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  • how do I Create a Colour Layer from a colour image

    Posted by Conrad Slater on August 20, 2009 at 11:03 am

    Hi there.

    How do I separate out colour layer from a colour image?

    In the context of colouring black and white images I am used to creating a colour layer (a blank layer which I set to color as transfer mode.)

    For the project I am working on I have a single colour image and a number of monochrome images. I would like to use the colour infomation from the first to colour the latter.

    If I could separate out the colour information from the colour image into a colour layer I could then use that to colour my other images (with a little bit of editing).

    Is this possible?

    Should I consider a different approach to my problem.

    thanks

    Darby Edelen replied 17 years, 1 month ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • Theo Van laar

    August 20, 2009 at 9:19 pm

    You mean something like setting the foreground or background color by using the eyedropper? Yes, that is possible.

    Theo

  • Conrad Slater

    August 21, 2009 at 9:14 am

    No, I’m sorry but I don’t think eye dropper tool is what I need.

    It should be an automated process which leaves one grayscale layer and a layer of colour set to color transfer mode.

  • Darby Edelen

    August 21, 2009 at 6:07 pm

    [Conrad Slater] “If I could separate out the colour information from the colour image into a colour layer I could then use that to colour my other images (with a little bit of editing).”

    It sounds like all you need to do is place the color layer above the monochrome layer and set it to the ‘color’ transfer mode. If you’re looking for a more involved effect then you’ll have to clarify what it is you’re trying to do.

    Darby Edelen

  • Conrad Slater

    August 21, 2009 at 9:01 pm

    “all you need to do is place the color layer above the monochrome layer”

    absolutely so. but how do I create a colour layer. The only way I’ve seen is to create a blank layer and colour it in BY HAND – which is nonsense because I have the colour information in another image.

    I just want to use the colour information from one image and apply it to another.

    I’ve explained the circumstances of the job – I am really putting across my situation badly; no one seems to understand me.

  • Darby Edelen

    August 21, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    [Conrad Slater] “absolutely so. but how do I create a colour layer. The only way I’ve seen is to create a blank layer and colour it in BY HAND – which is nonsense because I have the colour information in another image.”

    That’s what the ‘color’ transfer mode is. If you consider your two layers in terms of consisting of Hue, Saturation and Lightness (HSL) components then the color blend mode replaces the Hue and Saturation components of your lower layers with those of the blend layer. The resulting blend uses lightness from the lower layers and hue and saturation (the ‘color’) from the upper layer.

    This is exactly what you’d asked for, but I imagine your situation is in fact more complex. The colors in the top layer will not match the colors that are suppose to be in the bottom layer unless they are exactly the same shot. This means that you will need to manually paint in your color layer, or smudge or otherwise push the colors around to match the lower shot. Unless you’re trying to do something else entirely, which is why I asked what you’re trying to accomplish.

    [Conrad Slater] “I just want to use the colour information from one image and apply it to another.”

    If this is in fact what you want to do, then all you need to do is what I suggested in my previous post.

    Darby Edelen

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