Friday 6 August 2010

Fade to Grey - Artefact of the week

I discovered an iPhone App the other day called "ColorSplash" - it lets you convert your pictures to black and white then "paint" back selected areas with their original colour. It's great fun!

I smugly worked out how to do it in Photoshop on these larger pictures - create a duplicate layer, desaturate it, then use the eraser tool to wipe away the desaturated layer and reveal the colour beneath. Merge back the layers when you are done and there you have it!

I'll be popping back to see how you've got on later - no talking at the back East and stop tormenting Scarlet. And remember, the bell is a signal to me, not you.



18 comments:

Rosie said...

How did you get the eraser to do such fine detail?

broken biro said...

Please sir? I'm not allowed anything desaturated... and Purvis just colour-splashed his pants...

Tim said...

Very lovely stuff.
Hasn't stopped raining here for weeks. All tips on getting de-saturated gratefully received.

Rog said...

Rosie: That was the frustration with the iPhone version - in Photoshop I just enlarged the image a lot and used a very small eraser! (Never thought I'd be advising a pro!)

Brokenbiro: I warn you I'm near breaking point with you lot! And I should be having a timetable negotiation with Miss Prendercast in the Janitor's room right now!

Rog said...

Tim: Wait till you see my distance shot of the Ashton Memorial!

Dave said...

I've beem doing something very similar with my very cheap and old picture manipulation software for years - I make two images, one B&W, then cut and paste a portion (like a poppy head) from the colour version.

I'm sure your way is much more technically satisfying.

Rosie said...

You think I would have figuered that out by now. I shall give it a try, thank you.

Rog said...

Dave: I bet my Photoshop was cheaper than yous ;-)
I feel technically satisfied anyway.

Rosie: If you blow my pics up you'll see the feathery edge isn't quite as good as you might have thought!

Rosie said...

Looks good enough for me. Anything to avoid actually going outside where it's 35 degrees.

Dave said...

Mine was a free copy with a computer magazine.

Geoff said...

I'm sitting with David Cameron. He says that first picture reminds him of the Falklands War.

Rog said...

Rosie: that's more degrees than Stephen Hawkin!

Dave: You had to buy the Magazine though.

Geoff: Dave isn't in Tenby so you must be making this up!

Roses said...

*waves hand in the air frantically*

Please sir, I think this is really cool, but I NEED to go to the bathroom.

Christopher said...

Dear Sir,

Reference your prospectus please quote VAT inclusive for conversion treatment and delivery of the following:

Charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo

John Peel with his coat so grey

Grey's Elegy in a Country Churchyard

The Old Grey Whistle Test

And oblige, etc, etc.

J.Green

Z said...

That's the difference between us, you see. Since I completed iAssociate 2, I've mostly been playing poker. Not for real money, of course.

I'm so frivolous compared to you. I'm abashed.

Madame DeFarge said...

But do you ever use your iPhone to phone anyone? And can you add more colour to a boring conversation?

Rog said...

Roses: You'll cry wolf once too often young lady!

Christopher: Greyt of you to ask thankyou! It's the little Grey Dations that make all the difference you know.

Z: iAssociate 2 takes more than frivolity...it takes grim determination! I gave up on level 2 as it had taken over my waking hours.

Madame DF: You mean you can ring people up on it?!! Not if you are too cheeky apparently.

Z said...

I take enjoyment very seriously. I've completed all 17 levels and my score is 120th of 39,837. I don't know whether to be more embarrassed by that or pleased - or possibly embarrassed to be pleased.

I await more levels, but in the meantime I have amassed several million virtual dollars playing poker.