View Full Version : saturation mask


saby
07-11-2007, 01:42 AM
i'd like to know what do you think about the HSB/HSL filter in Photoshop to get the mask of saturation, or any other suggestion to get it. There was a tutorial about sat.masking but i can't find any more

saby

Michel B
07-11-2007, 01:27 PM
My own way to create a saturation mask would be to create a colour layer, duplicate it, increase saturation 50% then set blend mode to difference. Saturated parts will appear lighter. The result being both dark and 'blotchy' I generally use auto level and some blurring.
1 - create color layer: duplicate background. Create new 50% grey layer under it. Select duplicate and set blend mode to colour. Merge down.
2 - duplicate it and increase sat 50%, set blend mode to difference
3 - stamp visible (Ctrl Alt Shift E) produces the mask; auto levels and some blur.

Best use the mask with add-on masks (Grant's, Grafi, Hiddenelements...)

Michel B

saby
07-12-2007, 12:37 AM
Thanx Michel

saby

EternalTomorrow
07-16-2007, 10:08 PM
My own way to create a saturation mask would be to create a colour layer, duplicate it, increase saturation 50% then set blend mode to difference. Saturated parts will appear lighter. The result being both dark and 'blotchy' I generally use auto level and some blurring.
1 - create color layer: duplicate background. Create new 50% grey layer under it. Select duplicate and set blend mode to colour. Merge down.
2 - duplicate it and increase sat 50%, set blend mode to difference
3 - stamp visible (Ctrl Alt Shift E) produces the mask; auto levels and some blur.

Best use the mask with add-on masks (Grant's, Grafi, Hiddenelements...)

Michel B

Have a before picture and and after-your-technique picture to show?

Rocksteady,
Danno~

Michel B
07-17-2007, 03:28 AM
This was used to increase saturation 50% on the less saturated parts without excessive altering of already saturated parts. I used an inverted mask with a hue sat adjustment layer. This can be a useful step before using artsy filters.

EternalTomorrow
07-17-2007, 04:11 AM
looks great!

Graphics23
07-17-2007, 07:04 AM
If you have the HSB/HSL filter installed you can create a saturation mask as follows:

Select the HSB/HSL filter; Filter>Other>HSB/HSL

Convert your image to either HSB or HSL

48199

Open the Channels Palette. You'll see that the channels are still labeled RGB, but the data in them is HSB/HSL.

R=H
G=S
B=B/L

Now drag the G channel down to the 'Create New Channel' icon at the bottom of the palette.

This will create an alpha channel based on saturation. Don't forget to label the alpha channel.

Go back to the HSB/HSL filter and return to RGB, the alpha channel will still be there.

Now you can use the alpha channel to create layer masks and selections. I usually don't edit the alpha channel, but I do make edits to the resulting layer mask or selection. This will typically consist of blurring to soften transitions and levels adjustments to focus or fine tune the mask.

Regards,

Michael

Cameraken
07-17-2007, 07:49 AM
Hi.

There is a Tutorial here

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=151

Hope this helps.

Ken.

Michel B
07-17-2007, 07:55 AM
If you have the HSB/HSL filter installed you can create a saturation mask as follows:

Select the HSB/HSL filter; Filter>Other>HSB/HSL

Convert your image to either HSB or HSL


Regards,

Michael

Michael,

I am using Elements PSE5, is the HSB/HSL filter an action or a plugin?
I have found a shorter way to create the mask:
- create new Hue/sat adjustment layer in blend mode difference increase sat 50%
- stamp visible (Ctrl Alt shift E)
- adjust with auto levels, auto contrast or manually
- delete the adjustment layer
The new layer can be copied to a mask, and maybe inverted depending on what you want to mask.

If all I want is saturating low saturation parts, I can create a color layer (Hiddenelements) and select greyish parts with the magic wand and create a hue/sat adjustment layer. This creates the mask.

By sheer curiosity I have downloaded the trial version of Paint Shop Pro XI which seems to provide built-in tools for this...

Michel B
07-17-2007, 08:02 AM
Hi.

There is a Tutorial here

http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=151

Hope this helps.

Ken.

Thanks Ken, very interesting to understand the saturation problem. As I am using Elements, it's not possible to use those tools...
Another way with Elements would be to use the first steps of Hiddenelements CMYK conversion tool, as Richard Lynch suggested on another forum.

Graphics23
07-17-2007, 08:52 AM
I am using Elements PSE5, is the HSB/HSL filter an action or a plugin?


It's an old Photoshop plugin. It's no longer installed by default and hasn't been changed in years, but it still seems to work with the latest versions.

As of CS2, Adobe still includes it in the installer discs. You have to look for it in the extras folder.

Your workaround sounds pretty interesting, I'll have to try it.

Regards,

Michael

Cameraken
07-17-2007, 10:13 AM
Hi Michel

You are welcome, I'm glad you found it interesting

Stroker has more (deeper):eek: stuff on his site. Here are some links

http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/index.php?title=Extract_saturation_to_greyscale
http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/index.php?title=Limit_Saturation_Blend_If_Hack
http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/index.php?title=Lightness_Limits_Saturation
http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/index.php?title=High_Pass_and_Saturation

He even wrote a plug-in to extract sat but I guess this won't work with elements either.
The plug-ins are here
http://tech-slop.serveit.org/wiki/index.php?title=Photoshop_plug-ins



Ken.