What Is the CorelDRAW Eyedropper Tool Used For?

The Eyedropper Tool in CorelDRAW is primarily used to sample colors, object properties, effects, and text formatting from one element and apply them directly to another. This tool eliminates the guesswork of matching visual styles manually, streamlining your design workflow by ensuring exact consistency across vector illustrations, layouts, and typography. CorelDRAW provides two distinct variations: the Color Eyedropper and the Attributes Eyedropper, each serving a specific functional role.

The Color Eyedropper Tool

The Color Eyedropper is dedicated specifically to capturing color values. When you click on any element within your workspace—including vector paths, bitmaps, or imported photographs—the tool reads the precise color information.

Key functions include:

  • Sampling Colors: Capturing CMYK, RGB, or spot color values accurately from any object on the canvas.
  • Desktop Sampling: Sampling colors from outside the CorelDRAW workspace, such as a web browser or another desktop application, by clicking and dragging the dropper across the screen.
  • Instant Application: Automatically switching to the Apply Color mode (Paint Bucket icon) once a color is sampled, allowing you to fill target shapes or change outline colors with a single click.

The Attributes Eyedropper Tool

The Attributes Eyedropper extends beyond basic color picking by copying complex object characteristics and transferring them to other objects.

Key attributes it can sample include:

  • Fill and Outline Properties: Replicating fountain fills, pattern fills, mesh fills, outline widths, colors, and line styles.
  • Text Formatting: Copying font family, font size, line spacing, tracking, and alignment from one text block to another.
  • Effects: Transferring dynamic effects such as drop shadows, contours, blends, distortions, and extrusions between compatible objects.
  • Size and Transformation: Sampling an object's scale, rotation, and position settings to match dimensions across design components.

How to Use the Eyedropper in CorelDRAW

  1. Select either the Color Eyedropper or Attributes Eyedropper from the toolbox on the left side of the workspace.
  2. In the Property Bar at the top, configure your sample settings (such as selecting a 1x1 pixel point or an averaged sample area for bitmaps, or choosing which attributes to copy).
  3. Click the source object to sample its color or attributes. The cursor will automatically transform into a Paint Bucket.
  4. Click the target object where you want the sampled properties applied. Hold the Shift key to return to the dropper and sample a new element without switching tools.