How To Create A Custom Color Wheel Picker

In many applications, providing users with a way to interact with their color palette is crucial for creative freedom and ease of use. One effective way to achieve this is through a custom color wheel picker. In this article, we will explore how we created our own custom color wheel picker.

Our journey began with the creation of a standard color wheel, but we soon realized that it lacked an essential feature - user interaction. To address this issue, we expanded the center of our color wheel to expose a larger white region. Instead of using a gradient background, we opted for a more straightforward approach by placing a white background behind the center of our new doughnut-shaped design.

However, with our initial design, we were concerned that it might be challenging for users with fat fingers to select the small white area in the center. To mitigate this issue, we decided to implement a linear gradient from 50% to 100% lightness on each pie slice. This allowed us to create a visually appealing color wheel with a white center and colorful outer ring.

To achieve this effect, we utilized the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) resource, which provided us with valuable information about how to manipulate colors. Specifically, we learned that 100% lightness represents white, while 0% lightness represents black. By applying this knowledge, we were able to create a gradient that transitions smoothly from white to color.

The next step was to arrange the colored rectangles around a central point. To do this, we created a series of rectangles with increasing hues, using the hue value as our guide. The hue value is measured in degrees, ranging from 0-360, and represents the color's position on the color wheel.

We also drew inspiration from other color picker examples, which used thin pie slices to construct their color wheels. By applying this concept, we were able to calculate Hue, Saturation, Lightness values that could be converted to RGB (Red, Green, Blue) values.

After conducting research and analysis of various color pickers, we realized that a suitable open-source solution was not available, so we decided to create our own custom color wheel picker from scratch. Our widget needed to be circular, have a white center, and allow users to move a marker and capture the selected color when they tap or click on the wheel.

In conclusion, creating a custom color wheel picker requires a combination of design and technical expertise. By leveraging HSL resources, understanding color theory, and applying creative problem-solving skills, we were able to develop a user-friendly color picker that meets our requirements. Our custom color wheel picker is now ready to be used in various applications, providing users with an intuitive way to interact with their colors.

Custom color wheel picker