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Post by maghdalena on Oct 14, 2016 8:05:55 GMT
I need to make a flag design that has two colors that are diagonal as follows:  What we want to do is put the upper left half on one layer and lower right half on another layer, then put the two together, after we determine the colors so we don't mix one area with the other. How do we do this the fastest way. We need to divide this pattern into the upper left half and a lower right half on two layers so we can color-edit them. We also have a foreground image that we can't change the color of. Not in Inkscape, or in Photoshop Elements. I've tried everything that the board members recommended, but the color will not change. At all. I am using Photoshop Elements 12 on a Vista Machine. Do I need to put it as a clipping mask, a layer mask or how do I split it so the program sees it as 2 layers or a layer mask instead of just one image.? We tried to change the colors of the image above in PSE, didn't work. I tried to change them in Inkscape. Nothing worked. So I thought maybe we could do it ourselves, and we got a line drawn by my husband, but then we got stuck. I tried to paint each half (but I had to simplify it), and I could, but I painted over the lines with the second color.) Did I do wrong to simplify it, and do I have to start over? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you for your time. Katherine Logan |
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Post by cats4jan on Oct 14, 2016 12:14:38 GMT
If your image says "background" in the layers panel, you need to turn it into a regular layer. On the right edge of the layer in the layers panel, you will see a lock - drag that to the trashcan and your layer will change to "layer 0". Using the magic wand, select one of the triangles. Command/Control J will put that triangle on it's own layer. Select it again, hit delete on your original. You now have two layers. Each will have transparency on the half that doesn't have color. On each layer, choose a new foreground color and use the paint bucket to change your color. 
Note: you could change the colors of each triangle without putting each triangle on it's own layer by simply using the paint bucket and clicking on each triangle, but I wanted you to have each triangle on it's own layer so you can work independently on each triangle. Note: if this does not work, it might be the format (actually, that might be the problem with your other image, too). Open the photo and save it as a jpg or a psd and that should solve the format problem. Another thing to look at is the mode (image> mode) - you need to be in RGB |
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ken1
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 83 
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by ken1 on Oct 14, 2016 13:18:41 GMT
cats4jan has provided you with an excellent work-flow to place the triangles on separate layers and to change the colors.
Please expand on this:
We also have a foreground image that we can't change the color of. Not in Inkscape, or in Photoshop Elements. I've tried everything that the board members recommended, but the color will not change.
Do you wish to change colors of specific objects in the image, or colorize the entire image, e.g. sepia tone, or what??
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 14, 2016 15:35:11 GMT
We also have a foreground image that we can't change the color of. Not in Inkscape, or in Photoshop Elements. I've tried everything that the board members recommended, but the color will not change. At all. I am using Photoshop Elements 12 on a Vista Machine. Do I need to put it as a clipping mask, a layer mask or how do I split it so the program sees it as 2 layers or a layer mask instead of just one image.? We tried to change the colors of the image above in PSE, didn't work. I tried to change them in Inkscape. Nothing worked. So I thought maybe we could do it ourselves, and we got a line drawn by my husband, but then we got stuck. I tried to paint each half (but I had to simplify it), and I could, but I painted over the lines with the second color.) Did I do wrong to simplify it, and do I have to start over? Hi maghdalena,
As you said in another thread -- "I'm a total newbie on PSE 12." - let's take one step at a time. There seems to be more than one issue going on here.
1. Which foreground image are you talking about? Are you referring to the image you are getting help with in this thread?
www.photoshopelementsandmore.com/thread/2864/activating-color-overlays-photoshop-elements
2. There is no need to use layer masks or clipping masks for your flag project. If you just want to change the colors of the two panels on the image you posted, Janice has already shown you one way to do it. As far as filling the panels with different colors, you are not limited to using the Paint Bucket tool. You can use the Edit>Fill command or the Alt-Backspace shortcut.
3. Which tool did your husband use to draw the line? Did he by any chance use the Line tool? If so, this would explain why you need to simplify the layer first. Would you please give us more details?
