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This lesson has been written with beginners in mind, and has comprehensive step-by-step instructions. I demonstrate a quick way of converting parts of a photograph to monochrome utilising the Brush Tool - this technique is also known as colour-popping. To work along, you can download the image I am working with Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Beginners
This is not a difficult technique, however, if you are an absolute beginner, I recommend you to print this lesson, and take a little time to read it before creating your artwork! Reading it just once - before completing the tutorial - will be beneficial to you. Good Luck and happy colour-popping!
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. 
Intermediate to advanced students! - If you prefer, isolate areas of your image with a selection marquee. With, for example - the Polygonal Lasso Tool.
Tip
Quickly enlarge, or reduce, the size of your brush by pressing either the right - or left, keyboard bracket keys.
Tip
You can increase, or decrease - the brush’s Opacity by tapping the numerical numbers of your keyboard - the numbers on the very far right. Tapping number 1 changes the Opacity to 10% - tapping number 3, changes the Opacity to 30%, and so on.
Note
I am utilising Photoshop’s Default Workspace; to set your workspace to the same, from the top menu, choose Window then choose Default Workspace. You will then see all of the palettes utilised in my tutorials. Default Workspace Screen Capture Here!
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From the top menu, left-click File then from the drop-down list, left-click Open.
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In the subsequent Open dialogue box (Windows XP) - Screen Capture Here! navigate to where your image resides; for example Desktop or My Documents. Then click to highlight it, and click Open. Your choice of photograph will then open onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Tip
You can extend your photograph’s grey workspace by left-clicking its upper-right menu, and dragging it (the menu) horizontally, towards the top-right. This makes it easier to work with your photograph. Additionally, quickly resize the image’s grey workspace by pressing and holding Ctrl - then tapping your keyboard’s Plus or Minus key.
2/ Important
Press your keyboard’s D key. This sets the Foreground and Background swatches to Photoshop’s Default Black and White. 
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To activate the Brush Tool; from the left-side (vertical) toolbar, click the following tiny black arrow, highlighted below left. And from the subsequent drop-down list, (below right), left-click Brush Tool.
 
Now, directly above Photoshop’s workspace, you will find the following Brush Tool Options bar. Screen capture of the options bar and toolbar here!
The Options bar is where you can personalise (change), the Brush Tool settings; for the purpose of this lesson - set the following Brush Tool attributes.
To alter the Brush Tool settings, click the little back triangles, next to an option tab, (for example Mode). This opens a drop-down list, from which you click your choice. For example, to change the Mode from it default setting (Normal), to Colour - click the black triangle, (highlighted below), then from the subsequent drop-down list, left-click Colour.
Quick Note
Mode is short for Blending Modes. Blending Modes alter the appearance of the brush application - depending on your choice of Mode.
Blend Modes Lesson - Intermediate! - Blend Modes for beginners Lesson Here!
Now, if you haven’t already done so, change the Mode from Normal to Colour, and ensure Opacity and Flow are both set to their (default) 100% settings. You do this by clicking their respective black triangles, and dragging the sliders to alter their settings.
 
To set a Soft Brush; click the following black triangle next to the Brush tab. Then click the black triangle in a circle, indicated by the red and white arrows. A large menu will then open; displaying your brush library.
From the large brushes menu, left-click (to set), the following Basic Brushes and Stroke Thumbnail tabs. The Stroke Thumbnail tab ensures that you see the brushes I am demonstrating. Note: Click OK to the subsequent Replace current brushes... prompt.
Your Basic Brushes and Stroke Thumbnail settings have now been set.
Now, set your Brush Size by left-clicking the tiny black arrow, next to the Brush tab - highlighted below left, and the following drop-down palette will appear. The palette displays your Basic Brushes.
Note: In Photoshop, the brush size in known as the Master Diameter. Now, from the drop-down palette, left-click and grab the scroll bar, then scroll the brush thumbnails - and double-left-click to set the following Soft Mechanical 35 pixels brush.
 
Selecting the Soft Mechanical 35 pixels brush automatically sets the Master Diameter and Hardness settings. However, these settings can be altered, at any time by dragging their respective sliders.
Now you have set your Brush Options, the Options bar should resemble the following; you are now ready to paint!
To remove colour, left-click, then (keeping the left-button pressed), paint over areas you wish to change to monochrome.
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Note
You are removing the colour because the (Blending) Mode is set to Colour, and the Foreground and Backgrounds swatches are Black and White, respectively.
Note
You will notice the brush tip is represented by a circle. As you paint, areas inside the circle are effected, and areas outside of the brush, remain unchanged.
Tip
Releasing your mouse button regularly, ensures you can quickly undo errors using the Step Backwards command - explained in my next chapter.
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Continue to paint with monochrome, by either repeatedly left-clicking, or by
left-clicking and dragging your brush, altering the size of your brush as necessary. Be careful not to paint the eyes; however, if you do - from the top menu, click Edit then from the drop-down list, click Step Backwards. Keep stepping backwards to remove all errors.
 
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If you feel it is necessary, you can quickly intensify the coloured areas; to do so, activate the Sponge Tool.
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And set the following Sponge Tool attributes. Note: You change the Sponge Tool’s size (Master Diameter), Flow, Mode and Brush - in exactly the same way as the Brush Tool.
Now, repeatedly left-click over coloured areas - to intensify the colour.
Tip
Be careful not to over saturate (colour), your image - you can very easily get carried away!
Note
The Desaturate setting of the Sponge Tool works in a similar way to the Colour Mode of the Brush Tool, and removes colour.
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When you have finished playing with your image, link here to learn how to optimise and save your work.
There are different ways to colour-pop photographs; utilising the Brush Tool is perhaps the quickest. With experience, you will be able to create intricate colour-popping. The following lessons demonstrate slightly different colour-popping techniques.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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