Completely Change the Color of an Object in Photoshop

We have all used Photoshop to adjust the color of an object, but what if you need to make something a specific color? This tutorial shows how to have complete control over all the colors in your image.

In this tutorial, Nemanja Sekulic covers how to perform several tasks in Photoshop regarding color. There are many ways to adjust a color, of course, but Sekulic’s method involves placing the target color and the original color side by side on a new layer and using an adjustment layer to find what combination of settings it takes to complete the transformation. He then applies the layer to his original image, giving him pinpoint control of the final color of the object.

The best part about this tutorial, however, is that it provides some excellent lessons in color theory. Watching Sekulic use combinations of hue, saturation, and luminance adjustments to reach his target color is a great way to learn how each aspect affects your image. He also uses a selective color layer to teach you how to match colors, and this is beneficial for seeing how adjusting cyan, magenta, and yellow can control a color.

Lastly, Sekulic only touches on this for a moment, but I will add that Adobe Color CC is an excellent way to learn color theory. Adobe provides a color wheel that will help you find different harmonies, such as complementary colors and triads. It is a great resource if you are beginning to learn about how colors work together in your photography. If you want to see how Sekulic uses color theory and Photoshop to improve his images, check out the video above.

Levi Keplar's picture

Levi Keplar is a wedding and portrait photographer and educator. He currently owns and operates his studio, Katie & Levi Photography, with his wife and is based in the Wichita, Kansas area. He has a passion for both the technical and the business sides of photography and helping others to grow in those areas as well.

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