replace color 1

[schwine]

I'm a new Adobe Photoshop user and I would like to perform a simple task. I would like to change the color of the truck in the web page listed below from black to blue.

Because the entire image is currently black, the fill option colors everything blue, including the tires. I would like to color the body of the truck blue but keep the tires black. In this process I'm expecting to re-apply the text on the side of the truck after the color has been changed to blue.

I've also tried using the outline tool, and yes, the color within the outline turns blue, but it's difficult to manually create an outline that completely includes the black part of the truck body but also maintains the white borders around the truck.

I think there is an automatic function in Photoshop that can recognize the white border and do an exact color fill inside each section of white border.

Any tips on how to perform this function is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

http://www.qswi.com

 

[bra1niac]

Usually, when I am trying to be extremely specific to my image borders (cutting images out from larger pix with like colors) I use the pen tool at an extreme zoom. The cool thing is the pen tool will anti-alias the cut out once you are done.

Define the edges with the pen tool, cut it out, recolor and past it on to another layer. You can even change the lighting to give it a 'new' paintjob look.

This is a long process, to cut out an image or part of one with the pen tool, but I'm a bit odd about how I do things. I prefer it when it comes to haggling over pixels. "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own." - Bruce Lee - The Tao of Jeet Kune Do

 

[nichole]

schwine,
There's a partial shortcut that you could use in combination with bra1niac's suggestion. It might save you a little time.

Once you select the blue you would like, you can use the paint bucket to click in the black area. This tool will fill the pixel you clicked on, and any surrounding pixel with the same color. Once it gets to a pixel of a different color, it stops. You probably won't need it for this type of artwork, but you can adjust how "picky" the bucket tool is (meaning what it will consider a similar color) by plugging numbers into the "tolerance" option for that tool. The smaller the tolerance number, the pickier the tool is. The only sticky part in your case is around the tires because the black tires aren't cut off from the pieces of the truck. In this case you might try the above suggestion, or use your pencil tool, with white, to develop the line between the tire and truck so the tires are isolated, and then finish off the truck with the paint tool.

Hope this helps!

 

[gollyg]

This might do the trick for you. Here we go...

open the gif in photoshop and select image > mode > RGB. This allows you to apply more advance effects.

create a new layer below layer one (with the truck on it). Fill it with the desired blue.

select the truck layer and change the blend mode (top of the layers palette) to screen. This will allow the blue to show through the truck where it is black. The white will stop it showing through, and grey will let some show through. This means you keep your smooth edges.

control click on the truck layer - this selects the outline of the truck. Select the inverse select > inverse. You will need to add your wheels to the current selection using the eliptical marquee. Put the cursor over the middle of the wheel, select shift to add to the selection and start to drag. While you are still dragging release the shift key and press it again. This will constrain to a circle. Hold the alt key to make the intitial click point the center of the marquee. Continue to select wheels.

select the blue layer and press delete. That should be it!

 

[bra1niac]

Heh, nice. Can you send me a picture of this truck? I'm dyin to try it, cause it sounds like a lot of fun. I'd like to try gollyg's approach too.

Just email it to me unless it's licensed. "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own." - Bruce Lee - The Tao of Jeet Kune Do

 

[gollyg]

It's at the URL at the end of schwine' first post.

 

[bra1niac]

Ah, missed that. Thanks. "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own." - Bruce Lee - The Tao of Jeet Kune Do

 

[askIllustrator]

Set the tolerance of you Wand tool to between 0 and 5, click on any portion of the truck you want to color, shift click on the additional areas and then grab the airbrush. Change it from normal to color and choose a blue you would like, then with your selction still active just start painting.

 

[gollyg]

The colour mode would be good for the truck if it was another colour with a tonal value less than black, but the original image is actually completely black, so the colour mode had no apparent effect. But that was a brush mode that I had never tried and it is going to save me sooo much time. A star for your trouble!

 

[schwine]

Thanks to everyone for the posted replys. I'll try out the suggestions when I get a chance. The truck in the URL at the bottom of the first post of this thread is not copyrighted and available for anyone to copy and paste. Thanks again to everyone. Cliff.