An improved technique involves embedding a pen selection within a selected color. When a user selects a color for a new stroke by moving a cursor over a color icon, a pen palette appears within the selected color icon. In some arrangements, the improved techniques further involve automatically selecting a pen by default as the previous pen used for that color, so that only a single color selection need be made rather than separate pen and color selections. In this way, the user may then quickly and fluidly select both a color, then a pen for a drawing stroke. Such a color and pen selection process may be seen to simulate the actions in drawing on a whiteboard.