How to colorize a B&W selection in a color image?

[LionheartPix]

PS 26.0.0

MACOS 13.7.1

Can this be done? I shot a group that included a B&W cutout as part of the group. The image works fine as is, but I wanted to colorize the cutout as an alternative to the original. If I select the B&W area, ie the cutout, it seems the neural filters are not ava. Is there a way to colorize this B&W part of a color image?

Thanks

John

[Myra Ferguson]

After making the selection of the two people in B&W, make a new layer with just the selection by going to Layer > New > Layer via Copy. Then select that new layer and apply the Colorize Neural Filter.

[LionheartPix]

Thanks, Myra. That works except that everthing gets colorized except the man's head—it is not included except for his lips, and the colorizing appears uneven and mostly just a pink overtone. I have used colorize to good effect on other B&W images, old photos, but do some just not "process" as well as others?

[Myra Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Yeah, the auto color image results of Colorization are not always perfect. To add more color using the Colorize Neural Filter, click on a portion of the preview image and add color that you select to focal points. You can adjust the strength of the color that gets added to each point:

[LionheartPix]

wow, nice. I was playing with it and trying to do it in another way, not getting good enough results. I'll try it your way and thanks again!

[Myra Ferguson]

You're very welcome. 🙂

And you can always add color to separate layers and use blend modes and varying levels of opacity to further refine the color.

[LionheartPix]

how do you get the image in the focal points windo so large? Mine is tiny. I understand the process of adding the color and playing with it, but witha tiny image it is hard to hit the right sport

[Myra Ferguson]

If you expand the Neural Filters panel, then the preview image will enlarge. To expand the panel, place your cursor between the left edge of the Neural Filters panel and the main canvas until you see a horizontal double-arrow. Then you can drag to the left to increase the size of the panel.