Selective color with BW (photoshop)

[UniqueVisions]

Hello - I am a beginner at using the selective color w/BW photos on photoshop. Can someone assist me with detailed instructions?? (baby steps please)

Any help would be great!! Thanks!

[mistermonday]

Hi UV and welcome to RP! The Image>Adjust>SelectiveColor and the Selective Color adjustment layer were really designed to work on color images. You can use it on a desaturated image where you still have all 3 channels even though the 3 channels are the same. However, if you have a grayscale image (Just a single channel), the selective color commands will not work at all. Perhaps you can explain what you are trying to do. If you are trying to tint a B&W image, there are a number of other more effective tools in PS to use.
Regards, Murray

[palms1]

Unique visions Hi and welcome
Could you just clarify what you mean, I have a different take on your request than Murrary's.

Could you mean a B&W image with something left in colour
?

Palms

[UniqueVisions]

Yes - the image is a color image now - I want to turn it BW and leave certain parts of the pic with color in it.

for example - her hair and neckalce left red and the rest of the pic BW.

[mistermonday]

OK, I understand what you are trying to do. There are a number of easy ways to do this. Here are two methods.
1. Duplicate your background layer (Ctrl J or Select All, Copy, Paste)
2. There are more than 10 ways to convert an image to B&W, but for this exercise just desaturate by doing Image>Adjust>Desaturate or the shortcut which is Ctrl+Shift+U. You now have a grayscale image on top of your color background.
3. Add a Layer Mask by clicking on the "Add Layer Mask" button at the bottom of the layer palette or use the Layer Menu. The mask should be all white.
4. Hit the D key to change your color swatches in the tool palette back to Black and White. Now with a soft black brush, paint over the areas where you want to keep the color. If you make a mistake and your brush errs where you did not want it to go, just click the X key to change the brush to white and paint over the areas where you want to get rid of the color. A screen shot is attached.

The other method you could use instead of the layer mask is to select the History brush and paint on the areas you want to restore color in. However the method above is more flexible and non destructive. you can change it as often as you like, save the mask for next time, or just delete the whole layer.

Regards, Murray

[Stephen A]

This may be 6 of one and half a dozen of another, but I would personally use a "hue saturation" layer and set it to 0 saturation, using the mask on it to highlight the area I wanted colored.

Different tools for different jobs - may be a useful consideration to someone.

[palms1]

I was just going to answer the post when you both answered

so here are a couple of other ways, easier but not as good

duplicate your image
image>duplicate> desaturate
use the eraser on this layer to show the colour through

or

open your image
get your paint brush and change mode to color
then paint what you want grey leaving your colour

I hasten to add these are sort of cheat ways and mister mondays way is the better way to go for more control

Have a go though and ask any questions that you have,

And in case any one is interested there are very few tutorials out there for this

Palms

[UniqueVisions]

Ok - thanks for all of your help....I am going to work on it today and I will post what the results are (if I figure it out...lol)

Really appreciate it!

Peace & Blessings
Candice/Unique Visions