Black and white photo with coloured area

[TriumphFriend]

Hello

 

I am a newbee with affinity and looks for some hints about photo manipulations. 

 

I wish to change a photo from color to black and white but only in a special area. 

 

I have a center motif, that should be coloured, the rest should be in black and white only. 

 

Are there some hints, how can I easy do this. 

 

Perhaps there is any video tutorial...

 

Regards

Thomas

 

 

[RNKLN]

TriumphFriend, normally you do this by duplicating the original (Cmd+J) and converting the new (top) layer to black and white (using a Black & White Adjustment. The next step then is to paint the colour in again with the Paint Brush tool (make sure Black is selected as the color). Also, make sure the Black & White Adjustment layer is selected while doing this last step.

 

And by the way, using the Context Toolbar at the top of your screen, you can alter settings to make this exercise a bit easier.

[anon1]

Well this was the oldschool approach

 

Nowadays you don't need to duplicate the layer

 

Just add a black and white adjustment on top of the background layer and mask that adjustment layer

Thus if you modify the background layer (retouch it) all changes are also reflected in the BW parts

 

Cheers

[RNKLN]

Haha  :) . Thanks for introducing me to new school. I'll give it a try.

[mac_heibu]

1. Select the layer you want to re-color.

2. Click onto the small icon at the bottom of the "Layers" section named "Adjustments".

3. Choose "Black and White". -> An (non destructive) adjustment layer is placed on top of your image layer and the image turns black and white.

4. Drag this adjustment layer onto your image layer. -> An adjustment layer mask is created.

5. Select this layer mask and paint onto it. -> Black restores the colours.

 

 

[R C-R]

For what it is worth, the 'new school' method works because all adjustment layers in Affinity have built-in masks.

[TriumphFriend]

Many thanks for all of the hints. 

 

The next step is to make the b&w background "blurry"...

 

any ideas?

[mac_heibu]

Would be nice, to tell us the "whole story" in the beginning!

Nobody likes to exactly describe the way from Berlin to Madrid, and, when ready, you tell us, that you want to travel via Moskow …

[TriumphFriend]

Sorry, here the whole story: 

 

- see attached photos

- the yellow car should be come into the focus

- background in black and white (version _2)

- background should be "blurry"

 

 

[mac_heibu]

Yes, I understood! But, because you didn't tell the "whole story" in the beginning: If you used my method, start from the beginning!

Double your image, so you have 2 layers. Make the first one black and white and use the blurring features of Affinity Photo. Then mask the car in the layer on top, using the different masking tool.

Look at the video tutorials on the "Tutorials" page of this site, especially those about "cutting out" and "masking".

[carl123]

There is no need to do it another way if you have already done the 1 - 5 steps previously given by mac_heibu. 
 

Just continue with steps 6 - 9 below

 

1. Select the layer you want to re-color.

2. Click onto the small icon at the bottom of the "Layers" section named "Adjustments".

3. Choose "Black and White". -> An (non destructive) adjustment layer is placed on top of your image layer and the image turns black and white.

4. Drag this adjustment layer onto your image layer. -> An adjustment layer mask is created.

5. Select this layer mask and paint onto it. -> Black restores the colours.

 

Continue here
 
6. Select the Black and White adjustment layer mask on its own

7. From the menus, Select > Selection From Layer

8. Then select the background layer

9. From the menus, Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur

 

and adjust the blur as required

[Alfred]

6. Select the Black and White adjustment layer mask on its own

7. From the menus, Select > Selection From Layer

 

Alternatively, you can simply Ctrl-click on the layer mask (or Cmd-click if you're using a Mac).

[TriumphFriend]

Many thanks!

 

I will try it and show you the results ...

[TriumphFriend]

 

 

There is no need to do it another way if you have already done the 1 - 5 steps previously given by mac_heibu. 

 

Just continue with steps 6 - 9 below

 

1. Select the layer you want to re-color.

2. Click onto the small icon at the bottom of the "Layers" section named "Adjustments".

3. Choose "Black and White". -> An (non destructive) adjustment layer is placed on top of your image layer and the image turns black and white.

4. Drag this adjustment layer onto your image layer. -> An adjustment layer mask is created.

5. Select this layer mask and paint onto it. -> Black restores the colours.

 

Continue here

 

6. Select the Black and White adjustment layer mask on its own

7. From the menus, Select > Selection From Layer

8. Then select the background layer

9. From the menus, Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur

 

and adjust the blur as required

 

Please can you send me the shortcuts to (7), because I have a German menu.

 

If I try it from 6-9, the yellow car will blurry, too...

[Alfred]

Please can you send me the shortcuts to (7), because I have a German menu.

 

If I try it from 6-9, the yellow car will blurry, too...

 

On Windows, you can hold down the Strg key on your keyboard while clicking on the mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. On a Mac, use the Cmd (⌘) key.

 

When you have made a selection, the yellow car will be protected against becoming blurry.

[TriumphFriend]

Now, it works (see attachment). 

 

Thank you for all the hints!

 

All the best for 2017.