Toning Black-and-White

Toning Black-and-White Images 

Black-and-White Grayscale image.

Let's start with this grayscale image. I created this image from a color image as explained at Making Great Black-and-White in Photoshop.

To tone the image we first need to convert to grayscale if you haven't already.

IMAGE > MODE > GRAYSCALE.

Now we can call up the duotone box:

IMAGE > MODE > DUOTONE.

In the duotone box, choose Type: Quadtone.

Hit LOAD. This is where you go find the great presets already in Photoshop. You'll get a file search window. Find the QUADTONES folder. Find the PANTONES folder within. Select the last option, Bl 541 513 5773. Hit LOAD. Hit OK.

Toned version of above.

WOW! Looks great!

Finding these quadtone folders is trivial on a Mac: just type the names into the search box in the finder window that appears. I don't use Windows but I think the finder ought to open in the right folder. If not, you'll need to find these folders before you get to that menu to know how to navigate to them.

Next time you use this you won't have to search for the Pantone folder and file; it will already be loaded unless you chose another.

Want more toning options? People write these and share them, likehere for instance.

Saving the Quad Tone

You may have to convert it back to an RGB file to save as some file types. This is easy: IMAGE > MODE > RGB.

I use SAVE FOR WEB, which is smart enough to do all that to create a color JPG for me automatically.

RECOMMENDATIONS

These are the crudest, sloppiest ways to show you how to do this. You should do this on duplicate layers and masks to do these conversions nondestructively.

Join The National Association of Photoshop Users where they teach all this stuff, or read lots of Scott Kelby books.

PLUG

If you find this as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me write more with a donation.

Thanks for reading!

Categories: Black and White, Toning Black-and-White, use photoshop

Making Great Black and White from Color

Creating Great Black-and-White 



Original Color Image (scanned from 6x7 film)
I get my goodies at Ritz, Amazon and Adorama.
It helps me publish this site when you get yours from those links, too.

Caveat: not all of these tricks work with weird, high-bit-depth images. If something won't go, be sure to have done IMAGE > MODE > 8 BITS. Ideally photographers use 8 bit images and then use masks for adjustments. High-bit-depth files are only used when making catastrophic changes to defective images right after import. As soon as you make the big changes to gross levels, get them back to 8-bits.

INTRODUCTION

Photoshop's usual "convert to B/W" modes are designed to give you the worst possible look. Flick the Saturation slider to zero and you get this:

0% Saturation. Dull and boring.

You smarty-pants might prefer to use the Convert to Grayscale trick (IMAGE > MODE > CONVERT TO GRAYSCALE.) That gives you this:

Color converted directly to grayscale. Still dull.

ONE WAY: THE CHANNEL MIXER

The channel mixer lets you choose the equivalent of going back in time and choosing the colored filters used over the lens for the original photography. This is why it's more flexible to shoot in color and convert later. Film is one thing, but it's a given to shoot in color with digital cameras since those cameras only shoot in color. The B/W modes of digital cameras use one technique to convert, which may or may not be what you want or appropriate to the subject. If the in-camera effects give you what you want then great, if not, use these tricks later.

use the Channel Mixer by: IMAGE > ADJUSTMENTS > CHANNEL MIXER. Check Monochrome. Set the sliders to taste. This is with 100% Red 100%, 50% Green, 0% Blue and -28% constant. Click OK:

Channel Mixer at 100% / 50% / 0% and -28% constant.

Not bad! I had some white clipping, but sliding the "constant" slider left made the image too dark. You can season to taste.

ANOTHER WAY: CALCULATIONS

Choose IMAGE > CALCULATIONS.

Experiment with the choices. I like Background-Red, Background-Red, Multiply, New Channel. Just as often I may prefer to use Background -Red, Background-Green and Overlay. Play around to your heart's content.

Hit OK. This gives you:

Calculations: Red, Red and Multiply.

I like this the best. We have lots of contrast, and none of the washing out.

TONING

See my article on Toning to get this:

Toned version of Calculation version above.

RECOMMENDATIONS

These are the crudest, sloppiest ways to show you how to do this. You should do this on duplicate layers and masks to do these conversions nondestructively.

PLUG

If you find this as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me write more with a donation.

Thanks for reading!

Categories: Black and White, Color, Making, Photoshop, use photoshop