Colorizing Grayscale Images

JS
Posted By
Jim_Slim
May 19, 2004
Views
200
Replies
6
Status
Closed
Using layers for each different hue, I just colorized a grayscale image and it wasn’t bad, but I am certain it could be better. Anybody have any experience and tips on getting the most out of colorizing grayscale?
Related Tags
color grayscale image

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JE
John_Eldred
Sep 15, 2006
Photoshop 6.0 on a PC – Windows XP Professional – 2GB RAM

I have a customer who has provided me very good quality grayscale images of parts that they manufacture. They would like me to colorize certain portions of these parts. Selections are not a problem. The problem lies in getting good color match and representation due to existing tonal variations/density. I tried manipulating Curves using Channels – this provided an excellent outcome except that color cannot be refined enough. I have since tried many variations via "Image, Adjust, Hue/Saturation, Colorize" and often additionally brightness and contrast adjustments, without satisfaction.

I would appreciate any suggestions – am I missing something? Thanks.
BL
Bob Levine
Sep 15, 2006
Ask them to take color pictures.

Bob
CN
Cybernetic Nomad
Sep 15, 2006
Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Have you tried channel mixer?

It’s particularly effective if you work with B&W images in RGB mode
JE
John_Eldred
Sep 15, 2006
Yes – files have been converted to RGB – and thanks but I tried that and it does not allow enough refinement, but I’ll revisit it.
A
a
Sep 15, 2006
You could try creating a new layer on top of the original, set its blend mode to color then paint or fill selections on it. Then you can apply adjustment layers, levels, hue/sat, whatever.

wrote in message
Photoshop 6.0 on a PC – Windows XP Professional – 2GB RAM
I have a customer who has provided me very good quality grayscale images
of parts that they manufacture. They would like me to colorize certain portions of these parts. Selections are not a problem. The problem lies in getting good color match and representation due to existing tonal variations/density. I tried manipulating Curves using Channels – this provided an excellent outcome except that color cannot be refined enough. I have since tried many variations via "Image, Adjust, Hue/Saturation, Colorize" and often additionally brightness and contrast adjustments, without satisfaction.
I would appreciate any suggestions – am I missing something? Thanks.
GH
Gernot_Hoffmann
Sep 15, 2006
John,

you know the tools – not much to add:

1. Try Lab. Lightness and chroma are decoupled.
Handling the channels (a) and (b) requires some
exercise.
Starting by a gray image in Lab / Curves,
vertical shifts of the centers of (a) and (b)
will produce tints:
(a): red-magenta <—> green-cyan
(b) yellow <—> blue

2. Correct eventually much more by numbers in
test areas (5×5 average), as indicated by the
Info Palette, instead of judging just by
appearance.

Best regards –Gernot Hoffmann

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