Storyline 360: Working with Theme Colors

Theme colors control the default color options throughout Storyline 360. You can quickly change the style of a Storyline 360 template just by switching to different theme colors. Several built-in themes are provided for you, and you can also create your own custom themes.

• Understanding Theme Colors
• Applying and Managing Theme Colors
• Creating New Theme Colors
• Customizing Theme Colors

Understanding Theme Colors

Theme colors determine the default color choices for text, shapes, captions, outlines, buttons, and more. In the following example, theme colors appear across the top row of the selection window with shades of each color below. (Color selection windows also include 10 standard colors and options to define custom colors.)

To see your gallery of theme colors, go to the Design tab on the ribbon and click Colors.

If you've created any custom theme colors, they'll appear at the top of the list. Built-In theme colors appear beneath your custom themes. The theme colors currently in use for the selected slide have a thin orange outline.

Each theme has a palette of eight colors. The first two apply to text and backgrounds. The other six are accent colors—for example, shape fill options. To see the entire color palette for any theme or to modify a theme, jump to the section on Customizing Theme Colors later in this user guide.

Applying and Managing Theme Colors

Hover over a set of theme colors to preview what they'd look like if applied to the current slide. Just click a theme to actually apply it. (Clicking a theme applies it to all slides that share the same slide master as the current slide.)

Right-click a theme to see these additional options:

Creating New Theme Colors

Here's how to create a new set of theme colors:

1. Go to the Design tab on the ribbon and click Colors.
2. Select Create New Theme Colors at the bottom of the drop-down list.
3. When the theme editor appears, use the color selectors to assemble your palette.
   • Text/Background - Light 1 is the default text color for dark slide backgrounds and shapes. It's also one of the slide background styles on the ribbon's Design tab.
   • Text/Background - Dark 1 is the default text color for light slide backgrounds and shapes. It's also one of the slide background styles on the ribbon's Design tab.
   • Text/Background - Light 2 and Text/Background - Dark 2 are slide background styles on the ribbon's Design tab. (Dark 2 is also used as the background color in the Text Styles drop-down list when you're using light text on a dark background.)
   • Accent 1 is the default fill color for shapes, captions, check box styles 1 and 2, and radio button styles 1 and 2. It's also the default color for markers in 360° image interactions.
   • Accents 2-6 are colors you can choose in style galleries and color selectors throughout Storyline 360.
   • Hyperlink is the color used for text hyperlinks.
   • Control 1 is the hover color for radio buttons and answer choices (except drag items, drop-down questions, and Likert scale questions, which use Custom 2). It’s also the default color for hotspots in 360° image interactions.
   • Quiz - Correct is the default color for accessible correct quiz elements, such as icons and review banners. (Learn more about feedback theme colors.)
   • Quiz - Incorrect is the default color for accessible incorrect quiz elements, such as icons and review banners. (Learn more about feedback theme colors.)
   • Custom 1 is the default fill color for buttons.
   • Custom 2 is the default color for check box styles 3 and 4 as well as radio button styles 3 and 4. It’s also the hover color for drag items, drop-down questions, and Likert scale questions.

4. For each item you want to change, use its color selector and do any of the following to choose a different color:

   • Click the color you want in the spectrum area. Drag the hue slider to change the dominant color of the spectrum.
   • Use the eyedropper tool to match the color of anything visible on your screen. Just click the eyedropper, then click any color on your screen.
   • Create a custom color by entering the color value in Hex. Click Hex to use Red/Green/Blue (RGB) or Hue/Saturation/Light (HSL) values.
   • Choose from three palette types: theme colors, project colors, or custom palettes, which include the standard colors palette by default, then select a square color swatch below it.
   To save your chosen color for easy selection later, click the palette drop-down list, and then select one of your custom palettes or choose New Palette. Then click Add to Palette (+ icon). The color will get added to your custom palette. Click outside the color selector window to close it.
5. Enter a name for your new theme colors.
6. Click Save.

Customizing Theme Colors

It's easy to modify your custom theme colors. Here's how:

1. Go to the Design tab on the ribbon and click Colors.
2. Right-click the custom theme colors you want to modify and select Edit.
3. When the theme editor appears, use the color selectors to modify your palette.

Built-in theme colors can't be modified. However, you can create your own theme colors based on built-in themes. Here's how:

1. First, apply the built-in theme colors you want to use as your base colors to your course (i.e., left-click the built-in theme).
2. Then, click the Colors drop-down again and choose Create New Theme Colors. The theme editor will open, and the colors will default to those from the built-in theme you're currently using (from step 1).
3. Edit the colors to your liking and save the theme with a new name.

You Might Also Want to Explore:

Using Design Themes
Working with Theme Fonts