Photoshop Toning & Color Tinting

In this episode of TheFIX, host Seán Duggan shares some tips and techniques for creating color toning and tinting (i.e., “hand coloring”) effects for black & white images. Beyond those key topics, this show also features useful tips on adjustment layers, layer masks, blending modes, and alternate ways of applying color tinting. Starting with a historical image from the Library of Congress, we start off with a look at how to create a basic sepia toning look. From there, we mix it up a bit and use multiple sepia layers and layer masks to create a varied and irregular toning effect, as well as a sepia look that also applies a darkening effect that contributes a tonal richness to the image. Next we shift gears and go over the basic “dance steps” for using adjustment layers and layer masks to create a hand colored look.

The hand coloring for the women factory workers photo was created after this episode was recorded, using the same type of techniques shown in the episode on the puma fountain photo. You can see the result below, as well as screenshots of the final layers panel for the colorized photo.

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Library of Congress Flickr Page

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Where’s Seán?

* Check out Seán’s new weekly series Mobile Photography Weekly on Lynda.com (the current week is always free with no subscription required), as well as some of his other courses, including Learn Photoshop Compositing: 10-Minute Techniques and Photoshop: Create a Portrait Collage. Check out his website to learn more about his photography, workshops, and all of his Lynda.com courses.

* Connect with Seán on social media:  Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Google+  |   Instagram