Master the advanced techniques of Photoshop including matching color, adjusting color channels, desaturating color, and using clipping masks with this comprehensive tutorial.
This exercise is excerpted from Noble Desktop’s past Photoshop training materials and is compatible with Photoshop updates through 2020. To learn current skills in Photoshop, check out our Photoshop Bootcamp and graphic design classes in NYC and live online.
Note: These materials are provided to give prospective students a sense of how we structure our class exercises and supplementary materials. During the course, you will get access to the accompanying class files, live instructor demonstrations, and hands-on instruction.
Topics covered in this Photoshop tutorial:
Matching color, Adjusting the curves of individual color channels, Desaturating color, Clipping masks
Exercise Preview
Exercise Overview
In the previous exercise, we added two different skies to this photograph. One matches the tones in the original image, but the other doesn’t. We need to add adjustment layers to fix the color of the sky, without affecting the other layers. Normally, adjustment layers affect all layers below them, but we can use a clipping mask to target only the sky layer we want to change.
If you closed it, re-open yourname-BeachFamily.psd. (If you don’t have it finished for whatever reason, just open BeachFamily-2skies.psd.)
The sky2 layer is a decent match to the original image so hide it if it isn’t already.
Adjusting the Contrast of Sky1
The sky1 layer is far too blue, and its tones are flat and dark. Let’s fix that now.
Make sure the sky1 layer is selected.
Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves. Don’t click OK until we say.
Name it match sky tones.
Check on Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask. (We want this adjustment to only affect the sky. Turning on this option ensures it will not affect other layers.)
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Set the blending Mode to Luminosity.
This lets us add contrast without raising the color saturation.
Click OK.
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As shown below, drag the white point slider (the white triangle on the bottom) to the left to push the brightest highlights closer to white.
NOTE: The screenshots in this exercise show Photoshop’s lightest interface. Most of the screenshots in this book depict Photoshop’s default medium dark interface. Throughout this book, we may use the light interface when it improves the print quality. (Interface brightness can be changed by going into the Photoshop menu (Mac) or Edit menu (Windows), choosing Preferences > Interface, and clicking on the desired Color Theme.)
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The white clouds are standing out better, but let’s boost the contrast as shown in the screenshot below.
Adjusting the Color of Sky1
Let’s remove some of the blue. Make sure the match sky tones layer is selected.
- Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves and:
- Name it remove blue.
- Check Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask.
- Change Mode to Color.
Click OK.
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Adjust the color to remove some of the blue. Below are some curve suggestions for the Blue and Green channels.
Desaturating Sky1
- We’re almost there, but the blue of the sky is still more saturated than the clearing-storm-feeling suggested by this composited image. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation and:
- Name it desaturate sky.
- Check Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask.
- Set the blending mode to Color to avoid tonal changes.
- Click OK.
Pull the Saturation amount down until you’re satisfied with the color of the sky. (We think −45 looks pretty good.)
Save the file and close it.