# How to add Custom Colors

You do have the freedom to add and use custom colors throughout [<mark style="color:purple;">**Canvas**</mark>](https://www.canoa.supply/canvas). When you select Text, Shapes, Frames, and Areas, you will be given the option to **Set Fill Style** and **Set Stroke Style** with the icons that appear below the selected item. While Canvas offers a few standard color options, there are several ways to apply a custom color to these elements and their borders.

* Fill = the area inside the border
* Stroke = the border

<figure><img src="https://2113117739-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FoXL90G447T7Arsje35d9%2Fuploads%2FDKz0MESjTJ6XjcW8Jvzf%2FCanvas_Colors.gif?alt=media&#x26;token=b9d57293-e05f-4925-8e10-b010bb9fe527" alt=""><figcaption><p>Example of the color menu icons in Canvas</p></figcaption></figure>

## Set the Fill Style:

1. Select an item to add color to: **Text**, a **Frame**, a **Shape**, or an **Area**.
2. Click **Set Fill Style** to add color throughout the element.
3. You now have the following options when choosing a color here:
   1. **Double click** into a color **swatch** to edit the color **gradient** and the **opacity** level.
   2. Click the **Plus icon** in the color menu to launch the color gradient and opacity level.
   3. Click the **Eyedropper icon** in the color menu to select a color from your Canvas.
   4. Or, if you know your color code, manually type in a **HEX, RGBA, or HSLA** extension to apply your perfect color.
4. Click throughout the gradient window to choose your color.
5. Adjust the **opacity** of the color by sliding along the opacity bar in the color menu.&#x20;
6. When you have found your perfect color, simply click outside of the color menu to exit.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Pro Tip:** If you are using Google **Chrome** as your web browser, you can use the Eyedropper tool to pick up colors from anywhere on your screen - including outside the browser window!
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://2113117739-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FoXL90G447T7Arsje35d9%2Fuploads%2F4YVj73GA17aYCzWMzt06%2FScreenshot%202024-05-15%20at%203.08.37%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=b2ab03bb-49d2-4447-b4f1-3afe8d655995" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>Plus icon and Eyedropper icon located inside the color menus</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
**Hint:** Colors are saved per Canvas board.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://2113117739-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FoXL90G447T7Arsje35d9%2Fuploads%2FeeKDSkPEWH4I2oopPYbw%2FCustom%20Color%20Menu.png?alt=media&#x26;token=7ea70791-53c7-4473-b2a9-fd1bf83df860" alt=""><figcaption><p>Finding our way around all the options in the color menu</p></figcaption></figure>

## Set the Stroke Style:

1. To style the border of a **Frame**, a **Shape**, or an **Area**, select the element and click the **Set** **Stroke Style** icon just below it.
2. You have the same color options as above noted - Steps 3 through 6.
3. Chose the border style: **Solid line, Dashed, or Dotted**.
4. Chose the **thickness** of the border: a weight of 1 through 10.
5. Click outside the color menu to save and exit.

<figure><img src="https://2113117739-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FoXL90G447T7Arsje35d9%2Fuploads%2FL4bkYi0A3xEZ7q6B98Ut%2FScreenshot%202024-05-15%20at%203.30.24%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=739282ea-85f9-448c-9f08-5a85b24e5166" alt=""><figcaption><p>Example of a Frame with a custom stroke style and color: Solid line with thickness set to 4.</p></figcaption></figure>

We hope this custom color feature allows you to easily bring in your own design and brand standards into Canvas. Learn more about colors by reading these articles here:

{% content-ref url="how-to-add-text" %}
[how-to-add-text](https://help.canoa.supply/docs/design/how-to-add-text)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="how-to-use-the-drawing-tools" %}
[how-to-use-the-drawing-tools](https://help.canoa.supply/docs/design/how-to-use-the-drawing-tools)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="how-to-draw-an-area" %}
[how-to-draw-an-area](https://help.canoa.supply/docs/design/how-to-draw-an-area)
{% endcontent-ref %}