PaintShop Pro - Color eyes (color change), using masking
Goal:
Change an eye-color using PSP's Mask feature.
In the photograph, anything's color can be changed with this technique. For example, a bridge or a river.
This can be better than PSP's "Color Changing Tool". Instead of "repainting", this adjusts the hue and saturation, without losing details in the object
I found an AI-generated instructional video on YouTube documenting these steps but the video was unusable. Here are the steps in a more digestible format. Eye-model from that video.
Using PaintShop Pro 2023
These steps should work with any version and these rough steps will probably work in any photo editor.
Steps:
1. In the layers pallet, duplicate the background layer
Right-mouse-click the layer, select "Duplicate"
Right-click the new layer's name, changing its name to something like "myMaskedLayer"
2. Highlight the new (duplicated) layer
In the Layers pallet, along the bottom row of icons, click the Mask icon
Choose "Show All"
A new group forms
Note the new White Mask sublayer
3. Add an "HSL" Adjustment Layer
In the new Mask Group, select the inner full-color photograph (illustrated below, in Blue)
(For now, ignore the white Mask layer)
On the bottom, click the Layer's "Adjustment Layer" icon (bottom of pallet)
Select menu "Hue/Saturation/Lightness" (HSL)
A new gray-scale image displays
Check [x] Colorize
Note: All sliders move to zero
Click OK
5. Select the White Mask Layer
In the Color Pallet's menu:
- Set the Fore-Color to Black (click the black/white diagonal button)
- Set the Back-Color to White
6. Paint the eyes
While still on the "White" layer
Select the PaintBrush tool
Set Hardness = 0
Opacity = 100
Size = (Any comfortable, but smaller brush size)
7. On the gray-scale "white" layer, paint the eyes with a relatively small brush.
- Use the mouse's roller-wheel to zoom
- Zoom in 1000% is common
You are essentially painting the eyes with a black brush, but since this is on the colorized masked layer; the background color bleeds through
When done, note the white-layer's eyes, showing as two dark eyes on a snowy-white background:
8. Invert the layer
While still highlighting the "white" layer
Select top-menu: Layers, "Invert/Mask Adjustment"
The photo returns to normal colors
(The "white" layer, with its two little eyes is now a "black" layer with two white eyes (not illustrated))
9. Select the HSL layer
Right-click, "Properties"
Adjust the slider-bars until happy
At the group's level, toggle the layer's "Visibility" icon off/and on to see the effect:
10. Optional: Adjust the effect's lightness
While highlighting the HSL Layer
Select the Pallet's bottom button "New Adjustment Layer"
Choose "Curves" from the sub-menu (not illustrated)
Slide ("scootch") the two sliders inland a "smidge"
-end
