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This lesson demonstrates how to change the colour of irises - the images I am working with can be downloaded Here. Unzip the file and open the contents onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
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Open your image onto Photoshop’s workspace, then expand the grey area by clicking the Full Screen Mode with Menu Bar icon, indicated by the red arrow.
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With the Background layer highlighted, click the following Create a new layer
icon, (below left), and a new transparent layer will appear. You will be working on the transparent layer throughout this lesson.
 
It is time to isolate the eyes with a marquee later, and it is important to enlarge them as much a possible; therefore, from the toolbar, activate the Zoom Tool.
Then drag out a rectangular marquee around the eyes area - this enlarges the area within the rectangle.
 
Zoom Tool
To zoom out of your image, right-click it, and you will see the following
drop-down menu. 
You now have several options - including Zoom Out. Remember, you can navigate your image with the Navigator palette.
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From the toolbar, activate the Polygonal Lasso Tool.
Polygonal Lasso Tool Tutorial
And set the following attributes into its Options bar.
Now, click and stretch a lasso around the left eye - my Polygonal Lasso Tool lesson explains in detail how to use this tool. When the left iris is isolated, it will resemble the following.
Important!
In the Polygonal Lasso Tool’s Options bar, click to set the following Add to selection tab.
This retains the left eye’s selection. Now, draw a marquee around the right iris in exactly the same way. When you have completed this, a selection marquee will surround both irises.
Important!
In the Polygonal Lasso Tool’s Options bar, click to set the following Subtract from selection tab.
Then surround the left pupil with a marquee, as illustrated here. 
Now, surround the right pupil with a selection marquee.
The marquee’s purpose is to isolate just the irises, subsequently protecting the pupil and outside the eye, from being effected by colour. Now the preparation is complete it is time to change the eyes’ colour.
Alpha Channel
If you save the selection marquee to an Alpha Channel, as explained in my lesson
Here, then save the image as a PSD file, the marquee will be saved with the file. This allows you to change the eye colour, at a later date.
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From the Layers palette, change the Mode from Normal to Colour. Blend Modes.
Important!
It is crucial that you change the Blend Mode to Colour, as this preserves the eye’s luminosity. If the Blend Mode remains with its default, Normal setting, a solid colour will be applied to the eye, such as the following example.
Changing the Mode to Colour changes the colour to the following.
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Now, activate either The Gradient Tool or The Paint Bucket Tool - I am demonstrating both.
And set a Foreground colour or Gradient of your choice.
Now everything is set, you can have lots of fun changing the eye colours by clicking within the marquee with the Paint Bucket Tool - or dragging a Gradient across. My lesson Here utilises the Paint Bucket Tool, and my lesson Here utilises the Gradient Tool.
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For example, if you activate the Paint Bucket Tool, then change the Foreground colour to the following. 
And click inside both eyes - your image will change to the following.
Remember, the Mode must be Colour!
If I activate the Gradient Tool, and set a fairly vibrant gradient, such as the following.
Then drag a gradient line across the selected eyes. 
Their colour would change to the following.
Naturally, a vivid gradient colour is not suitable for every person, (or creature) - therefore, for human eyes, choose a natural hazel, green, blue, or brown colour.
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When you are completely happy with the outcome, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image. Then again from the top menu, choose Select then choose Deselect - this removes the marquee. Return your image to its original size, and from the top menu, choose File then choose a saving preference.
Tip
To smooth harsh areas, activate the Blur Tool, and with a very low Opacity, (15 for example), blend the edges.
 
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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