Color Replacement Tool

Color Replacement Tool

Learn how to use the Color Replacement Tool in Photoshop.

When to use

You can use this any time you want to modify the Hue, Saturation, Color, or Luminosity of an image.

Instructions

Merging a Duplicate Folder

• Begin by opening the Photoshop file from Module 8 with our nature and landscape images.
• Select one of the group folders and duplicate it by pressing Command/Ctrl+J.
• Select the newly duplicated folder and press Command/Ctrl+E to merge the contents of the folder into a single, flattened, layer.
• Switch to the Color Replacement Tool found nested inside of the Brush Tool.
• You can also access the Color Replacement Tool by pressing Shift+B on the keyboard.

Luminosity Mode

• In the top toolbar, click on the 'Mode' menu and choose 'Luminosity'.
• With this mode selected, you can toggle between the Color Replacement Tool and the Eyedropper Tool by holding the Alt/Option Key and sampling a color from the photo.
• Once you've sampled a color, begin painting onto the merged layer.
• Initially, this will create a muddy sort of look, but this is because we are painting the tonal value of the color onto the image. 
• Luminosity will affect the brightness and tones of the image, which means that when we apply the tonal values of our sampled color to the photo we will essentially be applying the lightness or darkness of that color to the image.

Color Mode

• Create a new copy of your group folder and merge it together once again.
• Grab your Color Replacement Tool and change the mode to 'Color'.
• Toggle the Eyedropper Tool by holding the Alt/Option Key and sample some of the blue color from the sky in the photo.
• Begin painting onto the newly merged copy of your layer with the brush.
• You should notice that the blue tone will be applied to the photo anywhere you are brushing. 
• This is the equivalent of creating a new layer, filling it with your blue color, and changing the Blend Mode to 'Color'.

Hints & tips

• The Color Replacement Tool needs to be directly applied to a photo, or a copy of a photo.
• Using the Color Replacement Tool is tantamount to adding a New Layer or an Adjustment Layer, and then changing the Blending Mode to either Hue, Saturation, Color, or Luminosity.