A method for selecting a desired color from a screen display using a color selection tool that may appear as an eyedropper. Rather than independently choosing pixels or a matrix of pixels, the user blends a color by selecting pixels using a mouse cursor. In response, the color of each selected pixel is incrementally blended into the current color at a constant rate. That is, each selected pixel is blended with the current color according to a constant blending factor. In this manner, the current color changes at a constant rate with the contribution of each successive pixel. This approach allows the user to gradually blend colors from the screen display, much as a painter would gradually mix colors on a palette.