Color Blending Problem

F
Posted By
Fruit2O
Jan 17, 2007
Views
649
Replies
14
Status
Closed
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob

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R
ronviers
Jan 17, 2007
Fruit2O wrote:
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

Hi Bob,
What process are you using to separate the skin and lips from the pixels within their respective layers? I will just assume for that you have used the ‘Pen’ tool to select the lips and skin to create masks for each layer, resulting in a background layer, a lips layer and a skin layer. Is that correct so far? And now, rather than just stacking each layer, you want to select a blend mode that will allow you to blend the skin and lips layers back to the background. Is that where you are at?

Sometimes it
takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob

I am not in any hurry.

Good luck,
Ron
MH
Mike Hyndman
Jan 17, 2007
"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it? For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/

MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob
F
Fruit2O
Jan 18, 2007
On 16 Jan 2007 19:31:28 -0800, ""
wrote:

Fruit2O wrote:
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

Hi Bob,
What process are you using to separate the skin and lips from the pixels within their respective layers? I will just assume for that you have used the ‘Pen’ tool to select the lips and skin to create masks for each layer, resulting in a background layer, a lips layer and a skin layer. Is that correct so far?

Yes.

And now, rather than just
stacking each layer, you want to select a blend mode that will allow you to blend the skin and lips layers back to the background. Is that where you are at?

If I understand you correctly. Yes.
Sometimes it
takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob

I am not in any hurry.

Good luck,
Ron
F
Fruit2O
Jan 18, 2007
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.

Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?
For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob
MH
Mike Hyndman
Jan 18, 2007
"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.
Bob, you have your skin and lips layers set to normal mode, just change it to color mode and see what happens. You could copy each of the layers and set them to color, then toggle the visibility of them to see the difference in a "blink" test.

Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?

http://www.pixel2life.com/search/4/levels%20and%20curves/1/ some of the curves tuts are actually about drawing curves but there are some on adjustment curves.

For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob
K
KatWoman
Jan 18, 2007
"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.

Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?
For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob

the guy who comes on here Mike Russell (he is out of town this week) teaches an online course on curves and has some free software http://www.curvemeister.com/support/class/index.htm
F
Fruit2O
Jan 18, 2007
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:25:31 -0500, "KatWoman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.

Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?
For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob

the guy who comes on here Mike Russell (he is out of town this week) teaches an online course on curves and has some free software http://www.curvemeister.com/support/class/index.htm
Thank you…….
F
Fruit2O
Jan 18, 2007
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:29:22 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.
Bob, you have your skin and lips layers set to normal mode, just change it to color mode and see what happens. You could copy each of the layers and set them to color, then toggle the visibility of them to see the difference in a "blink" test.

What I actually did was choose a color from the picker that I knew was in the right family – but too dark. The, I painted over the skin (and lips separately) and used the opacity to lighten until I got the shade I wanted. If I use the Color mode, won’t I end up with a shade way too light to begin with? That was my thinking…..
Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?

http://www.pixel2life.com/search/4/levels%20and%20curves/1/ some of the curves tuts are actually about drawing curves but there are some on adjustment curves.

For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness (pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob
MH
Mike Hyndman
Jan 18, 2007
"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:29:22 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.
Bob, you have your skin and lips layers set to normal mode, just change it to color mode and see what happens. You could copy each of the layers and set them to color, then toggle the visibility of them to see the difference
in a "blink" test.

What I actually did was choose a color from the picker that I knew was in the right family – but too dark. The, I painted over the skin (and lips separately) and used the opacity to lighten until I got the shade I wanted. If I use the Color mode, won’t I end up with a shade way too light to begin with? That was my thinking…..

Whatever colour you choose for your skin/lip colours, you will see a change in them as you change the bending mode of the layer. Try cycling through all the modes, you can always set the layers back to normal. Set opacity to 100% first.
http://www.arraich.com/ref/tool_blend_modes.htm
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshoptutorialslayers/La yers_Blend_Modes_and_Adjustment_Layers_in_Photoshop.htm
Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?

http://www.pixel2life.com/search/4/levels%20and%20curves/1/ some of the curves tuts are actually about drawing curves but there are some
on adjustment curves.

For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness
(pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it
takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob
R
ronviers
Jan 19, 2007
Fruit2O wrote:

Yes.

Hi Bob,
Good job to get to this point. The key thing to know about blend modes, and this is important, is that they are grouped according to their relationship to neutral values. You can easily see this relationship if you download this spreadsheet style summary of the blend modes. http://picasaweb.google.com/ronviers/BlendModesSummary/photo #4993146684033662994

Click on the ‘Download Photo’ link to the right of the preview image to get a copy you can use. The first part describes what they do and the second part describes how they are used. I read these summary sheets before going to bed so I wake up with a better understanding of how things work.
Anyway this will all become clear to you but in the mean time to keep moving forward use the arrow keys to scroll through the modes in order to find one that gets close to what you want. If you do not find any set the opacity to 80% then scroll through again, then 50%, then 20%. After you get the hang of it you will want to look at the ‘Blend If’ and ‘Gradient Overlay’ options inside of ‘Styles’ that are very powerful for combining layers.
Then if you go to this album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ronviers/WesternBoxTurtle

and begin reading the captions at this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ronviers/WesternBoxTurtle/photo# 4993756686071037970

you will see how your lips layer can be used as lips for other people in other photos.

