Selective Coloring

windoze

1st of all im new to this - never exclusively used CS2 before for all my editing but im now using it!
i know there are a lot of ways to accomplish the same task and this seems to apply to doing things in photoshop as well.
regarding selective coloring: i know that i could copy my background layer, and then "just" desaturate the duplicated layer and using a mask bring back some color. I could instead though apply an adjustment layer with hue / saturation, bring the saturation down to zero and with "clipping" to only affect the copy. in both scenarios i dont touch the original image. Even if i made some mistakes describing the process ( im talking off the top of my head ) would these two procedures yield the same effect?

excuse my ignorance - just trying to learn more!


troy

nikos

Simplest non-destructive version:
1. add a Gradient Map adjustment layer and select the black & white box in the drop down menu.

2. click on the adjustment layer's layer mask thumbnail and then choose a soft black brush to paint back in the color that you want.

Nikos

Richard

windoze wrote:

1st of all im new to this - never exclusively used CS2 before for all my editing but im now using it!
i know there are a lot of ways to accomplish the same task and this seems to apply to doing things in photoshop as well.
regarding selective coloring: i know that i could copy my background layer, and then "just" desaturate the duplicated layer and using a mask bring back some color. I could instead though apply an adjustment layer with hue / saturation, bring the saturation down to zero and with "clipping" to only affect the copy. in both scenarios i dont touch the original image. Even if i made some mistakes describing the process ( im talking off the top of my head ) would these two procedures yield the same effect?

excuse my ignorance - just trying to learn more!


troy

As long as you are using masks to protect the colored area, there is not a lot of difference here. Adjustment layers are generally preferred nevertheless, as they take up less memory and disk space. You should try to get used to using adjustment layers, though, as there are other cases where making changes will be much faster with them than with duplicate layers whose pixels you change.

HTH.

nikos

windoze wrote:

I could instead though apply an adjustment layer with hue / saturation, bring the saturation down to zero and with "clipping" to only affect the copy.

I must learn to read better

When you add an adjustment layer, a layer mask is automatically added also (white box thumbnail next to the adjustment layer icon). There is no need to clip to the bottom layer since, in your case, the bottom layer is the background layer.

Nikos

nikos

I must also learn to keep my points in a single post too

More stuff: Black & White

There are several ways to convert a color image to black & white. Usually, a simple desaturation is not going to give great results since the picture will likely lack contrast and depth.

In your case, if you want to do selective coloring to bring attention to a single object (ie red rose), then a desaturation may be usefull since the red rose will pop out even more against a drab background.

But, if you want a nice contrasty black & white image, then you may like my first proposal of using the gradient map adjustment layer.

HTH,
Nikos

pathfinder

I edit my color image to achieve the colors and contrast that I want. I would save that as a snapshot in my Layers Palette. I do NOT close the image at this time.

Next I would do my B&W conversion using whatever method I prefer - channel mixer or whatever - keep the B&W image in the RGB color space.

I then use the History brush to paint back in the color from my saved snapshot onto the B&W layer. NO adjustment layer is needed - although you could do this on a layer if you prefer.


Save the image and you're done.

Very easy, simple, done........

windoze

pathfinder wrote:

Very easy, simple, done........

says you....,
and i have an idea of what you're talking about but i must tread slowly in these waters i find myself in or i will surely drown....

the fact that i can even discuss layers and masks is one giant step for me....

you photoshop gurus really got your heads in the game - thats cool!!!!!


troy

windoze

nikos wrote:

I must also learn to keep my points in a single post too

More stuff: Black & White

There are several ways to convert a color image to black & white. Usually, a simple desaturation is not going to give great results since the picture will likely lack contrast and depth.

In your case, if you want to do selective coloring to bring attention to a single object (ie red rose), then a desaturation may be usefull since the red rose will pop out even more against a drab background.

But, if you want a nice contrasty black & white image, then you may like my first proposal of using the gradient map adjustment layer.

HTH,
Nikos

i didnt get to that chapter yet, but im still reading!

thanx for the advice!!!!

troy

sara505

pathfinder wrote:

I edit my color image to achieve the colors and contrast that I want. I would save that as a snapshot in my Layers Palette. I do NOT close the image at this time.

Next I would do my B&W conversion using whatever method I prefer - channel mixer or whatever - keep the B&W image in the RGB color space.

I then use the History brush to paint back in the color from my saved snapshot onto the B&W layer. NO adjustment layer is needed - although you could do this on a layer if you prefer.


Save the image and you're done.

Very easy, simple, done........

I was just working on something like this yesterday. I select all, copy and paste to make a new layer, make one layer b&w (in grayscale, though I'm sure there's a better way - I always have to bump the contrast) - then reconvert to rgb. My method is to erase the color layer, leaving the color as desired.

This is not necessarily the finished product. Not sure about the pants.

It's really not that difficult, though it can be time consuming. But fun!

pathfinder

Sara,

There really is no need for layers in the technique I described. The color layer is saved as a snapshot, and the color layer itself, then converted to B&W. You then paint from the snapshot at the top of the Layers palette onto the B&W image with the History Brush. Youo can alter the opacity of the brush as desired. You could even use alternative Blending Modes, like Overlay or Soft Light.

I would say that selective color images need first class B&W conversions to be successful. The trick is not painting the color back in, that is easy peasy, the trick is a great B&W first.

pyrtek

sara505 wrote:

I select all, copy and paste to make a new layer

All those steps can be achieved with a single Ctrl + J.

sara505

pathfinder wrote:

Sara,

There really is no need for layers in the technique I described. The color layer is saved as a snapshot, and the color layer itself, then converted to B&W. You then paint from the snapshot at the top of the Layers palette onto the B&W image with the History Brush. Youo can alter the opacity of the brush as desired. You could even use alternative Blending Modes, like Overlay or Soft Light.

I would say that selective color images need first class B&W conversions to be successful. The trick is not painting the color back in, that is easy peasy, the trick is a great B&W first.

Ah ha - good point!