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Post by cats4jan on Oct 14, 2016 16:35:24 GMT
You can use the Edit>Fill command or the Alt-Backspace shortcut. Wouldn't one need a selection to do that? The Paint Bucket can be used to change the color on an unselected area if that area has well defined borders. No need for selection in that case. |
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 14, 2016 16:47:55 GMT
You can use the Edit>Fill command or the Alt-Backspace shortcut. Wouldn't one need a selection to do that? The Paint Bucket can be used to change the color on an unselected area if that area has well defined borders. No need for selection in that case. Yes, that's right. It is much simpler with the Paint Bucket tool. I was just bringing up other options. |
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 14, 2016 18:25:04 GMT
I need to make a flag design that has two colors that are diagonal as follows: What we want to do is put the upper left half on one layer and lower right half on another layer, then put the two together, after we determine the colors so we don't mix one area with the other. How do we do this the fastest way. We need to divide this pattern into the upper left half and a lower right half on two layers so we can color-edit them.
If you want to start from scratch, . . .
1. Create a new file (File>New>Blank File).
2. Activate the Polygonal Lasso tool and draw a diagonal panel.
3. Place the panel on its own layer (Ctrl-J).
4. Duplicate this panel layer (Ctrl-J).
5. Go to Image>Rotate>Rotate Layer 180°.
6. Ctrl-Click on this duplicate layer thumbnail (not on the layer name). NOTE: This will load it as a selection. You will see marching ants around it.
7. Go to Edit>Fill Selection and fill it with the color you want.
8. Go back to the other panel layer and repeat Steps 6 and 7.
9. Save your file as PSD or TIFF to keep the layers intact. (In this way, you can go back and change the colors of the panels if you want.)
OPTIONAL:
Create a composite layer, a combination of all your visible layers. The advantage of creating such a layer is that you can work on it without affecting the other layers. When you run the Stamp Visible command, Elements automatically creates a new layer at the top of the stack and then fills it with the contents of the other layers.
1. Make sure the top layer is selected.
2. Run the Stamp Visible Command by pressing Shift-Alt-Ctrl-E.
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Post by maghdalena on Oct 16, 2016 3:13:17 GMT
A funny thing happened when I did this. I did like you said, and unlocked the background which did like you said. I have a Windows and not a Mac, but I did the magic wand and the Command/Control J, and it goes into layer 1. Fine. But when I do the second one, the lower right, and I do the Command/Control J, it makes Layer 2, but the second one is...transparent. I tried it again with the lower right first, and again it worked, the first time, but the second time, no matter if it's the upper left or lower right, it goes to a layer but is shown as a transparent layer. Once there with the layer 1, the color changes just fine. But what do I do about the second layer. Is there a workaround with it? Like making a duplicate layer (for layer 1) and then rotating it. Will that actually work? And why does it show the second time with the second half as transparent no matter which one I start with. Any advice guys and gals? OK. I tried making a duplicate layer, hiding layer 1, then rotating layer 2...and both layers 1 and 2 rotated 180 degrees, and the other half showed as transparent. I can't change the color for half of it. The image we used as a guide, was originally a svg file, but how do you put a color into half what is transparent. What will work or do I need to do it from scratch? And when I show the layer 0, and use the paint can, the whole image gets filled with the same color, so no different-colored halves. So what's going on here? If your image says "background" in the layers panel, you need to turn it into a regular layer. On the right edge of the layer in the layers panel, you will see a lock - drag that to the trashcan and your layer will change to "layer 0". Using the magic wand, select one of the triangles. Command/Control J will put that triangle on it's own layer. Select it again, hit delete on your original. You now have two layers. Each will have transparency on the half that doesn't have color. On each layer, choose a new foreground color and use the paint bucket to change your color.
