Abaqus/CAE begins the color coding process by applying an Initial color to the viewable geometry and mesh elements in the current viewport. By default, this initial color is grey, but you can customize the initial color by selecting one of the following from the Initial color field:
You can select the current color, which prompts Abaqus/CAE to retain the current colors displayed in the viewport. Selecting this option does not change any colors; therefore, this option is most useful when you do not want to change a geometry or mesh element color that you have already applied in the viewport.
You can set the initial color to display the default color mappings for your selected module. This option is useful for resetting individual selections to their default colors without removing all color changes from the viewport. For example, when you choose this option in the Assembly module, Abaqus/CAE color codes components of the assembly according to the assembly module default settings: Display body, Geometry, Native mesh, and Orphan mesh.
You can select a custom color as the initial color.
If you are working in any module other than the Visualization module, you can use the translucency tool in the Color Code toolbar to make the initial color translucent and to select a level of translucency. For more information, see “Changing the translucency,” Section 77.3.
Note: In the Visualization module, you control translucency from the Other page of the Common plot options or Superimpose plot options dialog box. See “Customizing render style, translucency, and fill color,” Section 55.2, for more information.
To change the initial color:
Click the 
tool in the Color Code toolbar.
Abaqus/CAE displays the Color Code dialog box.
Click and hold the Initial color sample, and then select one of the following choices from the list that appears:
Select the equal sign (=) to select the current color.
Select the asterisk (*) to select the default color mapping for the module.
Select the color sample (
) to select a custom color. Choosing the color sample symbol opens the Select Color dialog box for you to choose a new color. (For more information, see “Customizing colors,” Section 3.2.9.)
Click Apply.
Abaqus/CAE displays the new initial color selection in the current viewport.