1. Colorizing Black & White Photos
Tools, Processes & Tricks

2. Overview Tools: Resizing Images Compositing Colorizing
Magic Wand, Quick Selection
Lassos
Healing Brush
Resizing Images
Compositing
Colorizing
Using Photo Filters
Looking at Lens Flares
Manipulating Text

3. Overview - Goal
Begin With:
Create This:

4. To Start: Access and open the following files:
Kitten.tiff
Car_Original.psd
SquashBackground.bmp
Working with multiple files – To make it easier the arrangement of the images can be altered.
Use Window > Arrange and select an option to re-arrange the three images

5. To Start (cont.)
Click on the squash background image – change the color mode to RGB
Image > Mode > RGB (Index mode limits what you can do color wise)
If necessary, pull each image down from the top so you can see all three.

6. To Start (cont.)
At this point, the three images should be accessible like the following image

7. Selecting & Compositing
Using the kitten.tiff file – resize the image
Select Image > Image Size to reduce width to 150 pixels, resolution to 72 ppi and Bicubic Sharper

8. Selecting & Compositing
Select the kitty’s background using the Magic Wand or Quick Selection Tool
Click/Paint anywhere on the white background
Selects the background but to select the kitty, use Select > Inverse and note where the marching ants are

9. Selecting & Compositing
Use the Move Tool
Click and Drag the Kitten onto the Car_Original image to create a new layer with the kitten on it.
Name the Layer Kitten
Can now close the kitten.tiff window (Don’t need to save the changes)

10. Colorizing
To begin working with the Car_Original image and its background layer
Make the background layer into a new background (Right Click > Layer from Background)
Name the new layer Car
Should have two Layers: Kitten & Car

11. Colorizing Make sure to have the car layer be the active layer
Use the Quick Selection tool to select the entire car so it can be painted.
Select the Quick Selection Tool.
Set the properties to about 20 pixels, brush hardness to 88%
When making selections like this, it can take some tweaking of the brush to find a good size to work with.

12. Colorizing
When using the Quick Selection Tool – use the [ or ] key to increase/decrease the size of the brush while working
Remember to use Alt + Clicking to deselect
See below for a general idea of the selection:

13. Colorizing To begin coloring the car: Select the Brush Tool
On the Control Panel Bar – Set the Mode to Color
The Color Mode makes the color transparent – otherwise it would just be opaque and cover the details of the car.

14. Colorizing
Select a color from the color picker on the Color Panel or a Swatch from the Swatches Panel
Making sure the active layer is the Car layer – begin to paint over the car
Once done painting the car – Deselect (Ctrl + D)

15. Colorizing
Having gone through the process, try adding color to some other areas of the image such as:
The woman’s Dress
The man’s paints, top and/or tie
To give an idea of the possibilities, see the image below:

16. Colorizing To try colorizing with the Magic Wand Tool
Select the Magic Wand Tool (Sub-tool to the Quick Selection Tool)
Set the tolerance to about 45 and select the trees.
It is ok if the selection doesn’t select all the trees
Go back to the Brush Tool and select a color and paint to see the effect you get with the trees.
Deselect (Ctrl + D)

17. Healing Brush
Using the Healing Brush, will be able to remove the power lines in the sky in the picture
Begin to paint over the Power Lines to remove them and only have the sky area showing

18. The Lens Flare Again…not a window into your soul…
Will be used with the front hub-cap
Navigate to Filter > Render > Lens Flare
Choose any one of the Lens Flares to try
Take down the brightness to 50%
Click on the hub-cap in the thumbnail image to place the Lens Flare
Click OK

19. Adding Text To finish the image, will add the title, “Washing the Car”
Select the Type Tool and also navigate to the menu bar and choose Window > Character
Although the control option bar offers the type controls, the Character Panel provides more detailed controls

20. Adding Text
Select the Typeface of your choice with the the color and size
Click on the image and begin to type out the phrase, “Washing the Car”
Remember as long as the type is active, can re-highlight and make changes
To commit the changes, choose the check mark on the control panel bar OR hit Enter on the numeric keypad