New Guy - Probably the dumbest question ever!

[dochall22]

I've got adobe CS3 - and I'm wondering - what is the easiest way to turn a photo black and white except for 1 color? There has got to be an easier way then what I've been doing. How do you guys do it?

 

[stsinner]

Create a duplicate layer by hitting CTRL J (you always want to work on a duplicate layer, not your original), desaturate the image, then use the history brush from your side tool bar and paint whatever you want to bring the color back to. It's called selective coloring, and you can do a youtube search for it, more than likely, that will demonstrate it for you.


1. CTRL j
2. Image>Adjustments>Desaturate
3. History brush


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2lkv9Ztr8I&feature=related"][/ame]

 

[dochall22]

awesome - thanks a lot!

 

[Big Mike]

There are several methods. I like to use layer masks.

So you would create a duplicate layer and convert it to B&W (there are also several methods for this). Then create a layer mask for that layer. Then use the brush tool to add or remove parts of the mask to cover/uncover the areas that you want.

 

[dochall22]

Here is the original:

here is my first - desaturation style color selection:

Thanks a lot for the help!!!

 

[dochall22]

I'm going to try your way too, I had been selecting the peice i want with the lasso and then invert selection then removing color.

 

[dochall22]

 

[Garbz]

Bah i hate brushing the effect for anything other than touchups. I would use the select -> colour range tool. Select the colour with high fuzzyness, invert the selection, and then desaturated the selection.

Then jump into the history brush tool for touchups

 

[dochall22]

thats a good way to do it too, thanks!

 

[~Stella~]

Techniques aside, the baby was much nicer in color. In B&W he looks rather...um...not alive.

 

[dochall22]

i think you are right. I just wanted to learn a new way of doing that particular edit!!