Photo Editing Tutorial 2 : Color and Black And White Part 2

The Story So Far

If you have not already seen it, refer to the first part of this tutorial series which can be found here.

You will need to know the basics of layers and zooming and erasing before changing the color image below to the image below that which is black and white, but with a red apple.

I complete projects like this using Photoshop usually, but there are free options out there.  One option is Pixlr.com.

From the first series of tutorials, or using your own image, open the image to be edited in whatever program or app you are using.

The image should be on one layer, duplicate this layer so you have the same image on 2 layers.

Now make one of these layers black and white.  In Pixlr, select the layer to be changed, then go to the ‘Adjustment’ menu and select ‘Desaturate’.

Here you have a choice in how to proceed.  You can either delete part of the color image, or part of the black and white image.

If you choose to delete from the color image, leave this image as the top layer and zoom in close to the apple.  Using a small size eraser, erase around the apple  being careful not to erase any part of the apple.  When you have worked your way around the apple, zoom out and use a bigger eraser to delete more of the background and then repeat this again with a much larger eraser where you will erase the remaining background from the color layer, leaving only the apple.

If you choose to delete from the black and white image, leave this image as the top layer and zoom in close to the apple.  Here you will use a small eraser and start deleting the apple itself, being careful not to erase any part of the fingers or hands.

Tip

Personally I find it easier to hide the layer that I am not deleting.  This makes is easier to see that I have erased everything I need to because the checkered pattern is easier to check than an underlying image.

In Pixlr.com, to hide a layer, just untick the box beside the layer name.

In the image below you can see the transparent layer where I have erased part of the background.

This is easier to see than the image below, where the underlying layer has not been hidden.

This is just one of the ways to achieve this effect.  With practice, it can become a very quick and impressive skill to have.

This is being posted in December, one possible use of this would be to take photos over the holidays, make them black and white except for any Christmas colors (green, red, gold, etc).

Have fun playing with this – you’d be surprised how easy it is to impress people!!