Change the colour of part of an image using layer masks.
by July 25, 2012 10:39 pm 9,654 views8
For this tutorial I am going to use an image from Wikimedia commons by Sebastianjude.
Step 1.
Open your image in Photoshop.
Step 2.
Duplicate the layer
Step 3.
Turn off the original picture layer by pressing the eye icon for that layer in the layers palette.
Step 4.
Select the duplicate layer and click the icon at the bottom of the layers palette to add a layer mask.
Step 5.
With the layer mask selected, choose the brush tool. If you have not used a layer mask before you will notice that the colour palette has changed to white and black. Black will hide the image and white will bring it back /reveal the image.
Step 6.
Use the paintbrush with black selected to hide all parts of the image except for the parts where you want to change the colour.
Step 7.
Once you are left with just the part you want to change colour. Turn the other layer back on.
Step 8.
Select the layer with the layer mask and choose Image > Adjustments > Hue & Saturation (You must select the layer on the left of the layers palette and not the layer mask this time). Play around with the colours until you are happy with the look of the image.
Step 9.
If you find a bit you’ve missed you can click on the layers mask in the layers palette and continue to use the airbrush and black to hide more of the top image. Likewise if you what to reveal more of the top image you can do this by using the brush and the white colour to bring the image back.
Step 9.
Here is my final image, alongside the original.
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Mununa August 31, 2012 at 6:34 am
Thanks for the tutorial, so very nice effect, interesting results.
hannah September 3, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Thank you for your comments Mununa, much appreciated 🙂
Roger August 12, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Hi Hannah,
I am trying to colourize a car. It has many reflections and varying intensities of colour.
My attempts to use your method result in solid colour, not gradations over the areas painted. I therefore loose perspective and shape.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for this.
Roger
hannah August 14, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Hi Roger,
I have tried to replicate this issue myself and haven’t been able to re-create it. All I can say is to try the tutorial again just incase you missed one of the steps. If anyone else can spot the issue here please post an answer. Thanks
Raymond Chua January 23, 2014 at 1:16 pm
Hannah,
Solution to the problem is
1) Open the image
2) Click Adjustment layer (half black half white icon) under layer palette
3) Select “solid color”
4) Add a mask by clicking on square with circle inside icon under layer
5) Click on thumbnail of the adjustment layer (not the mask)
6) Pick the color you want to replace with
7) Click on thumbnail of the mask, and fill the mask with black.
8) Select brush tool and make sure the foreground is white
9) Start painting the subject that you want to change color
10) If make a mistake, just change colour of brush to black and paint over to restore.
Hope that help!
Raymond Chua from Singapore
Raymond Chua January 23, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Hannah, please use this version.
(missed out one step 4)
Solution to the problem is
1) Open the image
2) Click Adjustment layer (half black half white icon) under layer palette
3) Select “solid color”
4) Click the down arrow under layer and select blend mode to “color”
5) Add a mask by clicking on square with circle inside icon under layer
6) Click on thumbnail of the adjustment layer (not the mask)
7) Pick the color you want to replace with
8) Click on thumbnail of the mask, and fill the mask with lack.
9) Select brush tool and make sure the foreground is white
10) Start painting the subject that you want to change color
11) If make a mistake, just change colour of brush to black and paint over to restore.
Hope that help!
Raymond Chua from Singapore
amit kumar March 7, 2014 at 11:19 am
Thanks hannah for nice post
Myda July 3, 2016 at 11:33 pm
Awesome! Thank you so much!