# Pick color from reference image? **URL:** \ **Category:** Lounge\ **Created:** [April 22, 2021, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517 "2021-04-22T14:42:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jorgensen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@Jorgensen](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/Jorgensen)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/1 "2021-04-22T14:42:36Z")
Are we supposed to be able to pick colors from reference images? I select the material tool, and then I use the pipette tool to select a color on the screen, and picker seems to react to the reference image, but I find that the picked color does not match the one on the reference image. I can see that there is a hint that displays “drag your finger on the mesh to pick a color”, but is the reference image a mesh? Should it work? Jorgensen ---
**Author:** ![Dface\_Lesh](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forum.nomadsculpt.com/dface_lesh/32/3794_2.png) [@Dface\_Lesh](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/Dface_Lesh)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/2 "2021-04-22T20:31:11Z")
It can pick from reference image or mesh since previous update. As reference image it will be hard to pick the exact same color since image have multiple color and 3D still have roughness and metalness to consider. ---
**Author:** ![Jorgensen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@Jorgensen](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/Jorgensen)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/3 "2021-04-22T21:30:03Z")
Thanks for your input - it just seem to be hard to pick the right colors - but yes, roughness and metalness might course the problem. ---
**Author:** ![stephomi](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forum.nomadsculpt.com/stephomi/32/19583_2.png) [@stephomi](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/stephomi)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 9:42pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/4 "2021-04-22T21:42:15Z")
> [@Jorgensen](#): > > but I find that the picked color does not match the one on the reference image. It does pick the correct color. Maybe you are confused by the material preview (driven by roughness/metalness), but the color is the correct one. ---
**Author:** ![knacki](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forum.nomadsculpt.com/knacki/32/1297_2.png) [@knacki](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/knacki)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/5 "2021-04-22T21:59:06Z")
And matcaps, and ambient light / hdri and and and. You can only compare the color on background image with color selector. This 1 to 1. In my example, a bronze Matcap makes selected color look completely different, but picked color is perfect. ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/uploads/nomadsculpt/original/2X/c/cf170c058fd8f5d85ab187a42b9dbc8e15e49973.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Jorgensen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@Jorgensen](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/Jorgensen)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/6 "2021-04-23T21:01:52Z")
I have tried to show how it looks when I select colors. To me it seems that some of the colors are quite off, especially the sand and sky in the background. But I might misunderstanding the function of the color pick? [https://www.dropbox.com/s/4j37has26hedrz0/Video%2023-04-2021%2C%2022.50.37.mp4?dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/s/4j37has26hedrz0/Video%2023-04-2021%2C%2022.50.37.mp4?dl=0) ---
**Author:** ![stephomi](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forum.nomadsculpt.com/stephomi/32/19583_2.png) [@stephomi](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/stephomi)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/7 "2021-04-23T21:06:52Z")
Open the main menu at the top and pin it. You might better understand how it works if you can see the color preview instead of simply the material. ---
**Author:** ![JasminGen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JasminGen](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/u/JasminGen)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 9:25am UTC](https://forum.nomadsculpt.com/t/pick-color-from-reference-image/2517/8 "2025-10-15T09:25:42Z")
Hey! I definitely ran into this exact confusion when I first started using reference images! It’s actually working correctly, but it’s a subtle 3D thing: The eyedropper does pick the pure, exact color from the image, but what you see on the mesh is being heavily influenced by your material’s Roughness and Metalness settings, plus the scene’s lighting (HDRI/Matcap). The best way to verify it’s picking the right color is to pin the main color menu at the top. When you eyedrop the color, you’ll see the pure color swatch in that pinned menu change perfectly, even if the color on your mesh looks darker or shinier. You might find this free tool helpful. [https://colorpickerimage.org/](https://colorpickerimage.org/)