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Description
I have never made a tutorial, but I'd try my hand at it. I learned this rather very useful method and I just had to share it.

This is a tutorial for using Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Elements to create a Custom Color Swatch Palette. It may also function for other versions, but I have no way of testing that. Another way to make custom Swatches is using the "Color Picker Tool", but that can be tedious and is not the purpose of this tutorial, so it is not covered here.
The purpose for making color palettes, if you don't already know, is to create a range of colors that match or are "cooperative" with the images within your design, and alternatively can be used for painting with the colors pre-existing in the originating photo. Believe me, this comes in handy!

Here's the description in text form;

Tutorial: Make a Color Swatch in Photoshop using the Color Table:

In my line of work, both professional and for my own hobbies, I like to coordinate the colors of my designs with the images and photos that will be used. And with the power of Photoshop it is so easy and fun to do this. This tutorial will demonstrate how to make a fast and easy custom color swatch in Photoshop using colors from your photos, and other images.

Step #1: Open up a copy of the picture you would like to work with. The photo I will be working on is a 5x7, 200dpi, RGB photo of me.

Step #2: I want a fast and easy color swatch made and want Photoshop to do the work for me. With my photo open we will set an "Index Range of Colors". Click on Image>Mode>Indexed Color. This essentially changes the Image color Mode to “Indexed Color”. DANGER; DO NOT save over your original file in this mode! *Helpful hint* Reset your Color Index range to RBG using Image>Mode>RBG Color, after you have finished this, or click File>Revert to return it to it's previous color mode. This will preserve the original file.

Step #3: When the Indexed Color dialog appears, change the settings to Local (perceptual), color- 256, tick the transparency box, change dither to none. Click on ok.
Like magic you now have a color swatch will all the various color combinations from your photo.

Step #4: To save the Palette of colors, click on Image>Mode>Color Table. Now you will see the colors that were automatically picked from your picture. Also, if you just want specific shades, you could easily crop the picture to include just the area of colors you want. Granted, that is probably better done with the Color Picker tool, unless you want a wide range of shades.
NOTE: The Color Swatch palette can be viewed by clicking on Window>Color Swatch. Alternately, you can remove any unwanted shades in the palette by dragging the individual swatch into the delete/trash can icon in the bottom right corner of the Swatches window. Or, hold down the Option Key (Mac) and use the scissors to “cut” them out. Easy!

Step #5: Click Save and type a name. Photoshop will automatically add an .act extension. Save to a folder that you have your custom swatches saved in. Remember where you save this file. You will need to load it soon and need to find it again. You can close the Color Table box by clicking OK after you have saved it.
I have a folder on my hard drive called "Custom Swatches", I keep this with other design resourses I use frequently, and save them seperate from the folders in Photoshop.
I save all my custom swatches here and back them up frequenty.

Step #6: To use your saved colors, open up your color swatch (if you have not done so already). Click on More (little arrow > in the upper right corner of the Swatch window) and then Load color swatches. Remember that Photoshop gave it the .act extension, so if it’s not shown, click on the drop down list of file types and click on Color Table. Click on the swatch you just named and load it. You made have to open the folder you saved your file too.

Done Like magic you now have a color swatch will all the various color combinations from your photo! Great isn’t it? Well, I think so.

Enjoy and have fun.

- xloganx

If you have any questions, please, just ask.

This was created using Adobe Photoshop CS2 on a Mac

EDIT Egads! I just noticed a bunch of gramatical and spelling errors. Yeesh. I need to update anyhow.

Description
I have never made a tutorial, but I'd try my hand at it. I learned this rather very useful method and I just had to share it.

This is a tutorial for using Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Elements to create a Custom Color Swatch Palette. It may also function for other versions, but I have no way of testing that. Another way to make custom Swatches is using the "Color Picker Tool", but that can be tedious and is not the purpose of this tutorial, so it is not covered here.
The purpose for making color palettes, if you don't already know, is to create a range of colors that match or are "cooperative" with the images within your design, and alternatively can be used for painting with the colors pre-existing in the originating photo. Believe me, this comes in handy!

Here's the description in text form;

Tutorial: Make a Color Swatch in Photoshop using the Color Table:

In my line of work, both professional and for my own hobbies, I like to coordinate the colors of my designs with the images and photos that will be used. And with the power of Photoshop it is so easy and fun to do this. This tutorial will demonstrate how to make a fast and easy custom color swatch in Photoshop using colors from your photos, and other images.

Step #1: Open up a copy of the picture you would like to work with. The photo I will be working on is a 5x7, 200dpi, RGB photo of me.

Step #2: I want a fast and easy color swatch made and want Photoshop to do the work for me. With my photo open we will set an "Index Range of Colors". Click on Image>Mode>Indexed Color. This essentially changes the Image color Mode to “Indexed Color”. DANGER; DO NOT save over your original file in this mode! *Helpful hint* Reset your Color Index range to RBG using Image>Mode>RBG Color, after you have finished this, or click File>Revert to return it to it's previous color mode. This will preserve the original file.

Step #3: When the Indexed Color dialog appears, change the settings to Local (perceptual), color- 256, tick the transparency box, change dither to none. Click on ok.
Like magic you now have a color swatch will all the various color combinations from your photo.

Step #4: To save the Palette of colors, click on Image>Mode>Color Table. Now you will see the colors that were automatically picked from your picture. Also, if you just want specific shades, you could easily crop the picture to include just the area of colors you want. Granted, that is probably better done with the Color Picker tool, unless you want a wide range of shades.
NOTE: The Color Swatch palette can be viewed by clicking on Window>Color Swatch. Alternately, you can remove any unwanted shades in the palette by dragging the individual swatch into the delete/trash can icon in the bottom right corner of the Swatches window. Or, hold down the Option Key (Mac) and use the scissors to “cut” them out. Easy!

Step #5: Click Save and type a name. Photoshop will automatically add an .act extension. Save to a folder that you have your custom swatches saved in. Remember where you save this file. You will need to load it soon and need to find it again. You can close the Color Table box by clicking OK after you have saved it.
I have a folder on my hard drive called "Custom Swatches", I keep this with other design resourses I use frequently, and save them seperate from the folders in Photoshop.
I save all my custom swatches here and back them up frequenty.

Step #6: To use your saved colors, open up your color swatch (if you have not done so already). Click on More (little arrow > in the upper right corner of the Swatch window) and then Load color swatches. Remember that Photoshop gave it the .act extension, so if it’s not shown, click on the drop down list of file types and click on Color Table. Click on the swatch you just named and load it. You made have to open the folder you saved your file too.

Done Like magic you now have a color swatch will all the various color combinations from your photo! Great isn’t it? Well, I think so.

Enjoy and have fun.

- xloganx

If you have any questions, please, just ask.

This was created using Adobe Photoshop CS2 on a Mac

EDIT Egads! I just noticed a bunch of gramatical and spelling errors. Yeesh. I need to update anyhow.