A method for processing an image such as a computer wallpaper identifies a characteristic color representative of the image. Image pixels with similar colors are separated into groups, and the average value of the R,G,B color components in each group is determined, after filtering out pixels with R,G,B values representing white, black, or grey. The group with the maximum difference between the highest average color component value and the lowest average color component value is identified as the characteristic color. Groups representing a number of pixels less than a certain percentage of all of the pixels are not considered. The characteristic color can be used in other displayed images at an intensity α determined by setting maximum and minimum values of α, with α being the lesser of αmax and αmin plus the average color span of all pixels in the image.