Changing a color from one to another?

CR
Posted By
Charlie Rose
Sep 15, 2003
Views
538
Replies
6
Status
Closed
Hello all,

Can someone describe the method of changing a color in a image from one to another (i.e. a red car to a blue car)? I used to know a method by point sampling the midpoint of light and dark shades of a color and noting the RGB colors then using the Hue/Saturation to apply the RGB color to another other image but cannot remember the technique.? Can someone help?

Thanks in advance,
-CR

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Y
YrbkMgr
Sep 15, 2003
You might have better luck with adjustment layers and blending modes. Depending on the composition of the image, you might be able to add a blue adjustment layer (solid color) then change it’s blend mode to color. What you’re trying to do isn’t easy as far as I am aware… you may end up with painstaking selection creation. If you post an example of the pic and tell us the link, you may get better help.
B
Bernie
Sep 16, 2003
CR,

There is a third party plug-in for Photoshop, called Color Mechanic, to help you with that sort of thing. See, for example,

<http://www.colormechanic.com>

— Burton — (not associated with Digital Light & Color or Color Mechanic)
W
whozit
Sep 16, 2003
You can also do it really convincingly with spot colors.
P
Phosphor
Sep 16, 2003
CR,

Like Tony said, the "complexity" of the object that you want to change the color of is a key factor. If the elements of the image allow for an "easy selection process"—this is probably the process you are "almost remembering."

1. Select object that you want to apply the color change to– maybe one of the lasso tools or ??

2. Go to Image>Adjustment>Hue and Saturation.

3. In the Hue & Sat dialog box check the colorize box in the lower right corner and make sure the preview box is checked also.

4. Now play with the Hue slider (top one) and drag it until you are happy with the color.

5. Then you can also mess with the saturation and lightness for varying shades of color.

Was this the one you were thinking of CR?

Patty

p.s. Hi Burton–I didn’t know about the color mechanic plug in—so I’m off to investigate. Just like always–you keep on teaching me things!

Edit– Hey OW, you snuck in while I was putting another load in the washer during my post! How’s things? I’m not familiar with the spot color method you refer to—does it also involve the selection process or something different?
DP
Daryl Pritchard
Sep 16, 2003
Patty,

If you’ve not downloaded the trial of Color Mechanic yet, it is a pretty slick, and simple to use, plug-in. From the user’s guide on it, there is a caveat…while it can be used for extreme color changes, it is more intended for a relatively narrow color change. The reason is due to a halo effect on the edited area where the original colors may not be replaced and blended out very smoothly. But, for modest changes of color, you can make a parrot look a bit more saturated in color…or change a shirt’s colors slightly: <http://jazzdiver.com/photoshop/colormechanic.jpg> (top left is the original)

Regards,

Daryl
W
whozit
Sep 16, 2003
Yo, Patty!
Although generally intended for CYMK print work using the Pantone colors option in the color palette, you can also use it with RGB. It basically involves creating a spot channel, selecting the color desired (I especially like the ‘Varnish’ effect for a shine or gloss overlay)and then painting on your image, with the intensity of selected color adjusted by the B&W slider. Used judiciously, with a combination of selections and brush work, it’s da bomb!

I learned the technique from QUE’s Special Edition Using PS6, which used changing a red sports car into a blue one, which was why this thread jogged my memory of this technique. Usually, I’m not doing anything that detailed, and suffice with the Lasso Tool, Quick Mask and then a Hue/Saturation adjustment, but for a detailed car image, this is better.

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