Creative coloring of black and white images in Photoshop

In this tutorial, I will show you how you can add color to a black and white image in Photoshop. Most people think that black and white images are not very interesting without color, but with the right techniques, you can bring them to life. Adding color gives you the opportunity to unleash your creativity and achieve unique effects.

Main Takeaways

• Use smart objects to keep your work non-destructive and filters adjustable.
• Utilize the Neural Filters in Photoshop to colorize images quickly and effectively.
• You can further adjust the result after applying the filter by editing the masks.

Step-by-Step Guide

First, you'll want to make sure you have an image to work with. Start by opening your desired black and white image in Photoshop.

The first step to start coloring is to convert the image to a smart object. This will give you the flexibility to make changes at any time. Right-click on your image layer and choose "Convert to Smart Object".

If you're not sure whether your image is already a smart object, you can check. Look at the bottom right icon; if you see the corresponding symbol there, you don't need to convert it again.

Now that you have the image as a smart object, you can proceed to the next step. Click on the "Filter" menu at the top of the menu bar and then go to "Neural Filters".

Opening the Neural Filters may take a moment, so be patient. Once the filter is open, navigate to the available beta filters and select the "Colorize" option.

If you haven't downloaded this filter yet, you need to click on the cloud icon. This will download the filter and make it available to you.

Once the filter is downloaded, click on the dot to activate it. Photoshop will now automatically colorize the image for you.

You'll see that the image immediately receives a color infusion that makes it come alive. You can further adjust the hues to optimize the result. If you drag the circle to the left in the color adjustment area, the image will shine in more cyan tones. Dragging the circle to the right will make red tones dominate.

However, if you are satisfied with the automatically generated result, you can simply click "OK" to apply the coloring.

If you are dissatisfied with the result or want to make further adjustments, you can also change or deactivate the filter later. You can turn on or off the filter effect icon in the layers palette. Additionally, you can edit the mask by clicking on it.

With a brush tool, you have the option to brush away parts of the filter with black color or go back steps with white color to restore the filter. This gives you maximum creative freedom to design your final image.

Summary

In this tutorial, you have learned how to colorize a black and white image in Photoshop using Smart Objects and Neural Filters. Applying these techniques allows you to work creatively and achieve customizable results that make your image stand out.