How to Change Color in Photoshop?
While Photoshop allows you to manipulate images in countless ways, changing the color of an object is one of the most basic and essential tasks in Photoshop.
Also, if you are using Photoshop for design purposes, you will most likely need to change the color of the subject multiple times. However, if you are confused as to which tools to use for a better result, we are here to help you out.
In this article, we will explain various tools and techniques to change the color of an object in Photoshop, which includes both simple and complex methods.
Changing color in Photoshop is a diverse topic, and you can spend countless hours refining the image to its last pixel.
However, we have covered some of the most commonly used methods which include using adjustment layers and other several tools.
We assume that you have a basic knowledge of Photoshop, such as making selections and familiarity with its interface.
Open an Image
You can directly drag and drop an image to open an image in Photoshop. Or, you can use the following keyboard shortcut:
- On Windows: Ctrl + O
- On Mac: Cmd + O
Make a Selection
To change a color of a particular area in the image, you may need to make a selection around it.
Photoshop’s AI does a decent job of making quick selections. Just click Select Subject on the top bar. However, this works best when there are few objects (preferably a single object).
Likewise, you can also use the object selection tool, quick selection tool, and magic wand tool.
To select the object precisely, you can add or subtract the selection with the following keyboard shortcuts.
- Add Selection: Hold the Shift button for both Windows and Mac
- Subtract Selection: Hold Alt for Windows and Option key for Mac
On the other hand, the pen tool does a better job if you want to make an even more precise selection.
Also, click the Window menu and select Workspace > Reset essentials to set the default settings in Photoshop. This is to ensure you are using settings similar to ours in Photoshop.
Once you are ready with the image, use one of the following methods that best suits you.
Adjust Hue/Saturation
Hue and saturation are powerful tools to change the color of an object in Photoshop. You can use them with various other settings such as color range, blending modes, or the replace color tool.
Now, for an image without too many objects with similar colors and complexities, you can change its color without making a selection with the Hue tool. You can do it as follows:
- First, select the initial layer and right-click on it. Then, choose the Duplicate Layer option to work non-destructively.
- Then, click the Layer menu at the top and select New Adjustment Layer > Hue Saturation.
- Click the Master tab and select one of the primary colors. Or, use the sample tool (pointing finger with left and right arrow) on its left to sample a different color from your image.
- Then, adjust the Hue slider. Additionally, adjust the saturation and lightness sliders for accurate color correction.
Adjust Hue/Saturation Using the Color Range Tool
The Hue/Saturation tool alone isn’t enough to change colors for complex images (many objects with similar colors or shadows or while dealing with hair). So, you can use it in combination with the color range tool to change the color of a particular object in Photoshop.
- Click Select from the menu bar and click Color Range.
- After your cursor turns into the color picker, use it to sample the color(s) of the object you want to change.
- Then, drag the slider below Fuzziness until most parts of the image for which you want to change the color turns white. The white represents the visible part.
- To sample different colors in the same image, use the color picker with the plus icon and check the Localized Color Clusters checkbox for a precise selection.
- Use the Hue/Saturation method as mentioned above to change the color.
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