Colorize an Image


1.  Find a large picture on Google Images that has just a few areas to color...or right-click here to download a beach picture.

2.  Right-click to save.  Open in Photoshop.  Make it black and white by clicking Image-->Adjustments-->Desaturate.

3.  For every area of the image that you want to color:

(a) (Optional) Select the area that you want to color on the background layer using any of the selection tools.

(b) Make a new layer.  Name it according to what you're coloring, such as "sky" or "eyes" or whatever.

(c) Switch to the new layer by clicking on it in the layer window (make sure the layer is highlighted in blue).

(d) Select the color you want by clicking the colored square at the bottom of the toolbar on the left side. 

(e) Fill in or paint the selected area with the color you selected using the paint bucket or the paint brush.

(f) Use the layer option pulldown at the top of the layer window to step through the options until you find the best one.

(g) To make it look better:

(i) Try adjusting the color while a layer is selected (Image-->Adjustments-->Hue/Saturation)

(ii) Try cleaning up the edges of the color with the eraser.  You can erase partially--adjust the erase tool's opacity on top.

(iii) Try adjusting the opacity of the layer in the upper-right corner of the layer window.


4.  Save the image under a different name when you're done.