Which tool ?

[fordguy1]

Hi I was just wondering how I go about coloring this odd shape ( circled ).

I am a rookie Photoshop user .

What tool would you suggest and please explain in easy-to-understand language?

Thanks and Merry Xmas.

 

[IamSam]

how I go about coloring this odd shape ( circled )

There are a lot of "odd" shapes in the circled area, you may need to be more specific.

Make a selection of the shape and color.

Selection:
Pen Tool
Polygonal Lasso Tool
Magic Wand Tool
Quick Selection Tool

Color:
Brush Tool
Paint Bucket Tool
Gradient Tool

I won't explain the usage of each tool, you can easily search out tutorials for each on the tube.

Pen Tool path..


Converted to a selection..


Filled with color. Set to Multiply blending option/mode.

 

[Rich54]

I'm not exactly sure which shape you mean, but I would use a hard brush and paint the color directly onto the image.

• Open a new layer and change the layer blend mode to Multiply.
• Use a hard brush and paint any color you like. Paint very carefully inside your boundary lines, or...
• A better option is to deliberately paint 10%, or so, past your boundary line. Then add a layer mask to carefully mask away any excess color.

Something like this, using blue.

 

[fordguy1]

Thanks guy's, you both selected the right shape I was on about.

 

[IamSam]

You're very welcome. If you have further questions, let us know.

 

[IamSam]

Sorry that I could not get to this earlier, I had an eventful day!

I've noticed that you have once again asked about this technique and the best tools to be used. Are the techniques above not working for you? Do you need more help? Is there something different about this image that I'm not understanding? Is coloring and painting something different?

what I want to do is paint the shape in the middle of the photo attached.

 

[JeffK]

@IamSam and @Rich54 - thanks from me for the tip on using multiply. I did have a question - if you filled the area with blue for instance using your technique of selecting and using Fill>Multiply blend mode, in order to change the color to yellow for instance, you would have to go back and redraw the selection? Wouldn't it be easier to select and use a separate fill layer for blue, then separate fill layer with yellow, and clip it to the blue filled layer? Just thinking of flexibility...

 

[Rich54]

@IamSam and @Rich54 - thanks from me for the tip on using multiply. I did have a question - if you filled the area with blue for instance using your technique of selecting and using Fill>Multiply blend mode, in order to change the color to yellow for instance, you would have to go back and redraw the selection? Wouldn't it be easier to select and use a separate fill layer for blue, then separate fill layer with yellow, and clip it to the blue filled layer? Just thinking of flexibility...

When an OP says they are a beginner, I'm always torn between offering the "best" or most flexible solution vs. the easiest solution, allowing the OP to walk before they learn to run. If this were my project, I would use @IamSam's approach of making a precise outline with the pen tool. Then I would use a Solid Color layer set to Multiply (as you suggest) with a mask created from my pen path. Once all that initial setup is done, the color can readily be changed in just seconds. But perhaps all of that is too much for a beginner. Thinking back to my own beginner days, the pen tool was a bit intimidating. It's now pretty much my favorite tool, but that took a while.

 

[IamSam]

if you filled the area with blue for instance using your technique of selecting and using Fill>Multiply blend mode, in order to change the color to yellow for instance, you would have to go back and redraw the selection?

When you make a selection and fill that selection while on it's own layer, regardless of it's blending mode, you can still create a new layer, make a new selection by Cmd/Cntrl + clicking the blue fill layers thumbnail. No need to go back and "redraw" the selection.

Wouldn't it be easier to select and use a separate fill layer for blue, then separate fill layer with yellow, and clip it to the blue filled layer?

Absolutely!!! This would be my recommendation!

 

[IamSam]

Original


Converted to Black and White for the demo.

Reduce opacity or original layer.

Create a new layer. Name it Template 1.
Use Pen Tool to make a selection.



Fill the selection with white (or any color).


Set Template layer's blending mode to "Multiply".


Create a new Color Fill Adjustment layer and clip it to the Template 1 layer.
Select a color by double clicking the Color Fill Adjustment layer's thumbnail.

 

[JeffK]

@Rich54 - agreed. Photoshop has a steep learning curve and it is best to answer a beginner's question with the simplest solution. I just kept playing with it and my curiosity got the best of me.

@IamSam - thanks for the illustration/steps. As always, Photoshop offers different solutions to the same question. Often, I don't opt for the easiest and just go with what makes the most logical sense to me. Doesn't always work and I keep playing until I end up in the weeds. Good instruction here!