Help Please Changing Colors Of Clothing

[scoostraw]

I did some forum searching but did not find an answer to this.  But please feel free to point me to a tutorial etc. if this is already documented someplace.

 

I sometimes need to change the color of an article of clothing on a model photo.  What sometimes works is I create a duplicate layer.  Then I use Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and change the hue.  Often I can get the color pretty close to what I need this way.  Then I use the eraser on the rest of the image, flatten and save.

 

My problem are the times when changing the hue doesn't get me anywhere near to the color I need.

 

I am familiar with hex color codes, and can choose a code for what I need.  If I'm able to use the magic wand to select the area, is there a way to use the color picker to change it without just making the selected area a solid color?

 

Many thanks in advance.  I realize I am a novice at this,,,

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

For a quick answer, have you tried the re-color tool? It feels nicer to me in 4.0 than it use to in 3.X. It even has two ways of color sampling now.
 
Other than that, for recoloring things I normally cut-out the object then work with it on it's own layer. It sounds like you already do something similar to that. In case you are interested though, for multiple ways of cutting out objects see here : http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/28305-mini-tuts/?p=409110

When I recolor, sometimes the object I am trying to recolor gets funky colored when I try to use only hue/saturation. So, I often will first make everything a stable color tone with either sepia, or turn things black and white, or I use the Caynotype plugin from KrisVDM's plugin pack.
 
Then to get the colors I want I use a mix between Hue/Saturation, Levels, Curves or Curves+, Brightness/Contrast (all found under the adjestments tab) and Color Tint, Color Filter (effects tab > colors).
 
Another way to recolor is to use layer blending modes. Try coloring with the color you want on a layer above your object and then test out the Multiply or Overlay blending modes. Blending modes work best on gray colors, so changing the object to black and white then adjusting things with brightness/contrast or levels to make the object more gray works well.

 

I also will use Effect > Photo > Sharpen, since sometimes re-coloring makes things look more dull.

 

[xod]

Also you can browse this topic.

Edited August 5, 2014 by xod

[scoostraw]

@ Cc4FuzzyHuggles :  Yes the recolor tool is interesting.  I'll have to spend some more time with it - and your other suggestions.

 

And thanx xod for the link.

[TechnoRobbo]

Here's a technique I developed to choose colors for the outside of our home.

 

1. Use Magic wand and other selection tools to select the clothes to be recolored
2. copy clothes to a new top layer.
3. make top layer B&W
4. use Curves in adjustment menu to change contrast towards white but make it look natural
5. select empty part of top layer and invert selection - (don't forget to pick replace or you'll look like an idiot if you make a video)
6. click on image (original) layer and delete clothes by cutting or pressing delete
7. change top layer blend mode to multiply!!!!
8. create a new layer bottom layer and use the Paint Bucket to paint it the new color

 

This technique works with clothed people, naked people, planes, trains, automobiles, and the occasional exterior of a house.

BTW - we painted the house white. 

 

 

image from wikimedia public domain license

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Very Nice TR! That's a way I haven't seen before to re-color things. If I do blend modes I normally have my color above the object and set the color to a blending mode. I liked how you did yours the other way around though.

 

I personally think using selection tools to make a cut-out is the fast way, so it is good to point out that that is one way of doing things.

However, using selection tools often doesn't work for pictures that have more difficult colors or patterns to try and select, and it sometimes leads to uglier cut-outs vs other methods. So I still recommend cutting things out by duplicating the layer and erasing with the line/curve tool or by the normal tracing an object to make a cut out.

 

Either way, it's nice to see the variety of answers here.

[skullbonz]

You went through all of that and then painted it white?