def parse_color(color):
    """ Parses color into a vtk friendly rgb list """
    if color is None:
        color = rcParams['color']
    if isinstance(color, str):
        return vtki.string_to_rgb(color)
    elif len(color) == 3:
        return color
    else:
        raise Exception("""
    Invalid color input
    Must ba string, rgb list, or hex color string.  For example:
        color='white'
        color='w'
        color=[1, 1, 1]
        color='#FFFFFF'""")
Parses color into a vtk friendly rgb list