|
This tutorial demonstrates how to change an object’s colour. To work along exactly, download the start image Here. Unzip the file, and open the image onto Photoshop’s workspace, then remove its background with your choice of tool. Alternatively, download a car with its background already removed Here.
Alternative ways of changing colour are - The Colour Replacement Tool, The Colour Range Command and the Selective Colour Command.
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. 
1/
Open your start image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
2/
I am demonstrating two ways of changing your image’s colour - to begin, I am demonstrating the Hue and Saturation command. Therefore, activate your transparent image, and from the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments then choose Hue/Saturation. In the subsequent Hue and Saturation dialogue box, move the Hue slider, and find an alternative colour for your car, then click OK.
A consideration when colourising the car is how to prevent the metalwork, and headlights from being colourised. If you keep the Colourise tick box unmarked, as highlighted above, and adjust the Hue slider - the car will change colour, and the bumper will retain its natural hue. This is what happens when I increase the Hue to +44.
And this is what happens if I place a tick into the Colourise tick box - the Saturation automatically changes to 25, and the car and metalwork are colourised, as illustrated below.
Therefore, to colourise just the car’s paint work, remember to remove the tick from the Colourise box. Additionally, experiment with different settings, (including the Hue, Saturation and Lightness sliders) both with - and without - Colourise ticked.
Part 2 The Channel Mixer and applying gradients
1/
Open your image onto Photoshop’s workspace, and (if necessary), remove its background. Then activate the Magic Wand Tool. 
And set the following Add to selection settings.
Now, left-click outside the car, and inside its apertures, (for example, the bumpers), to isolate the car with a selection marquee.
2/
Now, activate the Polygonal Lasso Tool - Lesson. 
And set the following Add to selection attributes into its Options bar.
Zoom into your image, then carefully drag-and-click a lasso line around the areas you wish to protect from colour change - for example, the windscreen, inside the car, wing mirrors, head lights, metal work and orange indicator lights - as illustrated below.
Tip - retracing your steps
Whilst you are stretching the line and before the marquee is applied, to go back one step, press (either) the Delete or the Backspace key of your keyboard - press your chosen key for however many steps you want to go back - this is for Windows XP users, I am presently unfamiliar with Mac’s.
  
 
3/
From the top menu, choose Select then choose Inverse. The marquee now surrounds just the car, and not the outer border.
4/
Your car is fully prepared and ready for the colourise effect. Therefore, from the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments then choose Channel Mixer. Then enter your settings into the Channel Mixer dialogue box - I chose the following settings. Then click OK.
Notice Monochrome is unticked - and also notice, the headlights and metalwork have been protected and remain their original colour - just the paint work has been colourised.
Whilst the marquee remains, experiment with different Channel Mixer settings.
 
Alternatively, (ensure the marquee remains), and drag a Gradient over the car - making sure the Gradient’s Mode is changed to Colour.
 
Experiment with different Gradients including the Red Green and Blue settings (and sliders) of the Channel Mixer command.
When you have finished changing your object’s colour; press Ctrl then D to remove the marquee, then save your work as demonstrated here.
Wendi E M Scarth - Top of Page - Home.
|
|
