Is there a simple formula or color wheel for this? like if I want vice versa to change color or I start with the base color RED instead of a Yellow, and I want to change from RED to White... TIA!
I subscribe to Guy Gowan's website and have seen him demonstrate this method of changing an objects colour. There are two things he does which I think helps clarify what you are demonstrating : When he uses the Pen Tool he has the Rubber Band box checked when making a Path. Also he has the Channels Panel showing so he can see the density of the object in the three channels ( i.e. Red Green Blue ). In the Channels for a Yellow car, the car in the Blue Channel will be the darkest ((a) Yellow is the opposite of Blue on the colour wheel and (b) if you add Red and Green together you get Yellow ) - the darker an object is in a channel the more of that given colour it absorbs.The Green Channel is a bit lighter than the Blue and the Red Channel is the lightest of all. This explains why by changing Red to +100 in each of the Output Channels changes the car to white and Blue to +100 turns the car black. So as you demonstrated in Channel Mixer ( but I would use a Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer to make it non destructive ) changing the Green Channel so Green = 0 and Blue = 100 changes the car to a Red. In Guys demonstration of this he also goes to the Red channel and changes Red = 0 and Green = 100 ( this gives a deeper shade of red ). He also at times adds a Selective Colour Adjustment layer as the top layer ( making it a Clipping Layer ) so you can make minor adjustments to the colour of the object rather than adjusting the Channel Mixer. This is normally if you are trying to match a colour from another image. Another method he uses if Channel Mixer does not work as you want, is to change a channel by going through Image / Calculations and creating an Alpha Channel. This is mainly if you want to change a pastel colour to a solid colour or vice versa. You can make a Channel darker via Calculations by using Blend Multiply or lighter by using Screen. He will sometimes make two or three Alpha Channels so there are different densities. The next step is to go to one of the Alpha Channels and do Crtl / Cmd + A ( Select All ) and Crtl / Cmd + C ( Copy ). After that you highlight one of the normal Channels ( R or G or B ) and hit Ctl / Cmd + V - this changes that channel to the density of the Alpha Channel and thus the colour of the object. You may be able to use this method to change white to black and vice versa but would not like to swear to it - I will in the next week or so photograph a white and a black car and see if it is possible using this method. This later method I am coming to grips with but both methods do involve having a good understanding of colour theory ( i.e. how RGB and CYMK are inter-related ) - it is helpful if you have a colour wheel in front of you when undertaking this task. Another reason you really need to understand colour theory is that unfortunately not all cars or objects in the world are Yellow. I find the whole subject fascinating and subscribing to Guy Gowan's website has increased my understanding of how to use Photoshop to the best advantage.
Hi Steven, I've never used the color replacement tool so I'm not really in a position to outline the advantage of this method over that. There is almost always more than one way to achieve the same or similar results in PS. The Channel Mixer is just another way you can consider changing colours in an image. I like to use this as it feels mathematical to me and it's non destructive. You can also mix colours together using the opacity of different layers to fine tune your image.
+Upcamehill Hi, try looking at either the red or green channel (whichever looks like a better white to you). You should find the Channels tab next to the Layers Tab. After you decide which channel looks better be sure to select the RGB channel again, head back to the layers tab and create a new empty layer on top of the background layer. Make sure the empty layer is selected and go to Image -> Apply Image. Here, make sure the Layer is your background image and the channel is the one you preferred (either red or green), set the blending to normal and opacity to 100%. This will create a copy of the red or green channel on to the new layer. From here just mask the white of the car on top of your original image. This should work provided your version of PS has the apply image tool and that there are no obvious reflections on the car.
If you look at the latter part of my explanation above you will see by using Image \ Calculations and Blend Mode ( Screen ) to make Alpha Channels you can copy Alpha Channels into the normal channels and then covert an object to white - this method does not degrade the image in an way and has been possible in Photoshop for at least 20 years.
Hey Ben, that's a different skill all together. I recommend you learn the Pen tool. This is the most accurate way to mask. There are plenty of videos on youtube for the Pen tool.
Joshua Jones Thanks for the reply. I found someone used the brush tools. My brother told me to use pen tool. Well, I have another question. If I need to change a white car to other color, how do I know how to adjust the RGB channel? Is there any reference guide for me to do this? Like a chart of the color relationship. Then I will have a general direction if I want to change one color to another color.
See my comments above on using Image \ Calculations Blend mode Screen to create Alpha Channels - this is the method used by Guy Gowan for turning pastel colours into solid colours and vice versa. He used to work for Adobe and created the Channel Mixer idea for them - when he devised it it was for doing exactly what is being demonstrated in this tutorial as it does not create any compression to degrade the image.
Is there a simple formula or color wheel for this? like if I want vice versa to change color or I start with the base color RED instead of a Yellow, and I want to change from RED to White... TIA!
Awesome man, going to see Guy Gowan tomorrow in Wellington, NZ
I subscribe to Guy Gowan's website and have seen him demonstrate this method of changing an objects colour. There are two things he does which I think helps clarify what you are demonstrating :
When he uses the Pen Tool he has the Rubber Band box checked when making a Path. Also he has the Channels Panel showing so he can see the density of the object in the three channels ( i.e. Red Green Blue ).
