Color Structure

Named colors are represented by using the properties of the Color structure. For more information about these colors, see Colors by Name.

The color of each pixel is represented as a 32-bit number: 8 bits each for alpha, red, green, and blue (ARGB). Each of the four components is a number from 0 through 255, with 0 representing no intensity and 255 representing full intensity. The alpha component specifies the transparency of the color: 0 is fully transparent, and 255 is fully opaque. To determine the alpha, red, green, or blue component of a color, use the A, R, G, or B property, respectively. You can create a custom color by using one of the FromArgb methods.

The following code example demonstrates the A, R, G, and B properties of a Color, and the Implicit member.

This example is designed to be used with a Windows Form. Paste the code into the form and call the ShowPropertiesOfSlateBlue method from the form's Paint event-handling method, passing e as PaintEventArgs.

private void ShowPropertiesOfSlateBlue(PaintEventArgs e)
{
    Color slateBlue = Color.FromName("SlateBlue");
    byte g = slateBlue.G;
    byte b = slateBlue.B;
    byte r = slateBlue.R;
    byte a = slateBlue.A;
    string text = String.Format("Slate Blue has these ARGB values: Alpha:{0}, " +
        "red:{1}, green: {2}, blue {3}", new object[]{a, r, g, b});
    e.Graphics.DrawString(text, 
        new Font(this.Font, FontStyle.Italic), 
        new SolidBrush(slateBlue), 
        new RectangleF(new PointF(0.0F, 0.0F), this.Size));
}

.NET Framework

.NET Framework Client Profile

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

Reference

Other Resources