How can I paint this red brick house but keep all the shadowing and details in the brick? I have tried creating a mask, adding my color, then changing to color mode but it ends up looking black and white.
You may consider doing the work entirely in Lab Color mode where color adjustment is discrete from tone and texture. No sliders, mninum brush work, editable mask and color and texture.
Step 1. Create the Mask
1. Change Mode to Lab Color and choose the Channels panel.
2. Duplicate theachannel and choose it (a copy)
3. Choose Curves and increase the contrast as shown
4. Touch up with hard-edged brush to complete the mask
5. Choose layers, add a duplicate layer and add the mask to the top layer
Step 2. Change the brick color
6. Choose Curves and theachannel.
7. Change the curve to bisect the grid in the center, horizontally, as shown.
8.Repeat with thebchannel
The brick color is now neutral gray and maintains the texture of the brick. (The gray value is now similar in lightness to the red brick.
Step 3. Change the gray value to white while maintaining texture.
9. Bend the curve using its Lightness channel to produce your preference of whiteness, contrast and texture. Color will not change.
10. The mask and Lightness curve are available for tweaking.
One more suggestion:If you want to match your Photoshop color to a specific Sherman-Williams color you will find the closest match equivalent RGB values at their site. Unfortunately there is no mention of the specific RGB Profile on which their RGB numbers are based. Chances are the Profile is sRGB.
It would be prudent not to make assumptions. If you consult the Sherman-Williams site: Spektran.com, you will have the opportunity to enter the Sherman-Williams color number and see its matching LAB Color value. That value is device independent. By entering those numbers in the Lab section of the Photoshop Color Picker you will see the proper closest match RGB values for your current file’s RGB profile.
A great point Norman. I made the, dangerous for critical colour, assumption that the unreferenced RGB values were sRGB. But if the Lab values are available then that is indeed a better route to accuracy.
I would start with Image> adjustments> channel mixer, through the brick mask. You want to put the channel with the best texture and detail on the black channel and adjust the CMY to be a neutral cream color. Adjust the levels to fine tune.