@@ -15,17 +15,17 @@
 import os.path as osp
 import re
 
+import matplotlib
+from matplotlib import cm, markers, colors as mcolors
 import matplotlib.backends.qt_editor.formlayout as formlayout
 from matplotlib.backends.qt_compat import QtGui
-from matplotlib import cm, markers
-from matplotlib.colors import colorConverter, rgb2hex
 
 
 def get_icon(name):
-    import matplotlib
     basedir = osp.join(matplotlib.rcParams['datapath'], 'images')
     return QtGui.QIcon(osp.join(basedir, name))
 
+
 LINESTYLES = {'-': 'Solid',
               '--': 'Dashed',
               '-.': 'DashDot',
@@ -112,17 +112,17 @@ def prepare_data(d, init):
     curvelabels = sorted(linedict, key=cmp_key)
     for label in curvelabels:
         line = linedict[label]
-        color = rgb2hex(colorConverter.to_rgb(line.get_color()))
-        ec = rgb2hex(colorConverter.to_rgb(line.get_markeredgecolor()))
-        fc = rgb2hex(colorConverter.to_rgb(line.get_markerfacecolor()))
+        color = mcolors.to_hex(line.get_color(), line.get_alpha())
+        ec = mcolors.to_hex(line.get_markeredgecolor())
+        fc = mcolors.to_hex(line.get_markerfacecolor())
         curvedata = [
             ('Label', label),
             sep,
             (None, '<b>Line</b>'),
             ('Line Style', prepare_data(LINESTYLES, line.get_linestyle())),
             ('Draw Style', prepare_data(DRAWSTYLES, line.get_drawstyle())),
             ('Width', line.get_linewidth()),
-            ('Color', color),
+            ('Color (RGBA)', color),
             sep,
             (None, '<b>Marker</b>'),
             ('Style', prepare_data(MARKERS, line.get_marker())),
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ def apply_callback(data):
             line.set_linestyle(linestyle)
             line.set_drawstyle(drawstyle)
             line.set_linewidth(linewidth)
-            line.set_color(color)
+            rgba = mcolors.to_rgba(color)
+            line.set_color(rgba)
             if marker is not 'none':
                 line.set_marker(marker)
                 line.set_markersize(markersize)
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 import datetime
 import warnings
 
-from matplotlib.colors import colorConverter, is_color_like, rgb2hex
+from matplotlib import colors as mcolors
 from matplotlib.backends.qt_compat import QtGui, QtWidgets, QtCore
 from matplotlib.externals import six
 
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None):
 
     def choose_color(self):
         color = QtWidgets.QColorDialog.getColor(
-            self._color, self.parentWidget(), '')
+            self._color, self.parentWidget(), "",
+            QtWidgets.QColorDialog.ShowAlphaChannel)
         if color.isValid():
             self.set_color(color)
 
@@ -96,30 +97,25 @@ def set_color(self, color):
     color = QtCore.Property(QtGui.QColor, get_color, set_color)
 
 
-def col2hex(color):
-    """Convert matplotlib color to hex before passing to Qt"""
-    return rgb2hex(colorConverter.to_rgb(color))
-
-
 def to_qcolor(color):
     """Create a QColor from a matplotlib color"""
     qcolor = QtGui.QColor()
-    color = str(color)
     try:
-        color = col2hex(color)
+        rgba = mcolors.to_rgba(color)
     except ValueError:
         warnings.warn('Ignoring invalid color %r' % color)
         return qcolor  # return invalid QColor
-    qcolor.setNamedColor(color)  # set using hex color
-    return qcolor  # return valid QColor
+    qcolor.setRgbF(*rgba)
+    return qcolor
 
 
 class ColorLayout(QtWidgets.QHBoxLayout):
     """Color-specialized QLineEdit layout"""
     def __init__(self, color, parent=None):
         QtWidgets.QHBoxLayout.__init__(self)
         assert isinstance(color, QtGui.QColor)
-        self.lineedit = QtWidgets.QLineEdit(color.name(), parent)
+        self.lineedit = QtWidgets.QLineEdit(
+            mcolors.to_hex(color.getRgbF()), parent)
         self.lineedit.editingFinished.connect(self.update_color)
         self.addWidget(self.lineedit)
         self.colorbtn = ColorButton(parent)
@@ -133,7 +129,7 @@ def update_color(self):
         self.colorbtn.color = qcolor  # defaults to black if not qcolor.isValid()
 
     def update_text(self, color):
-        self.lineedit.setText(color.name())
+        self.lineedit.setText(mcolors.to_hex(color.getRgbF()))
 
     def text(self):
         return self.lineedit.text()
@@ -259,7 +255,8 @@ def setup(self):
                 continue
             elif tuple_to_qfont(value) is not None:
                 field = FontLayout(value, self)
-            elif label.lower() not in BLACKLIST and is_color_like(value):
+            elif (label.lower() not in BLACKLIST
+                  and mcolors.is_color_like(value)):
                 field = ColorLayout(to_qcolor(value), self)
             elif isinstance(value, six.string_types):
                 field = QtWidgets.QLineEdit(value, self)
@@ -322,7 +319,8 @@ def get(self):
                 continue
             elif tuple_to_qfont(value) is not None:
                 value = field.get_font()
-            elif isinstance(value, six.string_types) or is_color_like(value):
+            elif (isinstance(value, six.string_types)
+                  or mcolors.is_color_like(value)):
                 value = six.text_type(field.text())
             elif isinstance(value, (list, tuple)):
                 index = int(field.currentIndex())