[Loddonjohn]

Good Evening Everyone,

Could someone please tell me the following, how can you have a B+W image but have some parts of it colored?
For instance if you had a B+W image of a pair of hands but you wanted the finger nails painted red how would you do it?

I start of with the image in color and then desaturate it then what...

Take Care
John

[Dabhand16]

There is more than one way to skin a rabbit.

Easiest way is to copy the layer and desaturate the copy to give a mono image. Then use a layer mask to reveal the underlying colour you want to show. Use black to bring out the colour, and if you go wrong, change to white and you can put back the mono.

You could also use two layers, desaturate the top one and use the eraser in the same way, but it is not so easy to correct any errors.

I think there are other ways too, but these will be the easiest.

[Loddonjohn]

Graham,
Thank you very much for that info, I don't exactly know what some of it means as I've never used layers so expect me back..

Take care
John

[Mr Blue Sky]

one other way you can do it is as follows -

select the saturation brush


set the hardness and opacity to 100 and size to whatever you need


hold down right click to remove colour as required being careful around the edges of the object you are leaving in colour. if you use small strokes around delicate areas then all you have to do is hit the undo button if you go over a bit and try again.

[Loddonjohn]

Graham,

You have a private message

John

[Loddonjohn]

Hi Mr Blue Sky,
Will also have a go at your method it seems straight forward for a dummy like me.

Take care
John

[Mr Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by Loddonjohn

it seems straight forward for a dummy like me.

thats why i use it lol

[Loddonjohn]

Hi Graham,

I wan't to thank you for all of your help, I am much obliged ..

Take care
John

[Dabhand16]

My pleasure. Let's see the results!

[Charlotte]

I have another easiest way

(1) First duplicate your BG layer + call the copy "Selective Colour"
(2) Select that layer!
(3) Select menu > Colour Range [choose colour from drop down list, or use dropper to take a sample from your image]
(4) Back to Select menu > Invert [so that all other colours except your chosen colour are selected]
(5) Add a new HSL adjustment layer + pull the saturation slider all the way to the left [0] to desaturate.

Voila, your image will now only show your chosen colour, wherever it appears in your image, i.e. not just contiguous areas.

It looks like a lot of steps, but it is straight forward, with no messing about with manually painting anything anywhere on the image. Give it a try + you'll see how easy + accurate this method is

[Loddonjohn]

Charlotte,

You have a PM

John