In the Channels for a Yellow car, the car in the Blue Channel will be the darkest ((a) Yellow is the opposite of Blue on the colour wheel and (b) if you add Red and Green together you get Yellow ) - the darker an object is in a channel the more of that given colour it absorbs.The Green Channel is a bit lighter than the Blue and the Red Channel is the lightest of all. This explains why by changing Red to +100 in each of the Output Channels changes the car to white and Blue to +100 turns the car black.
So as you demonstrated in Channel Mixer ( but I would use a Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer to make it non destructive ) changing the Green Channel so Green = 0 and Blue = 100 changes the car to a Red. In Guys demonstration of this he also goes to the Red channel and changes Red = 0 and Green = 100 ( this gives a deeper shade of red ). He also at times adds a Selective Colour Adjustment layer as the top layer ( making it a Clipping Layer ) so you can make minor adjustments to the colour of the object rather than adjusting the Channel Mixer. This is normally if you are trying to match a colour from another image.
Another method he uses if Channel Mixer does not work as you want, is to change a channel by going through Image / Calculations and creating an Alpha Channel. This is mainly if you want to change a pastel colour to a solid colour or vice versa.
You can make a Channel darker via Calculations by using Blend Multiply or lighter by using Screen. He will sometimes make two or three Alpha Channels so there are different densities. The next step is to go to one of the Alpha Channels and do Crtl / Cmd + A ( Select All ) and Crtl / Cmd + C ( Copy ). After that you highlight one of the normal Channels ( R or G or B ) and hit Ctl / Cmd + V - this changes that channel to the density of the Alpha Channel and thus the colour of the object. You may be able to use this method to change white to black and vice versa but would not like to swear to it - I will in the next week or so photograph a white and a black car and see if it is possible using this method.
This later method I am coming to grips with but both methods do involve having a good understanding of colour theory ( i.e. how RGB and CYMK are inter-related ) - it is helpful if you have a colour wheel in front of you when undertaking this task. Another reason you really need to understand colour theory is that unfortunately not all cars or objects in the world are Yellow.
I find the whole subject fascinating and subscribing to Guy Gowan's website has increased my understanding of how to use Photoshop to the best advantage.
Great comment. Thanks
Awsome mate was doing a trim on a XB coupe and needed trim to go black so many thanks for ya help
How did you create the quick mask?
I was looking for this technique some years ago, there was a dvd from the instructor but now sadly is discontinued, thank you for the video
Nice tutorial, but whats the advantage of this method versus the Color Replace tool? Ive always just replaced the color and it comes out fine.
Hi Steven,
I've never used the color replacement tool so I'm not really in a position to outline the advantage of this method over that. There is almost always more than one way to achieve the same or similar results in PS. The Channel Mixer is just another way you can consider changing colours in an image. I like to use this as it feels mathematical to me and it's non destructive. You can also mix colours together using the opacity of different layers to fine tune your image.
great video
Boss really great job. Thanks
Amazing tutorial!
Hello can you make a tutorial on how to make wood(BrownWood) to white(WhiteWood). Like to change the coller brown from wood to white.
how would you turn Blue to Red?
how can this be done if the original is white???
I would like to know how to do this but from a red base colour.
How can I change the yellow color to white with an older version of Photoshop that doesn't have the choice of changing to all output channels?
+Upcamehill Hi, try looking at either the red or green channel (whichever looks like a better white to you). You should find the Channels tab next to the Layers Tab. After you decide which channel looks better be sure to select the RGB channel again, head back to the layers tab and create a new empty layer on top of the background layer. Make sure the empty layer is selected and go to Image -> Apply Image. Here, make sure the Layer is your background image and the channel is the one you preferred (either red or green), set the blending to normal and opacity to 100%. This will create a copy of the red or green channel on to the new layer. From here just mask the white of the car on top of your original image. This should work provided your version of PS has the apply image tool and that there are no obvious reflections on the car.
Thanks, I will try it.
If you look at the latter part of my explanation above you will see by using Image \ Calculations and Blend Mode ( Screen ) to make Alpha Channels you can copy Alpha Channels into the normal channels and then covert an object to white - this method does not degrade the image in an way and has been possible in Photoshop for at least 20 years.
Martin Robson
Thanks
If you want any further info please let me know.
How to change color from white to red?? Help me plz !
-G-B
Best video
thx great tutorial
how do i create black in cmyk?
how to turn blue to red
How to make the mask perfect?
Hey Ben, that's a different skill all together. I recommend you learn the Pen tool. This is the most accurate way to mask. There are plenty of videos on youtube for the Pen tool.
Joshua Jones Thanks for the reply. I found someone used the brush tools. My brother told me to use pen tool. Well, I have another question. If I need to change a white car to other color, how do I know how to adjust the RGB channel? Is there any reference guide for me to do this? Like a chart of the color relationship. Then I will have a general direction if I want to change one color to another color.
thanks for this lovely effective tutorial i hop you make your fb page for us please
does anyone have a good way to make something that is black to white?
See my comments above on using Image \ Calculations Blend mode Screen to create Alpha Channels - this is the method used by Guy Gowan for turning pastel colours into solid colours and vice versa. He used to work for Adobe and created the Channel Mixer idea for them - when he devised it it was for doing exactly what is being demonstrated in this tutorial as it does not create any compression to degrade the image.
Thank you
respect