Is there a way to separate colours on to separate layers when the image is flat color on photoshop?

[Ian25293035vvij]

I have many images and need to split them in to individual colours on separate layers in photoshop.  The images are flat colour but the colours are defined.  Is this possible without using the colour range tool?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

You haven’t mentioned the Color Space, so please post some of the images or at the very least meaningful screenshots including the pertinent Panels. 

[Ian25293035vvij]

Sorry, did not realise, does this help?

color settings:

sample pic:

Image mode set to CMYK

[D Fosse]

As long as you don't expect a magic button solution. You'll have to work on the selections, then copy to a new layer.

Photoshop doesn't work with objects. It's all just pixels of varying numbers. The selection tools (such as Color Range) lets you select pixels of similar values.

The question is - how do you define a "color" here? I took some numbers to illustrate (these are RGB numbers because I did it on a screenshot):

Here are the 4 colors represented by those numbers:

[jane-e]

@Ian25293035vvij 

Can you tell us what your goal is? That may help us to help you find a solution for your CMYK document with RGB definitions.

Jane

[@mj]

Hi @Ian25293035vvij,

Channels can also be used to make selections too.

Here's a resource: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/channel-basics.html

You'll focus on color channels.

Let us know how you go.

mj

[Kayakbabe1]

It sounds like you are trying to do color separations for a printing process. If so photoshop and illustrator can both print color separations for you. But you will get cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. There is a way to specify the exact color of the inks, but I have not done that in years. With digital printing nowadays, color separations are a lost art. 

[Kayakbabe1]

Or google your problem... https://youtu.be/PHRTR4APxds