diff --git a/command_prompt.py b/command_prompt.py
index 170c0cb..2b112e0 100644
--- a/command_prompt.py
+++ b/command_prompt.py
@@ -295,6 +295,11 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         # parse command line
         self.parse_argv()
 
+        # commands that cannot be compounded
+        if self.argv[0]=="set":
+            self.run_set(self.argv)
+            return
+
         # single letter commands (which can be combined)
         # write
         if self.argv[0]=="w" or self.argv[0]=="w!" or self.argv[0]=="wq":
@@ -306,7 +311,53 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         if self.argv[0]=="q" or self.argv=="wq":
             self.app.stop()
 
-    # wrie to file
+    # set properties of particles
+    def run_set(self,argv):
+        if len(argv)<3:
+            self.message="error: 'set' command was run with too few arguments -- usage: 'set <property> <value>'"
+            return
+
+        if argv[1]=="color":
+            self.run_set_color(argv)
+            return
+        else:
+            self.message="error: unrecognized command '"+argv[1]+"'"
+            return
+        
+    def run_set_color(self,argv):
+        if argv[2]=="blue":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((0,0,1))
+        elif argv[2]=="green":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((0,1,0))
+        elif argv[2]=="red":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((1,0,0))
+        elif argv[2]=="cyan":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((0,1,1))
+        elif argv[2]=="magenta":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((1,0,1))
+        elif argv[2]=="yellow":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((1,1,0))
+        elif argv[2]=="white":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((1,1,1))
+        elif argv[2]=="black":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((0,0,0))
+        elif argv[2]=="gray":
+            self.app.painter.set_color((0.5,0.5,0.5))
+        else:
+            color_str=argv[2].split(",")
+            # error if improperly formatted
+            if len(color_str)!=3:
+                self.message="error: unrecognized color specification '"+argv[2]+"'; supported format is 'r,g,b' or one of red|green|blue|cyan|magenta|yellow|white|black|gray"
+                return
+            try:
+                color=(float(color_str[0]),float(color_str[1]),float(color_str[2]))
+            except:
+                self.message="error: unrecognized color specification '"+argv[2]+"'; supported format is 'r,g,b' or one of red|green|blue|cyan|magenta|yellow|white|black|gray"
+                return
+            self.app.painter.set_color(color)
+
+
+    # write to file
     def run_write(self,argv):
         if len(argv)>2:
             self.message="error: could not write to file: too many arguments -- usage: ':w [path to file]'"
@@ -335,6 +386,7 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         # update status bar
         self.app.status_bar.draw()
 
+    # edit file
     def run_edit(self,argv):
         if len(argv)>2:
             self.message="error: could not open file: too many arguments -- usage: ':e <path to file>'"
@@ -363,4 +415,3 @@ class Command_prompt(Label):
         self.app.openfile=argv[1]
         # update status bar
         self.app.status_bar.draw()
-
diff --git a/painter.py b/painter.py
index 81d35c5..b8feba6 100644
--- a/painter.py
+++ b/painter.py
@@ -250,6 +250,14 @@ class Painter(Widget):
                 return self.adjust_move_element(newdelta,element,recursion_depth+1)
 
 
+    # set color of selected particles
+    def set_color(self,color):
+        for particle in self.selected:
+            particle.color=color
+        # redraw
+        self.draw()
+
+
     # write configuration to file
     def write(self,file):
         ff=open(file,"w")