Converting a Black & White Picture to Color

[NikhilVerma]

Converting a Black & White Picture to Color

Photoshop Knowledge required: Medium
External Plug-ins required: None
(Before starting reset your workspace by Window ---> Workspace ---> Reset Palette Locations)

This could be an interesting tutorial.
Using this you can color almost any Black & White image.
Actually there are two ways to color an image. You have to use them according to your needs.
The methods are sorted with simplicity.


I method: Simplest


Adobe Photoshop has a great blending mode called the color mode.
It can give fantastic effects!

Step 1: Select the color you want to do to a specific part of image
Step 2: Select "Brush Tool" {Size: Choose according to your needs --- Mode: "Overlay" or "Color" --- Opacity: 100 --- Flow: 100}
Step 3: Go nuts! Just paint the area of the picture you want to color

Pros: Easiest coloring possible, well for newbie’s who don't want the resultant image to be too realistic.
Cons: Very time consuming, provides pretty cheap results, you can't adjust the colors because you'll have to paint again...


II method: Hardest


Remember that in this method you'll have to work with objects that are in the front and then go to the objects in the background.
Here I'm taking a picture that comes with Adobe Photoshop as a sample.
You can find it in [Drive]:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Samples\RanchHouse.jpg



Step 1: Change the image to color mode by Image ---> Mode ---> RGB Color (!!!IMPORTANT!!! Always check this)
Step 2: Zoom to about 200%
Step 3: Select the magnetic lasso tool {Feather: 1px --- Anti-aliased: Yes --- Width: 10px --- Edge Contrast: 10% --- Frequency: 100}
Step 4: Now click on the edge of any object Coat, Boot, Hat, Door etc... (Not the wall or the floor)
Step 5: Just move your mouse cursor around the edges of the object until you have a complete selection. Like this
{Tip: If your magnetic lasso tool doesn't go where you want it to, you can just click the points manually. To remove the last point just press backspace. Refer to Photoshop manual for more assistance}



Step 6: Press Ctrl+J to do "Layer via Copy"
Step 7: Go to Image --> Adjustments --> Hue/Saturation {Colorize: Yes}

Step 8: Now adjust the Hue/Saturation and Lightness until your object looks realistic.
{Tip: The realism of the resulting image depends on the experimenting you have done. And the amount of efforts put to small objects. Always remember to experiment with the "Brightness/Contrast option to make your objects looks better}

Step 9: Set the blending mode of the layer to "Color". You can experiment with others too...

Step 10: Do the same for every other object. (Remember to click on the Background layer first)
{Tip: Using "Magnetic Lasso" tool won't always do the work ... It is difficult to select the images using this tool...
So after using this tool... select the "Rectangular Marquee" tool and select the "Add to selection button" (Hold your mouse over the buttons to make the text appear" and then draw at the edges}



Step 11: To color the background (Ground, Wall) you need not worry about the selection too much because you have already colored the objects and put them over the top of the background...
So Click on the Background layer and just select the wall including the objects and directly apply "Hue/Saturation" to it...

Step 12: Layer ---> Flatten Image
Step 13: Image ---> Adjustments ---> Auto Levels & Auto Contrast & Auto Color




This should make you able to color most of the B&W images to color...
If you have any problems, feel free to post here

[cheetah]

Great tutorial.Most of the users wanted it.

[gamefreak14]

Beautiful tutorial, gr8 work!!

[koolbluez]

Great tutor... o tutor...

[sms_solver]

ONe must have a good sense of colours. and patience to experiment as well

[valtea]

Great..... thank you very much.. I'm sure learning even this much of thing at NIIT or APTECH will charge atleast Rs 2000/-
They will start by teaching us how to open photoshop, maximise and minimise the window, open a file, saveing it, closing it, exiting photoshop the right way etc... and it will be atleast 2 week course and the Course may be names
"Perform mirracle, Histort Technologicaly... Think & See in colour"

Note: NIIT and Aptech guys its just a joke.. no hard feelings

[suj_engico]

Fantastic tutorial.
I really like it
Why don't u try more pics.

[NikhilVerma]

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[koolbluez]

Or this:






Mind u... drawing the Black car was tougher than the KoolBlue car.. even if it looks simpler.

Oops... sorry Niks... inspired by u & CJ....

[godsownman]

Excelent tutorial worth each and every bit of effort that you put in keep it up.

[BONZI]

Great tutorial. Btw lemme see how much I can do

[Omsck]

really helpful . now i can do something in my holidays

[ramprasad]

Great work dude....

[mario_pant]

awsome....... awsome....... now i can just scan my granddad's old pics and color then... its just so cooll.... the pics are from 1955..... WOW.... now i wont have to pay 100 rs. fr each photo..... on coloring... i've been lookinh for this fur days....... keep it up...... *Three thumbs up* *wonder's where the third thumb grew??? LOL!! GOT IT!!!!???!!!*

[goobimama]

some good stuff nikhil. finally the pros are giving us some good-as* tutorials...

[ctrl_alt_del]

Wow! There are some great Photoshop Pros here. Man, I am seriously considering learning Photoshop during my vacations. Could you all suggest any book(s) for it?

[NikhilVerma]

Yep....
There is a great book called...

"The Photoshop Manual"....

And you can also search for tuts over google...

[goobimama]

@Ctrlaltdel: Use the Photoshop for dummies to get started. Really simple and you will get good grounding to further perfect your photoshop skills.

How's my version of car

[NikhilVerma]

Nice man! But wy did you made it small...
A wallpaper size would have been better...

[ctrl_alt_del]

Thanks Nikhil and Goobi, I will lookout for these books and hopefully post something here soon.

[NikhilVerma]

Hey ctrl_alt_del !! I was kidding man! When I said "The Photoshop Manual" I didn't name any book I just told you to use te potoshop help... It's very very detailed and sould get you the hang of Photoshop...

The nest part was serious .... Search for tutorials....

[ctrl_alt_del]

Oh it's all right. I thought maybe there were some books by that name. As for tutorials, I had a frustating expirience looking for Flash tutorials, so I am more keen towards a whole book that I can read and try out on Photoshop at the same time.

[ankitjain]

Originally Posted by sms_solver

ONe must have a good sense of colours. and patience to experiment as well

Mr "sms_solver"

U have a invalid signature it mentioned "sms_solbher" not sms_solver.....

Correct it man ...........

Great tut. But there ia an alternative and easy way after
step 5 in HARDEST. Instead of doning other things just go
to IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>VARIATIONS and adjust accordingly to
colorize the photo. The car you are watching above is
colorize in the same way. NIKIL's wa is also gr8 but this one
is ez.

[prats]

U can always buy the Photoshop Bible. It will really help u.

[shefzomania]

excellent work! Would like to see more such stuff coming out more often.

[krishnathelord]

coooool wore or as i should say tutorial dude 8)

[dreams]

gr8 gr8 tutorial.. this is how the Photo Studios in my area makes the b/w photos 2 colors.. and they charge a huge amnt for it.. now i can also get in to tht busines.. thnx a lot..

Whoes Verson of car was most tealistic