Note: you could change the colors of each triangle without putting each triangle on it's own layer by simply using the paint bucket and clicking on each triangle, but I wanted you to have each triangle on it's own layer so you can work independently on each triangle. Note: if this does not work, it might be the format (actually, that might be the problem with your other image, too). Open the photo and save it as a jpg or a psd and that should solve the format problem. Another thing to look at is the mode (image> mode) - you need to be in RGB |
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 16, 2016 3:49:41 GMT
A funny thing happened when I did this. I did like you said, and unlocked the background which did like you said. I have a Windows and not a Mac, but I did the magic wand and the Command/Control J, and it goes into layer 1. Fine. But when I do the second one, the lower right, and I do the Command/Control J, it makes Layer 2, but the second one is...transparent. I tried it again with the lower right first, and again it worked, the first time, but the second time, no matter if it's the upper left or lower right, it goes to a layer but is shown as a transparent layer. Once there with the layer 1, the color changes just fine. But what do I do about the second layer. Is there a workaround with it? Like making a duplicate layer (for layer 1) and then rotating it. Will that actually work? And why does it show the second time with the second half as transparent no matter which one I start with. Any advice guys and gals? There is no need for a workaround. Janice's instructions work just fine.
If your image says "background" in the layers panel, you need to turn it into a regular layer. On the right edge of the layer in the layers panel, you will see a lock - drag that to the trashcan and your layer will change to "layer 0". Using the magic wand, select one of the triangles. Command/Control J will put that triangle on it's own layer. Select it again, hit delete on your original. You now have two layers. Each will have transparency on the half that doesn't have color.
After you place the first triangle on its own layer (Layer 1), you need to load it as a selection. Ctrl-Click on the triangle layer thumbnail (not on the layer name). You will see marching ants around it. Now go back to the original background layer (the one you unlocked -- Layer 0) and press the Delete key. You should end up with this.
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Post by maghdalena on Oct 16, 2016 4:47:32 GMT
Yes, that is what I'm talking about, and this is what that post was talking about. That symbol would go in the foreground with the diagonal background. We would want to test the different colors to see what would work well with the two panel background, so the colors wouldn't conflict. I'm glad I don't have to use the clipping mask or a layer mask. Makes things a lot simpler and less headaches. The way Janice described I tried that and one half keeps coming up in the layers as transparent. They have two different colors, so how can one half work and the other half not. I can change the colors of layer one with the paint can, no problem, but when I try with layer 2, well, that shows as transparent, even with the layer 1 hidden, the paint can puts one color in the whole canvas. OK. Tried it again, with layer 2, and it worked. I'm not sure what I did right, but I put in the magic wand, then control J command, and it worked. It didn't work before. That's weird. As to the line my husband drew, yes it was the line tool, so yes, that does explain the simplify tool However, part of the diagonal flag is transparent. Not a lot, Not sure how big it is, but it shows as transparent. How do I even the two colors up so there's no transparent part showing? How do I solve that issue? Also, would you consider helping us with other projects next year in a professional capacity? Why or why not? We also have a foreground image that we can't change the color of. Not in Inkscape, or in Photoshop Elements. I've tried everything that the board members recommended, but the color will not change. At all. I am using Photoshop Elements 12 on a Vista Machine. Do I need to put it as a clipping mask, a layer mask or how do I split it so the program sees it as 2 layers or a layer mask instead of just one image.? We tried to change the colors of the image above in PSE, didn't work. I tried to change them in Inkscape. Nothing worked. So I thought maybe we could do it ourselves, and we got a line drawn by my husband, but then we got stuck. I tried to paint each half (but I had to simplify it), and I could, but I painted over the lines with the second color.) Did I do wrong to simplify it, and do I have to start over? Hi maghdalena,
As you said in another thread -- "I'm a total newbie on PSE 12." - let's take one step at a time. There seems to be more than one issue going on here.
1. Which foreground image are you talking about? Are you referring to the image you are getting help with in this thread?
www.photoshopelementsandmore.com/thread/2864/activating-color-overlays-photoshop-elements
2. There is no need to use layer masks or clipping masks for your flag project. If you just want to change the colors of the two panels on the image you posted, Janice has already shown you one way to do it. As far as filling the panels with different colors, you are not limited to using the Paint Bucket tool. You can use the Edit>Fill command or the Alt-Backspace shortcut.
