change everything of 1 color to a new layer

[Grateful Dave]

Greetings,

1.  Can I change everything that's 1 color to a new or different layer?

2.  Can I use pixels on 2 different layers as borders for a single paint bucket fill?

Thank you.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Hi Dave - welcome to the forum

 

 

1. Yes. Use the magic wand tool  with the Shift key held down when you click on the target color. The Shift key enables a global selection, this means every pixel in the layer that is within the tolerance setting is included in the selection.

 

Once you have cast the selection press Ctrl + C to copy it, then Ctrl + Shift + V to paste it into a new layer.

 

 

2. Yes. First merge the two layers together. This is temporary - we'll undo it later.

 

Next make a selection inside the fill area with the magic wand tool.

 

Go to and click Edit > Copy Selection

 

Press Undo twice (Ctrl + Z twice also does the job)

 

Add a new layer to the image

 

Edit > Paste Selection pastes the previously copied selection into the new layer.

 

Press Backspace to fill the selection with the Primary Color

 

Now you can fill the selection with any color you like using the paint bucket

[Grateful Dave]

On 5/23/2020 at 9:12 PM, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Hi Dave - welcome to the forum

 

 

1. Yes. Use the magic wand tool  with the Shift key held down when you click on the target color. The Shift key enables a global selection, this means every pixel in the layer that is within the tolerance setting is included in the selection.

 

Once you have cast the selection press Ctrl + C to copy it, then Ctrl + Shift + V to paste it into a new layer.

 

 

2. Yes. First merge the two layers together. This is temporary - we'll undo it later.

 

Next make a selection inside the fill area with the magic wand tool.

 

Go to and click Edit > Copy Selection

 

Press Undo twice (Ctrl + Z twice also does the job)

 

Add a new layer to the image

 

Edit > Paste Selection pastes the previously copied selection into the new layer.

 

Press Backspace to fill the selection with the Primary Color

 

Now you can fill the selection with any color you like using the paint bucket

 

Hello and thanks so much for your reply.

Can you maybe answer another or should I start a new post?

 

In attached zoomed-in graphic, I'd like to change every pixel that is not blue (i.e. all grey scales) to black.  The background is pure blue.  How can I select every pixel that is not blue and change all pixels to 1 color?

 

Thanks again, very helpful.

Grateful Dave

 

 

[MJW]

If it isn't already, make black the Primary Color.

Select the blue color with the Magic Wand, as Ego Eram Reputo explained above.

Invert the section with Ctrl+I (or use the Edit menu).

Fill the selection with Backspace (or use the Edit menu).

[Ego Eram Reputo]

1 hour ago, MJW said:

Select the blue color with the Magic Wand, as Ego Eram Reputo explained above.

 

I.e. make the selection a global one by holding down the Shift key.

 

 

[Grateful Dave]

Thank you both.  Much appreciated.