noob question

[Mecal]

Question about photoshop.

how can i make the background of a picture black and white, but have the subject retain its color?
ive seen alot of ppl (here and elsewhere) do this, and its awesome!
So i wanted to try it myself some time, but i dont know how.

thanks :)

[Rob]

There are a few ways of doing it. I feel the best method is the layer method.

You save the pic 2 ways, 1 in b&w and the other in color.

Open up the color file, click layer > new

this will create a new layer, then open the b&w file and copy it, then paste it right ontop of the b&w file and that will be the second layer.

Then just tke the eraser tool and erase the areas you wish to be color.

simple.


the other way where you outline the car or object with the lasso tool etc etc take way too long. Good luck, post up finished products too

[thrillissues]

extract tool ftmfw!

[Mecal]

ohhh, Rob, thats so simple! lol

thanks :)

[2 FN LOW]

Method 1
-Open your image

-Edit it

-If your using adjustment layers merge the layers when you are done editing

-Duplicate the background layer

-On the top layer (the copy of the background) turn everything B&W

-Now take out your eraser and erase the parts (on the top B&W layer) that you want to be in color

-save your image



Method 2
-Open your image

-Edit it

-When done editing take out on of the "lasso" tools..Whichever one you like to work with

-Use the lasso tool to trace to trace the area which you want to be in color

-When you have the object traced and selected go up to "Select" and then click "Inverse"

-This will change your selection, now everything outside of what your originally traced out will be selected..Do not undo the selection

-Go to "Image" and then to "Adjustments" and then select "Hue/Saturation" and bring down the saturation of the colors...I perfer to do each color by itself and adjust the lightness to get different shades

-When that is done just undo the selection and save your image



Method 3
-Open your image

-Edit it

-Now go down to the bottom of your tools (under the colors)..See how there are 2 boxes side by side? The one of the left (which is selected in the default settings) is "Standard Mode" the one of the right is what you call the "Quick Mask" mode..Select the one on the right which is the "Quick Mask" mode

-Reset your colors so they are at default settings (black and white)

-Select the "brush" tool

-Make sure you are using the color black

-On your image use the black to brush over the areas which you want to stay their original colors...It will show up red on the screen..If you overlap something by mistake take out the white and brush over the part where it overlaps...You will notice that the white gets rid of the red..

-Once you have the object which you want to keep the color of fully red, go back and click on the box next to the "Quick Mask" mode and bring yourself back to the standard mode..

-You will now have a selection on your screen, the selection will be around the object which you want to keep the colors of.

-Go to "Select" and then "Inverse"

-This will change your selection, now everything outside of the original selection will be selected

-Go to "Image" and then to "Adjustments" and then to "Hue/Saturation" and bring down the saturation of the colors..I like to do each color by itself so i can adjust the lightness on each to get different shades

-Once you have the background in black and white and your object in color get rid of the selection and save your image.

[2 FN LOW]

oh yea, and if the color of your object isnt anywhere close to the colors in the background you can very easily just go to "Image" and then to "Adjustments" and then to "Hue/Saturation" and lower the saturation of the colors which you want to be black and white...Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesnt..All depends on the colors in the picture.

[Mecal]

ah alright.
thanks alot :)

[2 FN LOW]

1 more thing...if you are doing this to something you can see through, like a car, make sure you you make the background through the windows B&W also...If you need help with that after you did everything else, just ask...

[Dakar_e36]

Method 1

Method 3
-Open your image

-Edit it

-Now go down to the bottom of your tools (under the colors)..See how there are 2 boxes side by side? The one of the left (which is selected in the default settings) is "Standard Mode" the one of the right is what you call the "Quick Mask" mode..Select the one on the right which is the "Quick Mask" mode

-Reset your colors so they are at default settings (black and white)

-Select the "brush" tool

-Make sure you are using the color black

-On your image use the black to brush over the areas which you want to stay their original colors...It will show up red on the screen..If you overlap something by mistake take out the white and brush over the part where it overlaps...You will notice that the white gets rid of the red..

-Once you have the object which you want to keep the color of fully red, go back and click on the box next to the "Quick Mask" mode and bring yourself back to the standard mode..

-You will now have a selection on your screen, the selection will be around the object which you want to keep the colors of.

-Go to "Select" and then "Inverse"

-This will change your selection, now everything outside of the original selection will be selected

-Go to "Image" and then to "Adjustments" and then to "Hue/Saturation" and bring down the saturation of the colors..I like to do each color by itself so i can adjust the lightness on each to get different shades

-Once you have the background in black and white and your object in color get rid of the selection and save your image.


quick mask is the only way to go. i use a different method that i think is faster/easier.

1. duplicate your layer

2. desaturate the bottom layer image>adjustments>desaturate (Ctrl-shift-U)

3. make sure you have the default black and white on your foreground/background colors

4. Paint the colored layer black where you want it to be black and white. if you mess up. switch to your white foreground color and paint it white and it will go back to color

very simple.

quick mask is incredibly useful if you play with it and figure out what you can actually do with it

[Breech]

sweet photoshop lesson