I was messing around with Photoshop today. This photo of a Spiny Lobster was so, so. Duplicate layer, then de-saturate the layer. Eraser tool to erase the de-saturated layer. Looks very different....
Messing with Photoshop
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Funky!
Hello Kevin:
Wow. I have to confess that I have painted in a lot of desaturated color pics but all of my efforts have been on landlubber shots. Yours is the first attempt I have seen to use the technique on an underwater shot. Bravo! You did a great job.
I noticed that you made a new layer, desaturated it and then used the eraser tool to “punch a hole” in the desaturated layer to let the lobster color show through. I admire your result as there is no apparent margin around the lobster. Nice work!
If I tried to do the same thing, I would end up erasing, examining, and doing a lot of undo in History to correct my mistakes. There is another method you might want to try. I am assuming that you are using Photoshop Elements but the same technique will work in full version Photoshop.
First go to the “Standard Edit” mode make a duplicate copy of your image so you don’t mess up your original image if you accidentally save it (right click on the image in the filmstrip and select duplicate).
Next, on the right hand side of the screen open the Layers Palette. Above the background thumbnail look for the Adjustment Layer button (half black half white circle) and click on it. From the drop down menu choose “Hue/Saturation”.
When the dialogue box appears, grab the middle (saturation) slider and pull it all the way to the left. This will desaturate your image and it should now appear black and white. Click OK to accept the adjustment.
In the Hue/Saturation layer you will see a white thumbnail to the right of the H/S icon. This is a layer mask. In full version Photoshop you can add a mask to any layer, but in PSE this option is only available in the adjustment layers. Click on the right white (layer mask) thumbnail to make the layer mask active.
Now hit the letter “d” to make the color patches at the bottom of the tool bar (left hand side of the screen) return to the default colors. The patches should be white over black. Then hit the letter “x” which will change the patches to black over white.
Next pick up a soft brush (brush tool) and paint black over the portions of the image where you want to return the color. Voila, the color returns. If you actually see black on the screen then undo and be sure you have clicked on the layer mask thumbnail to make it active. When you are painting on a mask remember “black blocks and white shines”. By painting black on the mask you are blocking that part of the desaturated adjustment layer and letting the image below appear (the color). Painting white restores the desaturated adjustment layer where you paint.
So, if you overpaint and want to correct, hit the letter “x” to put the white square on the top in the bottom of the toolbox on the left. Then you can paint white on the mask to “erase” the adjustment. You can go back and forth to refine your mask and if you save in PSD you can always go back to adjust and fine tune your mask at any time. The issue with “erase, undo, erase” is the difficulty in fine tuning. You lose all your “undo history” if you close the image and reopen it later.
I take no credit for your idea. This is only a suggestion as to another way to implement it. I know a picture helps so I will try to find the time to post a screen shot later this week.
—Bob
Wow. I have to confess that I have painted in a lot of desaturated color pics but all of my efforts have been on landlubber shots. Yours is the first attempt I have seen to use the technique on an underwater shot. Bravo! You did a great job.
I noticed that you made a new layer, desaturated it and then used the eraser tool to “punch a hole” in the desaturated layer to let the lobster color show through. I admire your result as there is no apparent margin around the lobster. Nice work!
If I tried to do the same thing, I would end up erasing, examining, and doing a lot of undo in History to correct my mistakes. There is another method you might want to try. I am assuming that you are using Photoshop Elements but the same technique will work in full version Photoshop.
First go to the “Standard Edit” mode make a duplicate copy of your image so you don’t mess up your original image if you accidentally save it (right click on the image in the filmstrip and select duplicate).
Next, on the right hand side of the screen open the Layers Palette. Above the background thumbnail look for the Adjustment Layer button (half black half white circle) and click on it. From the drop down menu choose “Hue/Saturation”.
When the dialogue box appears, grab the middle (saturation) slider and pull it all the way to the left. This will desaturate your image and it should now appear black and white. Click OK to accept the adjustment.
In the Hue/Saturation layer you will see a white thumbnail to the right of the H/S icon. This is a layer mask. In full version Photoshop you can add a mask to any layer, but in PSE this option is only available in the adjustment layers. Click on the right white (layer mask) thumbnail to make the layer mask active.
Now hit the letter “d” to make the color patches at the bottom of the tool bar (left hand side of the screen) return to the default colors. The patches should be white over black. Then hit the letter “x” which will change the patches to black over white.
Next pick up a soft brush (brush tool) and paint black over the portions of the image where you want to return the color. Voila, the color returns. If you actually see black on the screen then undo and be sure you have clicked on the layer mask thumbnail to make it active. When you are painting on a mask remember “black blocks and white shines”. By painting black on the mask you are blocking that part of the desaturated adjustment layer and letting the image below appear (the color). Painting white restores the desaturated adjustment layer where you paint.
So, if you overpaint and want to correct, hit the letter “x” to put the white square on the top in the bottom of the toolbox on the left. Then you can paint white on the mask to “erase” the adjustment. You can go back and forth to refine your mask and if you save in PSD you can always go back to adjust and fine tune your mask at any time. The issue with “erase, undo, erase” is the difficulty in fine tuning. You lose all your “undo history” if you close the image and reopen it later.
I take no credit for your idea. This is only a suggestion as to another way to implement it. I know a picture helps so I will try to find the time to post a screen shot later this week.
—Bob
KidK9
Contributor
WOW that's an awesome pic. I love it.
OP
Whoa Bob!! I'll have to try that process. I'm using PhotoShop 6 right now. Have been thinking of upgrading, but I'm getting the new Nikon D200 instead........
Hi Kevin:
My first photoshop upgrade was from LE to 6. I don't think 6 has adjustment layers but you can do the desaturation on a layer above your background and then click on the mask icon in the Layer's palette (square with hole in middle) to ad a mask to the desaturated layer. Give it a go and let me know if it works.
Equipment before software, but you will like the upgrade to cs2 if you get around to it.
Best always
---Bob
My first photoshop upgrade was from LE to 6. I don't think 6 has adjustment layers but you can do the desaturation on a layer above your background and then click on the mask icon in the Layer's palette (square with hole in middle) to ad a mask to the desaturated layer. Give it a go and let me know if it works.
Equipment before software, but you will like the upgrade to cs2 if you get around to it.
Best always
---Bob
tkring
Guest
You gotta love Photoshop! Thanks for posting.
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