Recoloring image areas for a realistic effect
You can use the Color Changer tool to realistically recolor an object or a region in an image. What sets the Color Changer tool apart from other tools and commands (such as the Flood Fill tool, some of the retouching brushes, or the Colorize, Hue/Saturation/Lightness, or Hue Map commands) is that it takes into account the shading of the specified color. The Color Changer tool detects and analyzes variations in image brightness and applies the recoloring based on that illumination.
It lets you adjust Tool Options palette settings for Tolerance and Edge Softness, and it updates the current recoloring as you modify settings on the Tool Options palette or modify the color in the Materials palette.
The Color Changer tool works best on matte objects such as clothing, carpet, and painted objects that are a solid color. It may not work as well on shiny or reflective objects and is not designed to work with gradients or patterns.
![](images/ex_color_changer.jpg)
One click can change the color of the girl’s dress.
To recolor by using the Color Changer tool |
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Edit workspace
1 |
On the Tools toolbar, choose the Color Changer tool ![]() |
The Color Changer tool is grouped with the Flood Fill tool. |
2 |
On the Materials palette, click the Color button ![]() |
If the Materials palette is not displayed, choose View ![]() ![]() |
For realistic-looking colors, set the Saturation value (in the Material Properties dialog box) closer to 100 than to 255 (full saturation). |
3 |
Position the Color Changer pointer over the color you want to
change in the image, and then click to recolor with the
Foreground/Stroke color, or right-click to recolor with the current
Background/Fill color.
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4 |
Click Apply to set the color change on the object.
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While using the Color Changer tool, you can undo and redo
actions such as adjusting colors or adjusting settings on the
Tool Options palette.
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To isolate the area you want to recolor, you can create a
selection. For more information about creating selections, see
Creating selections.
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To prevent the Color Changer from affecting areas of the photo
that you do not want to change, you can duplicate the layer on
which the photo resides, apply the Color Changer to the new
layer, and use the Eraser tool to erase the areas of changed
color that you want to restore. You can then merge the layers.
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