This is probably one of the most used tools in AVA due to its multi-functionality. From picking colours and identifying which layers fall in certain areas to creating layers, you will see reference to this tool throughout our documentation.
Picking colours
The Pipette Tool is used to select colours from the design. Once a colour has been picked from the design it will appear in the Foreground Colour Selector. From here, the colour can be used for painting, or it can be dragged to the Swatches Palette or a colour file and saved for use later on.
- Select the Pipette from the Tools Palette or press I on the keyboard.
- Click on a colour in the design. That colour will be the active colour until another one is selected.
Tip: To avoid having to click backwards and forwards from the pipette to the Brush Tool, when working on a design, you can temporarily change the cursor from a brush to the pipette by holding down ⌥ (option key).
Select Layer mode
When the Pipette is in Select Layer mode, you can very quickly change which layer is active simply by clicking on it. This makes editing quick and easy. This mode is also great for viewing which layers overprint in a particular area. Simply select this mode then drag your cursor over the design and watch which layers become active in the Layers Palette.
Note: The ‘Select Layer’ mode can be temporarily accessed from the standard pipette by pressing ^ (control key).
Use can access this mode very quickly from the Standard Pipette by holding down ^ (control key).
DeleteDrag and drop
Drag colours from the design to a layer or any other accessible colour chip in the software.
- With the Pipette Tool selected, hold down ⌘ (command) and ⇧ (shift key). You will notice that the cursor changes slightly and now includes a small diagonal arrow. This indicates that the colour you click on can be dragged somewhere.
- Drag the chosen colour to a layer block or the Swatches Palette. As you move your cursor over the destination chip, it will become highlighted. Colours can also be dragged into open colour files.
- Release the cursor and the keys on the keyboard and the colour will appear on the selected chip.
Tone density
The Info Window will display the density of any active layer as it is clicked on with the Pipette Tool.
Tool settings
When you select the pipette from the Tools Palette, additional options appear in the integrated tools setting window.
Auto Pipette
This allows the active colour to be changed automatically when working on a design.
- Switch on Auto Pipette.
- Click on a colour in the design with the Brush Tool and start painting. As soon as the paintbrush touches a colour, it sets this colour as the foreground colour and is used to paint with straight away.
- Lift your cursor and click on a different colour to start to painting with it. The new colour will instantly appear in the Foreground Colour Selector and replace the previous one without the need for using the Pipette Tool separately.
Auto Pipette is particularly useful for cleaning up designs because you are able to quickly switch between colours just by painting in a different area and the colour you click on is used to paint with instantly.
Image channel values
When this option is switched on, colours chosen with the Pipette Tool are taken directly from the RGB channels of the image, so the colour will be identical when painting back on to the image with the chosen colour.
When it is switched off, the colour may differ slightly, particularly if Soft Proof (AVA Menu > Inspectors > Overprint Inspector) is switched on as well. It is therefore generally advisable to keep this option on.
Average Pipette
Sets the number of pixels taken into account when calculating the colour you click on with the Pipette Tool. The default is 1 pixel. This means that normally when you select a colour with the pipette just one pixel of colour is chosen (the one you click on). When the number is higher than 1, the selected number of pixels surrounding the specific pixel you click on will be averaged to create the resulting colour you see in the foreground colour box. This is a fantastic way of selecting an average colour for a layer during separations.
- Select the Pipette Tool.
- Type in the required number of pixels to be measured.
- Click on the design with the Pipette Tool and the average colour of the number of pixels you chose will be selected.
To switch off the Average Pipette enter 1 pixel. Values below 1 will not be accepted.
DeleteMulti Point Pipette
Enhance the speed and precision of image and separation rebalancing, using the combination of your Info Window and the Multi Point Pipette Tool. By enabling selection of numerous points in the design, useful information such as tone density can be displayed for each area, allowing quick comparison and simultaneous adjustment if necessary.
To set multiple points in your document, simply follow the steps below:
- Activate the Pipette Tool by clicking on the icon in your Tools Palette.
- In the Pipette Tool settings window, select the option marked with a plus symbol.
- Click on the areas of the design you wish to mark with a point. A numbered pin will appear.
- Go to Window Menu > Info.
- In your Tools Palette, activate all the layers you wish to see in the Info Window. They will appear in numbered columns, correlating to layer order. Note that only the information for the selected layers will be displayed.
Deleting single points in your design
- In the Pipette Tool settings window, activate the icon marked with a minus symbol
- Click on the pin you wish to remove
Deleting all set points
In the Pipette Tool settings window, activate the icon marked with a trash can. All points will be removed with one click.
Note: Multiple pipettes are not saved in the document, so if you close a document with multiple pipettes in, and re-open it, the pipettes will not be there.