How do I Make a Color Picture Black & White & Then Add Some Color?

Computers allow users to manipulate images with photo software.

Photos can be changed from color to grayscale and then have color restored to certain areas. This is best done with the photo software program Photoshop. With a few clicks of the mouse and a steady hand, an area in a black-and-white photo can pop out at the viewer with color.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Photoshop
• Photo
• Mouse
• Mousepad

Instructions

1. Choose a photo that has a focal point that works for the project. Not all photos are ideal for converting to black-and-white. The simpler the subject of the photo, the more the color will stand out and make an impact.

2. Open the photo in Photoshop. Start a new project and open the desired photo. Click on the image and choose adjustments, and then desaturate from the menu. This will remove the color from the desired photograph.

3. Find the tool palette and click on the history brush. Change the options for the brush so you are using one that is 10 to 11 pixels.

4. Use the mouse-guided paintbrush to paint color back into the photo. Use a steady hand and paint in the area where you want the original color restored. This could be anything from the bud of a rose in a bouquet of flowers, a little girl's hat or the star on top of a Christmas tree.

5. Adjust the size of the picture on your screen for more detailed work. Press "CTRL-plus" or "CTRL-minus" to increase or decrease the size of the picture on the computer screen. Working up close on a photo prevents errors with the brush on the edges.

Tips & Warnings

• You can undo mistakes make during the painting process by clicking on "Edit" and then "Undo" or "CTRL-Z" on a PC and "Command-Z" on a Mac.

• Take your time with the paintbrush. It takes a lot of practice to master this technique. Lift your hand off the mouse periodically to assess the area and stretch your fingers. People tend to tense their muscles when concentrating, and this can result in hand cramps.

• Photos altered with this method in Photoshop are not ideal for enlargements---any mistakes you make in the painting will be magnified and more noticeable to the viewer.

• This process is meant to return the original color from the photo to a select spot in the image. If you want to highlight a flower in a field and make it red when it was originally yellow, you will have to use a different computer program, and it will take more skill.

References

• Adobe: Black and White Image with Color Elements
• Digital Photography School: Photoshop CS2 Tutorial
• Empty Easel: How to Add Colors to Black and White Photos in Photoshop
• "Paint Shop Pro 8: The Guide to Creating Professional Images"; Robin Nichols; 2003