The color command sets colors of atoms/bonds, ring fill, ribbons, atom and residue labels, molecular surfaces, and VDW surfaces. The command ~color sets the color to none (no color assigned); assignments at other levels in the coloring hierarchy may become visible. For coloring over a range, see rangecolor and rainbow. For coloring other surface models (not just molecular surfaces), see scolor. See also: colordef, bondcolor, ribcolor, ribinsidecolor, modelcolor, surfcolor, coulombic, set, setattr, msc, the Actions menu
The color_name can be:
The atom-spec indicates which atoms (and/or associated labels, surfaces, or ribbon) are to be colored. If no atom-spec is given, all atoms (and/or their associated labels, surfaces, or ribbon) are affected.
In Chimera, visible color is determined by a hierarchy. Color sets atom, atom label, and surface colors at the atom level, and ribbon and residue label colors at the residue level. Modelcolor sets colors at the model level. Surfcolor sets which level is used as the source for visible surface colors; this must be the atom level for color to control the visible surface color.
Examples:
color green #2:his- color all histidine residues in model 2 green, as well as any associated ribbon segments, labels, and surfaces
color #ff00ff,r,s #3- color ribbons and molecular surface of model 3 #ff00ff (= magenta)
~color bl #0:4- remove the color assignments of atoms and their labels in residue 4 of model 0 (the color will default to the model-level color)
color red @/color=blue- color red every atom that is blue (and any ribbon segments, labels, and surfaces associated with those atoms)