Giveaway of the Day Forums » Talks

1. FreewareFan
   Member

   Hello guys and gals. I could really use a favor. I have 4 small .png files that are really very simple in construction. Just black and white. Black lines, on a white background. What I need is for the black lines to be changed to tan lines. RGB value of 255-165-79 . None of the graphic programs I have seem to be able to do this. In theory, I know how it's done, just do a color swap, but as I said, none of the programs I have seem to be able to do what I want.

   So, would one of you care to tackle this for me? I would really appreciate it very much! It's for an important project I'm doing, and I could really use the assistance. If you feel up to the task, you can get the files at:

   http://www.4shared.com/dir/5280087/6520f045/sharing.html

   Thanks very much for any help coming this way!!

   P.S. Or, in the spirit of the old saying " Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life.", if someone would rather walk me through the process using Photoshop Elements I would be willing to give it another try.. :-)

   Posted 10 months ago #

2. RunesageMagik
   Member

   FwF - I tried opening that file, but after about a minute, I'm getting a classic IE cannot display webpage error. None of my defense progs are blocking the IP address. Please check your URL.

   UPDATE: Hmmmm, I closed the Celestia program and now your sharing files are accessible. I'll see what I can do for ya. Ain't no guru, so no guRUNEtees.

   ~ The old man in the sea

   Posted 10 months ago #

3. FreewareFan
   Member

   Thanks muchly, RM!! I forgot to mention that I really need the white values to stay white. I don't ask for much, do I? LOL

   Posted 10 months ago #

4. RunesageMagik
   Member

   Color manipulation is not my forte. Figured it would be a simple Photoshop process -
   Image > Adjust > Replace Color, but something's not cooperating. Might be my older version of PS doesn't like PNGs. Sure wish hamstergirl or Ldahl was here.

   Posted 10 months ago #

5. Jucati
   Member

   I can do it for you. Hold tight. :)

   Posted 10 months ago #

6. RunesageMagik
   Member

   I hope jucati will 'splain how he does it. I was expecting clean line art, but was stumped by the off-white pixels littering the white background all around the figures. Step one seems to be erasing all the detritus outside each figure without removing the same pixels inside. Then drop the figures themselves on a pure white background. Likely I'm not even approaching this from the right POV.

   Posted 10 months ago #

7. Jucati
   Member

   Runesage - I'm female, but I'll still explain how I did this ;)

   You can see what I've whipped up here, using paintshop pro 7, but I'm pretty sure pshop elements can do it too:
   http://morning-solstice.tk/freewarefan/
   Hopefully they will suit you! if not, it only took about five minutes of my time, no worries :)

   I used two different methods, hence _1 and _2 after each filename. Both involved simply creating a new layer and floodfilling it with the requested color. for process 1, I then changed the layer setting from default/normal to "screen", and in process 2 I changed it to "color". Because the original images are actually grayscale and not black and white, filling the lines themselves was not going to work (the extra gray pixels outside the lines are called antialiasing, and they're good for making lines look smoother). color swaps will either wipe out antialiasing (set the threshold too high) and give you a jagged mess, or not alter the color completely (as I think Runesage was experiencing).

   hopefully some of this was useful to you :)
   and edit: mind if I ask what these are for? :)

   Posted 10 months ago #

8. FreewareFan
   Member

   Thanks for trying, RM!! That's the same headache I was having. It really stumped me, because I can do a lot with an editor, but not this, and it sounds so simple, too.

   And I think those pixels you are talking about are the result of anti-aliasing when it was made, don't you?

   Anyways, thanks much for giving it a try, RM! You're a pal!

   Posted 10 months ago #

9. RunesageMagik
   Member

   Sorry for the involuntary sexchange, Jucati! Not intentionally being sexist, just old school. A global "guys" or "he" is about as far as I go into text message shorthand. :-)

   Knew it was a greyscale/anti-alias thing, but make no claims to being proficient. I only solved my own text jaggies problems a couple years ago. Still confused by the crisp/strong/none options in fonts, despite numerous tutorials; but at least the end products are much much improved. Even the newspaper folk can't tell I don't know what I'm doing. Well, at least they don't laugh anymore.

