Coloring B&W images…

D
Posted By
davidd31415
Jan 2, 2006
Views
368
Replies
5
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Closed
Hi,

I’m starting to color B&W images in Photoshop and have a few questions.

I’d like to be able to change any given color I used to colorize quickly (i.e. change green eyes to blue, change shades, etc). I’ve been trying different techniques with layer masks, quick masks, etc, but I haven’t yet been able to do what I have been trying. If anyone could give me step-by-step instructions on how to do this I’d appreciate it.

Thanks,

Dave
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TE
Trace Elliot
Jan 2, 2006
davidd31415 wrote:
Hi,

I’m starting to color B&W images in Photoshop and have a few questions.
I’d like to be able to change any given color I used to colorize quickly (i.e. change green eyes to blue, change shades, etc). I’ve been trying different techniques with layer masks, quick masks, etc, but I haven’t yet been able to do what I have been trying. If anyone could give me step-by-step instructions on how to do this I’d appreciate it.

Thanks,

Dave

Image > Adjustments > Replace Color

HTH
R
Roberto
Jan 3, 2006
When Colorizing black and white images I find easiest to put each thing I color on a seperate layer. For example a young girls dress the color for it would be on its own layer and the layer blending mode would be set to color. Her eyes on another layer, her shoes on another, each one with the layer blending mode set to color.

When you need to change say her dress color simply select that layer turn on the protect transparency option for that layer, choose the color you want to use and then use Edit > Fill and the color will change. The protect transparency option will keep it to the dress area.

This is how I work.

R
DM
dolce_man
Jan 3, 2006
I second the idea of having separate color layers for each element being colored. You might wind up with a lot of layers but you’ll have the most control over each element this way. I’ve also found that the Color blending mode is not always the best one to use. For instance sometimes using Overlay, Soft Light or Color Burn might produce a more pleasing result depending on what you’re trying to color. At least that’s been my experience.

As far as changing the colors, in addition to the good suggestions already offered you could try adding a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer above the color you want to change. With the color layer selected in the Layers palette, go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Hue/Saturation, and click "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" when the box appears. This will confine any adjustments to the layer immediately below rather than affect the entire image. Then just experiment with the Hue slider and see what happens.

John
C
Clyde
Jan 3, 2006
davidd31415 wrote:
Hi,

I’m starting to color B&W images in Photoshop and have a few questions.
I’d like to be able to change any given color I used to colorize quickly (i.e. change green eyes to blue, change shades, etc). I’ve been trying different techniques with layer masks, quick masks, etc, but I haven’t yet been able to do what I have been trying. If anyone could give me step-by-step instructions on how to do this I’d appreciate it.

Thanks,

Dave

Get and read the book: Photoshop LAB Color by Margulis. He explains some techniques that would work great for coloring B&W. For one thing the LAB colorspace keeps the B&W (luminosity) separate from the color. So it is easy to add or subtract or paint color.

I would still put each color item on its own layer. Even then changing that layer’s color will be easy with a few quick curves in LAB.

Clyde
WO
Wizard of Draws
Jan 4, 2006
On 1/2/06 5:48 PM, in article
, "davidd31415"
wrote:

Hi,

I’m starting to color B&W images in Photoshop and have a few questions.
I’d like to be able to change any given color I used to colorize quickly (i.e. change green eyes to blue, change shades, etc). I’ve been trying different techniques with layer masks, quick masks, etc, but I haven’t yet been able to do what I have been trying. If anyone could give me step-by-step instructions on how to do this I’d appreciate it.

Thanks,

Dave
If you are asking about B&W line art, here is a tutorial: http://www.farlowstudios.com/flats.html

The idea is to create a layer (or channel) with flat areas of gray that are easy to select with the Magic Wand, that can be quickly and accurately reselected later if needed.
—
Jeff ‘The Wizard of Draws’ Bucchino

Cartoons with a Touch of Magic
http://www.wizardofdraws.com

More Cartoons with a Touch of Magic
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

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