Sorry for the dumb questions but I’m absolutely new to this stuff and I’m getting a lot of great info here which I’m keeping meticulous notes of…
I’ve figured out how to paint with CS4 in colors and "near" black/grey/ white (by going to the extreme left of the color square in any given color but it still seems as if if it’s influenced by the "parent" color whose square I happen to be choosing from within. Is there a "pure monochrome black/grey/white range" of tones that I’m missing somewhere and, if so, what’s the procedure for toggling back and forth quickly/easily between this monochrome and color?
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…."Why don’t you just put in the right numbers in the color palette?"…
Honestly, I’m not even aware that a number/color palette option existed for switching back and forth between this grayscale and color…but, then again, it wasn’t that long ago that I thought burning a CD involved the use of a cigarette lighter!
…."0,0,0 is pure black; 255,255,255 is pure white."…
Thanks.
Am I understanding correctly then that you cannot create work in CS4 which includes both rich colors and straight monochromatic black and white simultaneously? (i.e., a painting which includes figures wearing brightly colored garments and figures painted/drawn as if they were taken from a black and white photo or charcoal drawing) Also would this disallow working a PS painting up as a grayscale value study and then glazing color over with low opacity/greater opacity where needed?
Yes you can desaturate individual selections and leave other parts in color. But not by "toggling back and forth".
There are many ways to do it, all involving selections, some involve layers and masks, etc.
I don’t follow the last sentence in your post, sorry. Are you talking about toning an grayscale image? That’s easily done with a solid color layer with opacity to suit.
But in any event, you need to "Read The Fine Manual", a book or two on Photoshop, and read some tutorials online. Google is your friend.
…."But in any event, you need to "Read The Fine Manual", a book or two on Photoshop, and read some tutorials online. Google is your friend."…
Not to fret…I’ve picked up a book or two and am checking out some other tutorials as we speak! Google directed me to this board and I’ve received some excellent tips here which have been most helpful in getting "off the ground" so to speak at times when the aforementioned books/tutorials are difficult to wade through. Again, apologies for the beginner’s questions and, should anyone feel the need to jot down my screen name as an asker-of-beginner’s questions with a notation to "ignore this user", believe me, I’m hip. No need to waste keystrokes on the "go back to the information kiosk" angle.
If you want to work in what was known as Black and White photography, you need to be in grayscale mode. stay in grayscale mode unless you want to add color to the image.
Since we don’t have multiple mode images, you might consider doing your ‘pen and ink’ black and white image in one grayscale document and then saving that image again under a different name in rgb to do your color work. Make sure you are doing your grayscale work on a layer with transparency over a white background. That way you can save the grayscale image layer with transparency and overprint it over your color gouache work as a separate file, black over color, so to speak. Use your black layer in your rgb image as a guide then turn it off to save your color work to print separately.
Actually, you may get just as good a result with less fuss by following the "0,0,0 is pure black; 255,255,255 is pure white" rule for your b&w illustration layer and do your colors on other layers.
I don’t have experience with ‘Painter’ but you might want to check into that program if you want another take on using watercolor or other illustration styles in your document.
Post a link to your work here. We want to see the results of our recommendations please.
…."Post a link to your work here. We want to see the results of our recommendations please."…
Ken,
Here’s a sampling of my (mostly) drawings. The only one that’s been worked on digitally is "Shepherdess With a Piglet" and it’s only been worked slightly. One of the big attractions of getting into working digitally, for me, has been the prospect of returning to working in color as I seem to have developed some allergies to a good deal of traditional art making media. Hopefully, as I get more practice with CS4 or other programs I’ll be posting digital work to the site linked below.
Just having dabbled in CS4 for a couple of weeks now, I think the challenge will be to hold onto the loose and expressive elements (as in the masterfully done image you posted). I’m thinking there’s got to be a lot of temptation to work a piece forever in a medium as correctable as digital!
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