color and b&w images

[ridon127]

I am new to this forum and PSE4. I am not one to sit and read thru all the manual. I just want to know how to get it done.lol On PSE4 can you convert a photo to B&W and then color in only certain images in the photo? Thanks

[kayser]

Hi,

I think this thread has what you're looking for:

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6023&highlight=selective+coloring

[Wendy]

Hi there ..

... and welcome to the forum :)

Do let us know how you go on with the effect :)

Wendy

[ridon127]

Thank you for the help. A friend told me to go to my edit screen. change the image on the right to b&w. use the move tool and move it on top of the colotr image. magnify the image and using the eraser tool, erase what i want the color to show through on. then flatten image. the problem is, in standard edit, i have all my tools and only one image, in quick fix, i have 2 images and only a few tools. she has pse 8 but it is my understanding i should be able to do the same thing in pse 3 or 4. i have both programs. does this make sense. i don't hve her instructions in front of me. what she has told me seems fairly simple but i don't know how to get side by side images and the required tools at the same time.

Donna

[Wendy]

Hi Donna ...

There are many ways of doing this but a very simple one is:

Open up your image
and duplicate the layer (Layer>Duplicate Layer)
Enhance>Adjust Colour>Remove Colour
Now you have two layers
the bottom one is in colour and the top one black & white
take a look in the layers palette and you will see what I mean

Now select the eraser and erase any parts you want to be in colour

(This is the very simplest way of doing this effect and as you learn more then there are much better ways of doing it ... but for now I think that this may be easier for you to understand and that other methods may well just confuse you :)

Wendy

[ridon127]

Wendy,
Thank you for your help. I am so glad i found this place. I have gone to other forums in the past and when you posted a question, there was never a good solution posted. I don't feel like such an idiot asking questions now. Some people can read those greek manuels and get it immediately, i need to be shown and walked thru step by step.. Thanks again
Donna

[Wendy]

Donna ...

Once you have mastered that way and feel more comfortable with it then come back and I'll show you a better was that is a bit more complicate :)

A lot of people do feel happier with step by step answers ... so you are not the only one :)

Wendy

[ridon127]

:) Wendy,
Thanks. I just did one picture and it turned out pretty good for a first try. It is hard to do the tiny areas without over lapping into the background. I tried to upload it and it said some error message. May try again later.

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

Were you trying to use Pixentral to upload your image to? ... if not then here is a link to it http://www.pixentral.com/index.php

Using a mask to do this technique is a better way ... it means that you can go back and paint things in if you "erase" too much.

Here is a link to a tutorial telling you how to do that ..
Bookmark it and then when you are ready to try it out you will know where it is

http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/edges/e3edges.htm

Wendy

[ME100FINN]

:) Wendy,
Thanks. I just did one picture and it turned out pretty good for a first try. It is hard to do the tiny areas without over lapping into the background. I tried to upload it and it said some error message. May try again later.

Try to adjust the size/type of the eraser ("brush") and also try different Opacity % to get a hard/soft color. These are across the top of the work area once the eraser tool is selected. Also, zoom in on your picture to help with the tiny areas before you start.