3. Which tool did your husband use to draw the line? Did he by any chance use the Line tool? If so, this would explain why you need to simplify the layer first. Would you please give us more details?
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 16, 2016 5:34:17 GMT
Yes, that is what I'm talking about, and this is what that post was talking about. That symbol would go in the foreground with the diagonal background. We would want to test the different colors to see what would work well with the two panel background, so the colors wouldn't conflict.
maghdalena,
It looks like we have two different issues being addressed here -- the problem with the symbols image and the diagonal flag design. I moved the discussion about the symbols to a thread of its own.
www.photoshopelementsandmore.com/thread/2916/change-colors-image
As I explained in my previous post, the problem was that you seemed to be working on the wrong layer.
Can you post a screen shot of the image in the workspace in Elements (including the layer stack)? Thanks!
As much as this proposal sounds interesting, I would not be able to consider it. I just don't have the time. Thanks anyway!
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Post by cats4jan on Oct 16, 2016 9:18:28 GMT
If my instructions don't work, it's because you are on the wrong layer. The most difficult part of learning PSE is understanding layers. Always look to your layers panel to make sure you are on the correct layer. It's so easy to jump layers so you end up working on the wrong layer. When nothing happens - it's because you are on a transparent area
As for the difference between a Mac and a PC - with a Mac, you use the Command key - with a PC, you use the Control key. That is why, when you see instructions from those of us who use both a Mac and a PC, you will see " Command/Control " as the first part of the keyboard shortcut. Mac users choose "Command", PC users choose "Control".
I know you are getting incredibly frustrated trying to get your project done, but learning PSE - especially at the beginning - can be trying. But in the long run, it's worth learning. Hang in there.
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Post by cats4jan on Oct 16, 2016 17:06:30 GMT
EDIT
In another thread, it was pointed out that my paint bucket instructions may have missed a point in it's usage.
After you grab the paint bucket tool, make sure 'contiguous' is clicked in the tool options - that will make the tool behave as I have outlined above.
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 16, 2016 17:38:57 GMT
Just adding some information on the Paint Bucket tool for the benefit of new users of Elements . . .
The "Contiguous" setting is the default setting for the Paint Bucket tool. With this setting turned on, you change only areas of the chosen color which touch one another. If you turn off this setting, all areas of the color you click on will change (whether they are contiguous or not).
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Post by maghdalena on Oct 17, 2016 9:22:56 GMT
That sounds like what was happening. I duplicated the wrong layer. It seems to be working now (other than the thin transparency line, which is now. It's sure easy to get the layers confused, lol! Here's the screenshot for the transparent diagonal line. It has the layer stack, here. So let's work with that first, then add in the symbol, but at least I can change colors for the symbol with the fill layer, and it doesn't seem to go into the transparent layers, so it's just the diagonal line that I want to worry about now, then add in the foreground symbol for the flag after I get this problem solved. Here it is: Hope you can help with this. As far as you being too busy for professional work, OK. I understand. Had to ask, right?  Thanks anyway, and thanks so much for the help. I haven't gotten rid of the original layer yet, (Layer 0) is it OK to delete that or what? I'm not 100% yet, because I'm not sure how to get it back if I need to. Thanks again, Oh, and by the way, thanks for the instructions to do it from scratch. Nice to have if I need it. Thanks again. Yes, that is what I'm talking about, and this is what that post was talking about. That symbol would go in the foreground with the diagonal background. We would want to test the different colors to see what would work well with the two panel background, so the colors wouldn't conflict.
maghdalena,
It looks like we have two different issues being addressed here -- the problem with the symbols image and the diagonal flag design. I moved the discussion about the symbols to a thread of its own.
www.photoshopelementsandmore.com/thread/2916/change-colors-image
As I explained in my previous post, the problem was that you seemed to be working on the wrong layer.
Can you post a screen shot of the image in the workspace in Elements (including the layer stack)? Thanks!
As much as this proposal sounds interesting, I would not be able to consider it. I just don't have the time. Thanks anyway!
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