Colouring layer

[rapscallion]

Hi all,

i am doing some smoke photography and am attempting to colour the smoke. i would like to try a new method by adding a 'colours' layer below the smoke of another photograph, and to have the colours from this layer colour the smoke layer above. how do i do this?

[Hoogle]

I assume you mean actually taking pictures of smoke and using that rather than using a smoke brush in photoshop which is a lot easier.
if it is the first option I can think of 2 ways
if you have a pure black background then use a hue saturation colour adjustment layer and check the colourise box this will add colour to anything not black or white so all the different shades of gray.
Option 2 is go into the channels pannel and see which 1 shows up most of your smoke (probably green or blue. control and click that channel to make a selection of the smoke copy it to a new layer then create a new layer with either your image or a coloured layer right hand click it and select create clipping mask then that will add colour to the smoke only.

If you are using photoshop smoke brushes
create a dark background
select the colour white or a dirty white
create a new layer select the brush tool and use a smoke brush here are a few you can download 350+ Smoke Brushes for Photoshop - DesignM.ag
once you have the body of your smoke press control + T to bring up the transform options right click inside the transform bok and select warp and shape your smoke to however you want it. and apply the transformation
create a new layer and fill it with a colour ( or for creative effects use a multi coloured gradient and fill the layer change the layer blending mode to colour and possibly create a clipping mask
here is an example of using brushes and my psd so you can see the set up and layout I use
smoke.psd

[rapscallion]

hi hoogleman,
you are right - it is photography pof actual smoke, joss sticks in this case. i have previously used the 'channel' method to colourise a picture. heres a link for the smoke picture i want to colour:-

i would like to place the following picture in a layer below the smoke, and to have the colours show through on the smoke layer (colours only, nothing else) - is this possible?

cant post links, but they are the most recent 2 pictures in my photostream.

flickr dot com / cud

[$1r_M4x1mu$]

Hi rapscallion

You can't post links just yet, but you can upload pictures.

And you mean, seeing the pictures thru the white smoke, if that's the case you could use layer blendings and some masks

[cyruswiz]

Assuming it's a solid image, not a png or brush...
The only way you could have the lower layer effect the layer above is by either changing the opacity on the top layer, or by changing the blending mode on the top layer. Of the two, the only viable option is the blending mode.
There are a plethora of options if your are willing to use a layer ABOVE rather than below the smoke layer. You could also use the "color overlay" option in the FX tab of the smoke layer(don't forget to change the blending mode).

[rapscallion]

Morning all,

i have uploaded the 2 pictures to my albums here, but cannot post links yet

$1r_M4x1mu$, yes that's exactly what i mean, colouring the smoke from the other picture, but just the colour coming through, no detail. I guessed that it would be a blending mode needed, but not sure how to set this up.

cheers

ps the colour picture is of oil drops in water with a cd underneath to create the colour

[rapscallion]

10char 10char

[rapscallion]

one more post so i can post links....

[rapscallion]

[Hoogle]

Just open up your image in photoshop drag your smoke layer on top and set that layer blending mode to screen, Lighten or any of them it will automatically take out the black. If you want the smoke top be coloured by the background put the layer blending mode on colour dodge and then adjust the vibrance and saturation.