In this lesson we will explore some of the items on the Adjust menu. We will also see how the Greyscale tool works and see how to colorize using the Flood tool.
The Adjust menu contains some really great tools that can be used to enhance photos and other images. In this lesson we are going to create some pattern fills using several of the most used tools on the Adjust menu. That way you will be able to see what they do and learn how to use the tools. Let's get started.
Create a New canvas. (Click File|| New [Ctrl+N])
Width = 200 pixels
Height = 200 pixels
Resolution = 72.00 pixels
Background = Raster
Color Depth = 16 Million Colors (24 Bit)
Color = Transparent Checked
Click your Flood tool and reset to default. In Tool Options set the Match Mode to None. Set your foreground to any color you want. I set mine to #0000FF. Click in your canvas to flood fill it with your chosen color.
Let's add some texture. Click Adjust || Add/Remove Noise || Add noise. Set the noise to 100%. Click on the little circle in front of Random to choose it and look at the result in preview area. Now choose Uniform and look at the preview. Now choose Gaussian and look at the preview. Now that you have an idea of what Random, Uniform, and Gaussian does choose the one you like best and click Ok. I chose Random.
Note: If you don't see the preview in the Add Noise dialog (window) click on the Show/Hide Preview button. Tip: Adding/Removing noise from photos helps clean up the photo by removing small scratches and etc.
Now let's make all the little specks blend in better. Click Adjust || Blur || Blur. You could also have chosen either Average or Guassian Blur to have more control over the amount of blur.
Let's bring out our texture a bit more. Click Adjust || Sharpness || Sharpen. There you go you created a new pattern.
Click Windows || Duplicate (Shift+D) twice to make 2 copies of your image. Save the original as either a .pspimage or .bmp (Windows or OS/2 Bitmap). Save it to the Patterns folder inside the My PSP8 Files (unless you changed the default) folder. Now you can use it as a fill (pattern). Close the original.
I am going to show you 2 different ways to change the color of your image and explore a few more effects while we are at it.
Click on one of the copies to make it active. Click Adjust || Hue and Saturation || Colorize (Shift+L). Enter different numbers for Hue and Saturation until you get something you like. You can also click the Randomize button until you see something you want. I set mine to Hue = 219 and Saturation = 33. Save this image with a different name to the same place you saved the original and Close it. You have created 2 patterns now.
Click on your last copy to make it active. Click Image || Greyscale. Changing to greyscale decreased the number of colors so we need to increase them again so our effects will work. Click Image || Increase Color Depth || 16 Million Colors (24-bit).
Make 2 copies of your greyscale image (Click Windows || Duplicate) twice. Change your Foreground color to another color you like. I chose #00FF00.
Click your Flood tool and reset to default. In Tool Options set the Match Mode to None and Blend Mode to Color (Legacy). Click to fill the original greyscale images.
Click the title bar of one of the remaining greyscale images to make it active. Click Adjust || Brightness and Contrast || Brightness/Contrast. Change Brightness to 20 and Contrast to 0. Click Ok.
Flood with the same color you used before. The image should be lighter then the first one even though you used the same color to fill with.
Click the title bar of the last greyscale image. Click Adjust || Brightness and Contrast || Brightness/Contrast. Change Brightness to 0 and Contrast to 20. Click Ok.
Flood with the same color you used before. The image should be darker then the first one even though you used the same color to fill with. If you want save the 3 new patterns you made.
We have created 5 patterns using some of the most popular items on the Adjust menu. You should now have a pretty good idea of what they do and how to use them.
I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Don't forget to take some time to explore the other items on the Adjust menu. You may also want to open a photo (don't forget to duplicate it and close the original) and see what the Adjust items do when you use them on a photo.