# Color creation Load colors from asset catalogs, and create colors from raw component values, such as those used by grayscale, RGB, HSB, and CMYK colors. ## Topics ### Loading color objects from asset catalogs [`init(named:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(named:)) Creates a color object from the provided name, which corresponds to a color in the default asset catalog of the app’s main bundle. [`init(named:bundle:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(named:bundle:)) Creates a color object from the provided name, which corresponds to a color in the default asset catalog of the specified bundle. [`init(catalogName:colorName:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(catalogName:colorName:)) Creates a color object using the specified asset catalog and color names. [`NSColor.Name`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/Name) The name of a color. ### Creating a color using RGB components [`init(srgbRed:green:blue:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(srgbRed:green:blue:alpha:)-9oz51) Creates a color object from the specified components in the sRGB colorspace. [`init(displayP3Red:green:blue:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(displayP3Red:green:blue:alpha:)) Creates a color object from the specified components in the Display P3 color space. [`init(red:green:blue:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(red:green:blue:alpha:)) Creates a color object with the specified red, green, blue, and alpha channel values. [`init(calibratedRed:green:blue:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(calibratedRed:green:blue:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity and RGB components. [`init(deviceRed:green:blue:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(deviceRed:green:blue:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity value and RGB components. ### Creating a color using HSB components [`init(calibratedHue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(calibratedHue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity and HSB color space components. [`init(deviceHue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(deviceHue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity value and HSB color space components. [`init(hue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(hue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)) Creates a color object with the specified hue, saturation, brightness, and alpha channel values. [`init(colorSpace:hue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(colorSpace:hue:saturation:brightness:alpha:)) Creates a color object with the specified color space, hue, saturation, brightness, and alpha channel values. ### Creating a color using CMYK components [`init(deviceCyan:magenta:yellow:black:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(deviceCyan:magenta:yellow:black:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity value and CMYK components. ### Creating a color using white components [`init(white:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(white:alpha:)) Creates a color object with the specified brightness and alpha channel values. [`init(calibratedWhite:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(calibratedWhite:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity and grayscale values. [`init(deviceWhite:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(deviceWhite:alpha:)) Creates a color object using the given opacity and grayscale values. [`init(genericGamma22White:alpha:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(genericGamma22White:alpha:)) Returns a color object with the specified white and alpha values in the GenericGamma22 colorspace. ### Creating a high dynamic range (HDR) color [`init(red:green:blue:alpha:linearExposure:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(red:green:blue:alpha:linearExposure:)) Generates an HDR color in the extended sRGB colorspace by applying an exposure to the SDR color defined by the red, green, and blue components. The `red`, `green`, and `blue` components have a nominal range of [0..1], `linearExposure` is a value >= 1. To produce an HDR color, we process the given color in a linear color space, multiplying component values by `linearExposure `. The produced color will have a `contentHeadroom` equal to `linearExposure`. Each doubling of `linearExposure` produces a color that is twice as bright. [`init(red:green:blue:alpha:exposure:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(red:green:blue:alpha:exposure:)) Generates an HDR color in the extended sRGB colorspace by applying an exposure to the SDR color defined by the red, green, and blue components. The `red`, `green`, and `blue` components have a nominal range of [0..1], `exposure` is a value >= 0. To produce an HDR color, we process the given color in a linear color space, multiplying component values by `2^exposure`. The produced color will have a `contentHeadroom` equal to the linearized exposure value. Each whole value of exposure produces a color that is twice as bright. ### Creating a pattern-based color [`init(patternImage:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(patternImage:)) Creates a color object that uses the specified image pattern to paint the target area. [`patternImage`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/patternImage) The pattern image used to paint the target area. ### Creating a color dynamically [`init(name:dynamicProvider:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(name:dynamicProvider:)) Creates a dynamic catalog color with a provider that’s used to resolve the exact color value, calculated on first use. ### Creating a color in an arbitrary color space [`init(colorSpace:components:count:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(colorSpace:components:count:)) Creates a color object from the specified components of the given color space. ### Creating a system tint color [`init(for:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(for:)) Returns the color object specified by the given control tint. [`NSControlTint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSControlTint) Constants for specifying a cell’s tint color. ### Converting other types of color objects [`init(_:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(_:)) [`init(cgColor:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(cgColor:)-1hzl8) Creates a color object using the specified Core Graphics color. [`init(CIColor:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(CIColor:)-3rxsk) Creates a color object from the specified Core Image color. ### Creating color objects [`init()`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init()) Initializes the color object. [`init(coder:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(coder:)) Creates a color object from data in an unarchiver. [`init(resource:)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSColor/init(resource:)) Initialize a `NSColor` with a color resource. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)