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Known Participant
July 12, 2025
Answered

How can I paint white over wood and retain some natural texture?

  • July 12, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 267 views

I am trying to change the color of the wood to white. I want the natural texture of the wood to show through the wood, though I cant figure out how to do this. I tried adding various adjustment layers and I also tried simply adding a blank layer and painting over the wood with white and playing with blending modes and opacity though this does not work well.

 

What is the best way to do this?

Thanks

Correct answer c.pfaffenbichler

Please post a meaningfully sized version of the image. 

 

Aside from @Trevor.Dennis ’s advice another option might be using something like frequency separation. 

2 replies

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
July 13, 2025

Please post a meaningfully sized version of the image. 

 

Aside from @Trevor.Dennis ’s advice another option might be using something like frequency separation. 

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 12, 2025

What I have done here is place the wood texture above a a with the same area filled with white, and used Blend If to knock out the mid browns leaving the darker tones. You need to split the sliders by holding down Alt/Opt while dragging the left side.

I have reduced the effect here by lowering the wood texture layer opacity to 20%