Photoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo A little splash on an otherwise bw pic

[mzwebfreak 0]

Okay, quick, easy tutorial about how to get color on a black and white graphic. I will be using Photoshop CS, but I think you can find many of the same things in version 7.

 

1. Take any graphic you want; the simpler, the better.

 

2. Go to the Layers tab, right click, and choose Duplicate Layer

(You'll get a message asking what you want to name the layer and where you want it. Just press OK to go with the default.)

 

3. Go to the Image Section in the top area, select Adjustments, then Desaturate.

4. Now, here's what my graphic looks like so far:

5. I'm going to make the butterfly stand out, so I'm going to select a small Eraser brush, this one being Oval 10 px...take your time, and even zoom in a little bit to see that you're only revealing the color where you want to.

 

Voila! Finished Product:

[abhiram 0]

Nice idea, much simpler than what I do. I'd use the pen tool and outline the entire area or region that I want to remain in color and then press ctrl+shift+I. This will invert the selection and then desaturate. But yours is much easier than rearranging the anchor points. Nice one .

[iGuest 3]

Alright so I just wanted to say THANK YOUI've spent hours searching and trying out tutorialsBut I understood NONE of themBut this one finally workedIt was the Eraser brush that did itEverywhere else said like select the "brush tool" and that never workedTHANKYOU!!-janice

[iGuest 3]

In following your instructions here - when I apply the eraser -= it only seems to add a red mask?? I tried changing the background and foreground colors to the browns you show - but that did not make any difference. I have CS2.Any suggestions?-Bill Polkinhorn

[iGuest 3]

Another Idea for you...

Photoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo

 

Thanks first of all! Been wondering how its done for ages!!

 

Secondly, I used the magic wand to outline the part of the image I wanted to turn to colour again and just erase away, doesnt even matter if you go out side the lines.. It only does what youve highlighted! So you can use the biggest size eraser and be done in seconds!

 

Thanks again mate!

 

Daniel

 

-reply by Daniel Spencer

[iGuest 3]

What adobe are you using? I am on Photoshop elements and do not see a Desaturate button to press. I am waiting to receive my update but have not yet gotten it or are ya'll on the professional Photoshop?-reply by Paula

[iGuest 3]

This is a great tutorial! I've read a couple others that didn't work out for me, but this one did! Post more techniques!

[iGuest 3]

Thanks!Photoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White PhotoThanks for the tutorial! 

 

I kept trying to figure out how the heck people did this!

 

-Rachael

[iGuest 3]

Thank you so much for the tip! I had a beautiful picture of my daughter I wanted to turn to black and white and leave the vivid colors of the fall flowers she was smelling. I searched many sites to find help to do my project. All of them so flustating and then ..I found this. WoW! Thank you so much for making this easy.My picture is just what I was wanting. I found a new site and have signed up for future issues.Thanks again.

[iGuest 3]

Replying to (G)smilephotochicThanks for such a simple solution to a problem I have been trying to figure out for ages

 

[iGuest 3]

It doesnPhotoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo

This didn't work for me, I followed the instructions to the T & even used the magic eraser as one said. Nothing, when I do erase the area it is in B & W. No color that I can find.

Any ideas?

-question by Lindy

 

[iGuest 3]

thank youPhotoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo

many thanks for the tutorial, really like the affect an didnt have a clue how to achieve it. U made it simple and ive already done 5 pictures hehe, thanks again . RB x

-feedback by reece

 

[iGuest 3]

thank you soooo much!Photoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White PhotoThank you sooo much for this information! I spent about 2 hours on photoshop help and got no where. I was about to give up when I found this tutorial!You are a life savior!-reply by lisa

[iGuest 3]

This is not coloringPhotoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo

I'm trying to find out how to color a photo that is already black and white.  Not take a color photo, desaturate it and then erase portions of the photo.  I want to "tint" some of the areas but so far..No luck on finding the answer from anyone.  I'm using CS4 and you'd think this would be an easy task.  /txtmngr/images/smileys/smiley6.Gif

-reply by mary

[iGuest 3]

Replying to iGuestThats exactly what I was hoping for also! One person was telling me the only way to do it was to zoom in as far as you can go and color fill each pixel individually using the standard paintbrush which I foung incredably difficult as I was trying to color splash red lips and blue eyes on a black and white subject. The problem was if your doing somthing like a face there is not enough definition-there is no line to follow also trying to find a realistic shade for the lip was a challenge. But apparently that is how its done! Hope that helps get you on the right track!

-reply by Brittaney