Photoshop CS3 problems with color match when using overlay

[Andy1975]

The other day I was using the "overlay" option in Photoshop CS3 in a layer that is a mask for a layer situated right beneath it. I did so in order to achieve a mixing of the above layer's pixel content with the one below it.

Before using the mentioned mask layer as a mask for the underlying layer I performed a quick change from RGB to grayscale.

My image is supposed to be used for the Web in Flash and thus is in RGB at the time being.

However I found a problem I really can't figure out by myself.

The lower layer under the mask is a square containing a wine-red color. When mixing the mask layer into that layer with the overlay option I get an unnatural brighter red as a result.

I tried to tweak that color using the Hue/Saturation option and also by trying to darken the color somewhat. The result is such that I get close to the wine-red color but can't get it there all the way.

Now my question is..., how can I preserve the wine-red color while using the overlay option or how can I tweak it to the original wine-red color afterwards?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

[Andy1975]

Anybody on the above, please? :/

[DesignVHL]

The way I'd do it would be to duplicate the layer, merge it with a blank layer (to get rid of the layer effect yet keep the color), and then mask the red you want to keep out, and use overlay with the same layer and mask the red wine area out on the original layer...that's what I'd do. Masks, gotta love em! :)

[Andy1975]

The way I'd do it would be to duplicate the layer, merge it with a blank layer (to get rid of the layer effect yet keep the color), and then mask the red you want to keep out, and use overlay with the same layer and mask the red wine area out on the original layer...that's what I'd do. Masks, gotta love em! :)

Hi and thanks a lot for helping me out.

However, I got lost in the description. I don't know which layer to duplicate as it only says 'the layer' and I also do not understand how the merging and mask are supposed to be applied.

Could you maybe explain it in steps 1., 2., 3. etc. for the very slow ones, please? :o

Thank you very much!

Greetings

Andy1975

[DesignVHL]

Sorry Greg...I'll try to explain a little better....

1. Duplicate both your main layer and the overlay layer. Hide them (this is just in case you don't like what you did, you can trash your layers above and start over).

2. Then, go to channels, and create a new channel. Using a brush, carefully paint black over the redwine area you want to retain. It should be red and translucent.

3. Go back to the layer on top - with the overlay effect. On that layer, create a layer mask. Then do a control or command + click on the channel you just painted on to make a selection.

4. Go back to the overlay layer with the new mask. Make sure you are on the mask, then fill that selection in with Black - make sure it is on the mask, and not on the layer.

This should mask out the area that is overlaying and causing your color change, thus showing the red wine color through that layer.

Hope that made a bit more sense! I don't have time or I'd do some screenshot visuals for you.

[Andy1975]

Sorry Greg...I'll try to explain a little better....

1. Duplicate both your main layer and the overlay layer. Hide them (this is just in case you don't like what you did, you can trash your layers above and start over).

2. Then, go to channels, and create a new channel. Using a brush, carefully paint black over the redwine area you want to retain. It should be red and translucent.

3. Go back to the layer on top - with the overlay effect. On that layer, create a layer mask. Then do a control or command + click on the channel you just painted on to make a selection.

4. Go back to the overlay layer with the new mask. Make sure you are on the mask, then fill that selection in with Black - make sure it is on the mask, and not on the layer.

This should mask out the area that is overlaying and causing your color change, thus showing the red wine color through that layer.

Hope that made a bit more sense! I don't have time or I'd do some screenshot visuals for you.

Hi Valerie,

thanks for your reply. It's fine. The screenshots aren't necessary. You made a great description of what you want to do.

However although I understand now what you mean I can't really use this method very well.

The problem lies in the masking part you mentioned. I can't seem to isolate the white and black layers that are 'on top' of the base layer with the wine red block.

In order to illustrate the problem I here show you some samples of the problem.



First of all here are the three mentioned layers...


1. The black and white top layer adjusted to the right

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/bw_top_layer_right.jpg

2. The black and white top layer adjusted to the left

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/bw_top_layer_left.jpg

3. The base layer containing the original colored wine red block

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/wine_red_block_org.jpg


So far, so good...



Now this is the three layers combined in different ways.

1. The wine red block with the two black and white layers as masks (on which OVERLAY is applied). The red wine block here was tweaked in color, hue, saturation, luminosity in order to achieve more of the original wine red as the overlay is changing the appearance to a brighter red.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/wine_red_block_tweaked_2x_bw_overla.jpg

2. The wine red block with the two black and white layers as masks (on which DARKEN is applied).The red wine block here was tweaked in color, hue, saturation, luminosity in order to achieve more of the original wine red as the overlay is changing the appearance to a brighter red.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/wine_red_block_tweaked_2x_bw_darken.jpg

3. The wine red block with the two black and white layers as masks (on which COLOR BURN is applied).The red wine block here was tweaked in color, hue, saturation, luminosity in order to achieve more of the original wine red as the overlay is changing the appearance to a brighter red.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/wine_red_block_tweaked_2x_bw_colorb.jpg

4. The wine red block with the two black and white layers as masks (on which OVERLAY is applied).The red wine block here was NOT tweaked in color, hue, saturation, luminosity but retains it's original wine red here. However as you can see the overlay is changing the appearance to a brighter red at SOME places where masking really doesn't work in this case due to the nature of the fine black scattered grainy dots that the magic wand or select features either take too little or too much of.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m311/safesite/wine_red_block_org_2x_bw_overlay_ma.jpg


Also, color burn seems to work best, overlay second best and darken only third best in regards to retaining those fine pixels. However that also means that the wine red colored block underneath has to be tweaked to appear like the original wine red which means it does get close but doesn't match the original wine red color exactly in the end.

That's the snag.

Any ideas or thoughts on new approaches and solutions to this problem?


Thanks for helping me and the time you take to do so... :)

[Silence04]

try setting the "grunge edge" layers to multiply.

or copy the "grunge edge" layers, and paste them as a mask on another layer filled with black. then set those to overlay.

[Andy1975]

try setting the "grunge edge" layers to multiply.

or copy the "grunge edge" layers, and paste them as a mask on another layer filled with black. then set those to overlay.


Hi Silence,

thanks for the tip. Multiply on both mask layers with the grungy edges works fine. I think I even had tried that possibility but then decided for some reason that color burn was better. However, multiply now seems a lot more better and retains the wine-red color without visibly changing it as well as the fine grainy areas.

I didn't get what exactly you meant when you said that I should apply the two mask layers (with grungy edges) as masks to a black base layer underneath and set those first mentioned ones to overlay. I get nothing but a black block. I don't think that is what you had in mind but maybe we misunderstood each other...

Could you elaborate on that one, please...?

Thanks in advance. :)

[Silence04]

Select all on the grungy edge layer, copy it.
Then create a new layer, fill it with black.
Add a mask to the new layer.
Option+click (alt+click pc?) the mask, then paste. and click off the mask.
(you may need to invert the mask, cmd+I)

[Andy1975]

Select all on the grungy edge layer, copy it.
Then create a new layer, fill it with black.
Add a mask to the new layer.
Option+click (alt+click pc?) the mask, then paste. and click off the mask.
(you may need to invert the mask, cmd+I)



DANG...!!! (like the beaver in Ice Age 2 goes when the ice falls...) :D

That was me when I saw the possibility with alt-click and paste into the mask. I had no idea...!

That is exactly what I was looking for. Flawless...!

Color, pixels all just looks magnificent.

Thanks a million for that tip! Anything I can ever help you with - although you seem to master a bunch - I am more than glad to do at anytime. :)

I don't know why I never heard about this possibility before...??? :o

Thanks a bunch again.

You just made my day and taught me a LOT... ;)