Creating a Palette in Harmony

Harmony is set to Basic Palette Lists mode by default. This setting stores the palettes automatically for you and saves them at the Scene level. When you use Advanced Palette Lists mode, you can decide at which level you want to store your palettes; Environment, Job, Scene, Element.

To switch to Advanced Palette Lists mode:

1. Open the Preferences panel:
Windows/Linux: Select Edit > Preferences.
Mac OS X: Select Stage > Preferences.
The [Ctrl] + [U] (Windows/Linux) or [⌘] + [U] (Mac OS X).

The Preferences panel opens.

2. Select the Advanced tab.

 

3. Enable the Advance Palette Lists mode.

 

4. Click on the OK button.

To create a palette from the Advanced Palette Lists mode:

1. Make sure that you have the necessary rights to modify the palette list. If you do not, select Edit > Edit Palette List Mode, a check mark will appear beside the command to indicate that the mode is enabled.
2. In the Timeline or Xsheet view, select the drawing that requires a palette.
3. In the Colour view, click on the Show Palette List View button to display the palette list.
4. In the Colour view, click on the Menu button and select Palettes > New or click on the Create Palette button.

The Palette Browser: Create Palette dialog box opens.

 

5. Select which level to store the palette file in.

 

Environment

The Palette Library folder is stored in an Environment folder contained in the Scene folder.

Job

The Palette Library folder is stored in a Job folder contained in the Scene folder.

Scene

The Palette Library folder is stored directly in the Scene folder.

Element

The Palette Library folder is stored directly in the Drawing Element folder.

When you select a level that has a palette stored in it, the palette names are displayed in the Palette field.

 

6. Name the palette. (There is no need to add the suffix "palette"  to the name as it is always recognized as a palette file.)

 

7. Select a Palette List option:

 

Scene Palette List

The Scene Palette List is mainly used with cut-out animation. A cut-out character will often be divided in twenty to thirty different drawing elements that use the character's master palette.

The palette list is stored at the scene level instead of the Element directory. This way, all palettes linked to this list will appear in every drawing element created in the scene. There is no need to manually load the palette in each element.

Element Palette List

The Element Palette List is mainly used with traditional and paperless animation. Unlike cut-out animation, all columns (drawing elements) contain different characters, props, backgrounds and effects. The Element Palette List is used because you do not necessarily want all of the palettes for all of your elements linked in every column.

The palette list is stored in the drawing element's directory instead of directly in the Scene level. This ensures that the links to the palettes appear only in the appropriate element. If you prefer to access a global palette list, link your palettes to the Scene Palette List.

8. Click on the OK button.

The new palette appears in the palette list.

 

Related Topics 

Palette Storage
Linking a Palette in Harmony