Matching a color

RH
Posted By
Ronald_Hirsch
Oct 23, 2003
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292
Replies
3
Status
Closed
These seem like simple things to do, but I don’t see the route to do it. Possibly Photoshop CS can do this more readily, with its ability to match colors in two different images.

CASE 1
I have an RGB image, and there is an area in that image that I would like to have the color 128-128-128 (pure midtone) gray. Let’s assume that it is presently 97-140-130. It would seem that if I went into COLOR BALANCE, and used the sliders that I could do this. But even checking "midtones", and unchecking "preserve luminousity", it’s not always possible. Also, I would think that if I moved the red slider 30 "units" more to red, that the image test point would move 30 units also, but it’s never 1 to 1.

CASE 2
I have an RGB portrait image, and I have an RGB readout of a skin tone, but I don’t like the color. I then open another image of that same person, and I’d like to match the skin tone in the first image to the skin tone in the second image. How can I simply match the first to the second? Will this be easier in Photoshop CS?

CASE 3
How do I go into an image, create a test point with the sampler eye dropper, and then "dial in" a change in color in the info and color palettes, or wherever?

Ron Hirsch

Master Retouching Hair

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D
d._wade_thompson
Oct 23, 2003
in all of these cases you can use your color sampler, i use it on 3 by 3 average to get a better sample. take a sample of the area you want to change and those numbers will be put into your info pallette. you can then use levels to adjust each color individually. select the red and then make your adjustments. you can see in your info pallette the original values and your new values. hope this helps.

wade
RH
Ronald_Hirsch
Oct 24, 2003
Wade,

Thanks for your suggestion. But, I don’t see the path to change a color sample as you suggest. I’m well versed in Photoshop, but what you are stating just is not clear to me.

By the way – did you mean "curves", as opposed to "levels"?

Please show a list of the steps.

Ron
RH
Ronald_Hirsch
Oct 24, 2003
Wade.

I think I found some answers – the channel mixer seems to be the way to go for the following.

I go to the image where I’d like to change a color which samples out at 90-130-100 for RGB, to 128-128-128 and I display that sample in the info pallete.

I then bring up the Channel Mixer window. I select Red in the dropdown window, and move the Red slider until the modified sample’s Red is 128. Then I do the same for green and blue.

When I’m done, the correction is done, and that color in the image is now as I wanted it, with of course all the other colors having also changed accordingly.

Now is there way that I can do this by setting up 128-128-128 in the color pallete, and just clicking on the image somehow to achieve that?

Ron

Master Retouching Hair

Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

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