Learn the intricate skills of using Curves in Photoshop to match colors effectively, through a comprehensive tutorial on creating a seamless whiskey image.
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 colors using Curves
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Exercise Overview
The color of the whiskey in the bottle and the glass are different. We’ll use a Curves adjustment layer to match them.
Matching the Color of the Liquor in the Glass to That in the Bottle
If it’s not still open, re-open yourname-product-Adobe RGB.psd.
In the Paths panel, Cmd–click (Mac) or Ctrl–click (Windows) on the tumbler glass path thumbnail to load it as a selection.
Go to the Layers panel and make a new Curves adjustment layer.
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Name this adjustment layer fix tumbler color.
We want to match the color of the liquor in the glass to the color of the liquor in the bottle. (When you start selecting these areas in the next step, don’t worry about some of the areas in the glass becoming the wrong color. We’ll fix them in a moment. Just concentrate on matching the color of the liquor.)
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In the Properties panel, darken the RGB composite, and add a touch of Red. Use the following curves as a rough guide for matching the color.
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Increase the Green contrast and add some Blue as shown below:
There will be areas of the glass that are now looking bad. Make sure the curves layer mask is selected and use the Brush
, set to black, to remove the color adjustment in the areas you don’t want it. Do this to the top areas of the glass, the lemon, and wherever else you feel it needs it.Be sure to save the file and just leave it open. You’ll continue to work with it in the next exercise.