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What is the best way to make a black and white photo color? Do I do it in RGB or CMYK? I am currently using Photoshop CS2. Finally, how would I give the skin that shiny look.

Gerald McClaren

I use harry's filters-usually artistic/atmospherizer and play with the settings-can sometimes get nice results...

I use PS CS2 - so when coloring - select paint brush and change the blend from normal to color - chose the color your want - now pure black and pure white will not color - only shades in between [before coloring - make a duplicated layer of the model/etc you want to color - I do this because sometimes I mess up the pix and so I have one standing by]

coloring pure black and pure white - make a blank layer above the pix and select paint brush and normal - choose the color you want - then color the areas on the pix you want to color - then in the layer marquee use the opacity and one below it and fade the color into the pix until you get desired effect - merge layers if you plan to move the orginal pix around or if you want to color some more using the "color" blend mode

now for a change of pace - try the other blend modes when using the brush - see how the color changes

when you are finished with coloring - place a blank layer above pix - using the paint bucket cover the blank layer with a solid color - using the blend modes on the layer marquee blend it into the pix below - sometimes this gives a richness to the pix - I have used many colors - especially if I want to show reflections off of back ground color - basic color I use the most is shades of brown - do not know why but it brings out the color better in my opinion - sometimes this helps with skin color

skin color is the hardest - select a color photo with the skin color you would like to use - using the eye droper copy it - then using the color blend mode of the paint brush - paint on the skin - I use a plug-in to get the skin tone right but I can not think the name of it - I am at work right now - most of the time selecting the skin color of a color pix works

shiny look to skin - I would like to know how to do that too

I love coloring black and white pix for fun - I like to color part of the pix and leave the other B&W - like paint the cloths and leave the skin B&W or maybe I will pain one flower - color will bring attention to what ever you want people to look at first

there are two rules that are necessary when coloring B&W:
Rule 1: Have fun!
Rule 2: Remember rule #1!

hope this helps

Hi - here is the plug-in I use for skin tone - URL below

http://www.skintune.com/

happy coloring

There's a no-brainer called Black Magic .......... available from here
http://www.blackmagic-color.com/
which works a treat

Thanks Didge

I knew there was one out there but could not find it - ya made my day



Claude