 90's and there was only one minor bugfix update to the original version.

Too bad it couldn't have been updated a few times. Saving / loading custom color palettes would have been a sweet feature.

Originally Posted by mikajomc

I am far from an expert on Impressionist and I had never played with this palette feature before. So thanks for pointing it out to me.

I see no way to save just the color palette. However, you could save a style with your custom color palette. Then you would have to pick that style and modify the rest of the settings to your preference. Not an elegant solution, but at least you wouldn't have to keep typing in the color numbers.

Given the inherent limitations, this is a very good suggestion.

"Bravo!" to both of you on the insights, the question and suggested workaround.

[MiningArt]

After making a custom palette use Save Style with a new name and the custom palette is saved with it.