The Plugin Site Forum

[Gerald McClaren]

What is the best way to make a black and white photo color? Do I do it in RGB or CMYK? I am currently using Photoshop CS2. Finally, how would I give the skin that shiny look.

Gerald McClaren

[shagger1]

I use harry's filters-usually artistic/atmospherizer and play with the settings-can sometimes get nice results...

[claude9229]

I use PS CS2 - so when coloring - select paint brush and change the blend from normal to color - chose the color your want - now pure black and pure white will not color - only shades in between [before coloring - make a duplicated layer of the model/etc you want to color - I do this because sometimes I mess up the pix and so I have one standing by]

coloring pure black and pure white - make a blank layer above the pix and select paint brush and normal - choose the color you want - then color the areas on the pix you want to color - then in the layer marquee use the opacity and one below it and fade the color into the pix until you get desired effect - merge layers if you plan to move the orginal pix around or if you want to color some more using the "color" blend mode

now for a change of pace - try the other blend modes when using the brush - see how the color changes

when you are finished with coloring - place a blank layer above pix - using the paint bucket cover the blank layer with a solid color - using the blend modes on the layer marquee blend it into the pix below - sometimes this gives a richness to the pix - I have used many colors - especially if I want to show reflections off of back ground color - basic color I use the most is shades of brown - do not know why but it brings out the color better in my opinion - sometimes this helps with skin color

skin color is the hardest - select a color photo with the skin color you would like to use - using the eye droper copy it - then using the color blend mode of the paint brush - paint on the skin - I use a plug-in to get the skin tone right but I can not think the name of it - I am at work right now - most of the time selecting the skin color of a color pix works

shiny look to skin - I would like to know how to do that too

I love coloring black and white pix for fun - I like to color part of the pix and leave the other B&W - like paint the cloths and leave the skin B&W or maybe I will pain one flower - color will bring attention to what ever you want people to look at first

there are two rules that are necessary when coloring B&W:
Rule 1: Have fun!
Rule 2: Remember rule #1!

hope this helps
_________________
be a light
Claude

[claude9229]

Hi - here is the plug-in I use for skin tone - URL below

http://www.skintune.com/

happy coloring
_________________
be a light
Claude

[Didge]

There's a no-brainer called Black Magic .......... available from here
http://www.blackmagic-color.com/
which works a treat
_________________
Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense

[claude9229]

Thanks Didge

I knew there was one out there but could not find it - ya made my day



Claude

[Fred Hoffman]

Coloring B&W Photos in Photoshop

1) Make adjustments to the B&W image to prepare it for the coloring process. These adjustments could include: Blur, Sharpness, Contrast, Brightness.

2) Make and re-name a new layer for each element in the photo to be colored.

3) Set the layer blending mode to color.

4) When possible, use magnetic lasso to select the area to be colored, select the color to use, then use the paint bucket tool to fill the selected area.

5) Or use the paint brush to color each element while in that named layer. Aim for even coverage, allow color to go past the element boundary, then go back and erase the spill-over.

6) Adjust the transparency of each layer for your desired effect