Good luck,
Ron
F
Fruit2O
Jan 20, 2007
On 18 Jan 2007 16:56:30 -0800, ""
wrote:

Fruit2O wrote:

Yes.

Hi Bob,
Good job to get to this point. The key thing to know about blend modes, and this is important, is that they are grouped according to their relationship to neutral values. You can easily see this relationship if you download this spreadsheet style summary of the blend modes. http://picasaweb.google.com/ronviers/BlendModesSummary/photo #4993146684033662994
Click on the ‘Download Photo’ link to the right of the preview image to get a copy you can use. The first part describes what they do and the second part describes how they are used. I read these summary sheets before going to bed so I wake up with a better understanding of how things work.
Anyway this will all become clear to you but in the mean time to keep moving forward use the arrow keys to scroll through the modes in order to find one that gets close to what you want. If you do not find any set the opacity to 80% then scroll through again, then 50%, then 20%. After you get the hang of it you will want to look at the ‘Blend If’ and ‘Gradient Overlay’ options inside of ‘Styles’ that are very powerful for combining layers.
Then if you go to this album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ronviers/WesternBoxTurtle

and begin reading the captions at this link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ronviers/WesternBoxTurtle/photo# 4993756686071037970
you will see how your lips layer can be used as lips for other people in other photos.

Good luck,
Ron

Thanks so much for all the information. So far, I’ve found it very difficult to understand what the blend modes do. Unfortunately, because of my head pain, it will probably be at least a week before I get to go through the matrix. I’ll let you know how I make out in this thread.
F
Fruit2O
Jan 20, 2007
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 23:58:34 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:29:22 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:35:58 -0000, "Mike Hyndman" wrote:

"Fruit2O" wrote in message
OK, I’ve got an old photo that I am coloring. So far, I used two layers – one for the skin and one for the lips. The layers are set to Normal Blending Mode. (this is my first attempt to use the blending modes). I chose a color for the skin and one for the lips that I knew were too ‘dark.’ Then I adjusted the opacity to get the color I actually wanted to end up with. However, then I learned about the Color Blending Mode and want to use it instead of the Normal mode. My problem is: How do I now pick the color I want to end up with using the Color Blending Mode? My original choices were perfect after I adjusted the opacity of the Normal mode and I’d like to end up with those same colors. Thanks…….

If you are happy with your effort using normal mode, why change it?

I want to learn something new. Thanks.
Bob, you have your skin and lips layers set to normal mode, just change it to color mode and see what happens. You could copy each of the layers and set them to color, then toggle the visibility of them to see the difference
in a "blink" test.

What I actually did was choose a color from the picker that I knew was in the right family – but too dark. The, I painted over the skin (and lips separately) and used the opacity to lighten until I got the shade I wanted. If I use the Color mode, won’t I end up with a shade way too light to begin with? That was my thinking…..

Whatever colour you choose for your skin/lip colours, you will see a change in them as you change the bending mode of the layer. Try cycling through all the modes, you can always set the layers back to normal. Set opacity to 100% first.

Thanks, Mike. You’ve been a great help to me. (but it will take me some time to go through this as I have a doctor’s appt in Georgetown this week (and I live in RI).

http://www.arraich.com/ref/tool_blend_modes.htm
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshoptutorialslayers/La yers_Blend_Modes_and_Adjustment_Layers_in_Photoshop.htm
Also, is ther a book or somewhere I can go on the Internet that will help teach me curves and levels?

http://www.pixel2life.com/search/4/levels%20and%20curves/1/ some of the curves tuts are actually about drawing curves but there are some
on adjustment curves.

For a run down of how color mode works
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2004/10/01/color-blend-mode-i n-photoshop/
MH
PS: For those who don’t know me, I am 62 years old and have an illness
(pain) in my head for which the doctors, so far, have not found the source. My reason for stating this is that the pain makes it very difficult to focus my thoughts. So, for you who think I don’t want to experiment on my own, please forgive me. There is nothing I’d rather do – but appreciate all the help you folks have given me. Sometimes it
takes me a long time to reply to your posts – I’m sorry but I’m doing the best that I can.

Bob
R
RicSeyler
Jan 23, 2007
I highly concur on Mike Russell.
I could only wish I knew after 20 years of this, what he could forget in a day. 🙂

Fruit2O wrote:

On Thu, 18 Jan 2007 18:25:31 -0500, "KatWoman" wrote:

the guy who comes on here Mike Russell (he is out of town this week) teaches an online course on curves and has some free software http://www.curvemeister.com/support/class/index.htm
Thank you…….


Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
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T
tasos
Jan 25, 2007
non posso capire niente…c’ e alcuno che parla italiano?

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