   Posted 10 months ago #

10. FreewareFan
    Member

    @ Jucati Magnificent, simply great!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Well, done, and these will work just fine. I believe I'll go with the darker valued ones, they will show up better in print.

    And thank you too, for the instructions! I'm going to have a go at it doing it your way, right after I hit the Send Post button on this message. Can't wait to try it, I really like learning new techniques.

    And for you, nope, I don't mind answering your question. I am making some flash cards for myself to do some memorization, and these will be the graphics that I will combine to make the front of the 3 X 5 unruled index card, with the title going into the 03 graphic.

    By the way, JH, LOVE your work!! I'll never, ever, get that good!! :-)

    UPDATE: Worked just fine, JH. I can't believe how easy it is, now that you've shared the know-how! Thanks again!! :-)

    Posted 10 months ago #

11. RunesageMagik
    Member

    Nice portfolio, jucati. Do you show your work product on Elfwood or DeviantArt?
    Question: Is that an example of what can be accomplished by a talented artist using a Wacom-like tablet or another method entirely?

    Posted 10 months ago #

12. Jucati
    Member

    Freewarefan: Thank you, and you're very welcome :) I spent a lot of time learning graphics programs just by experimentation. Layer modes can do a variety of cool things, I encourage everyone to mess around with them from time to time. in particular, the "screen" mode is good for making things look like they're glowing...

    Posted 10 months ago #

13. Jucati
    Member

    Runesage: I used Elfwood several years ago, but the site became slower and buggier as time progressed and so I prefer not to use it now. I have an account on DeviantArt that I no longer actively upload to, but I do browse a lot of work there.

    I do in fact use a Wacom Graphire2 (no longer being manufactured). My first tablet was an Aiptek Hyperpen but it broke down after about a year or so. I'm on my second graphire after the first one lasted about 4 or 5 years and only broke because of my own stupidity ;)

    Posted 10 months ago #

14. RunesageMagik
    Member

    Finally, someone with hands on experience! I am considering the most inexpensive little Wacom for sketching cartoon storyboards. I am NOT in any way shape or form an artist, so these look like nothing more than stick figures drawn while crossing over railroad tracks during an earthquake. I believe the stylus for a tablet uses replaceable nibs. Just a guesstimate, please... how long do nibs last (when lightly used) before they self-destruct?

    Posted 10 months ago #

15. Jucati
    Member

    it mostly depends on how important pressure sensitivity is to you. the nibs will "work" down to the tiniest/sharpest stub, but the fresher the nib the more accurate the pressure response. if by lightly used you mean "infrequently", a single nib could very well last for several years. I've used my current one nearly daily for about a year and the nib is still fine by my standards.
    a serious commercial artist might want to replace nibs once every few months, but they certainly wouldn't need to do it that often. :)

    Posted 10 months ago #

16. RunesageMagik
    Member

    I did mean infrequently, but obviously as a caveman, I am a bit heavyhanded in the way I grasp pens, forks, spears, etc. :-) Thanks a bunch and best wishes. See ya 'round the threads.

    Posted 10 months ago #

17. VampireRat
    Member

    FF, I see you got your answer, but I'm providing a couple of tutorials anyway that a friend sent me. If they are not helpful to you, someone else who can use them might find them here.
    VR

    Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (and even Paint Shop Pro) have an easy way to change colors. It should be able to change black lines to tan.

    Photoshop:
    http://www.picturecorrect.com/photoshoptips/change_color_flowers.htm

    Photoshop Elements:
    http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/elements/replace_color.html

    Posted 10 months ago #

18. FreewareFan
    Member

    The second link was great, VR. Thank you much!! I've added that to EverNote for future reference..

    Posted 10 months ago #

19. goodgotd
    Member

    and for free, GIMP for win or GIMPshop can do nearly everything p-shop can. :-)

    Posted 10 months ago #

20. FreewareFan
    Member

    Hi, goodgotd!
    I agree, I've had GIMPshop for about a month now, but haven't really had the time to look under the hood much. But I intend to get well acquainted with it in the near future.

    Posted 10 months ago #

21. mrkesik2008
    Member

    Jucati how did you change the colors, amazing.

    Posted 10 months ago #

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