Changing an object from one colour to another is simple in Photoshop - but changing something from black to white is a little more complicated.
In this in-depth tutorial I'll show you how to take something completely black and turn it white, whilst keeping it looking natural and realistic.
To demonstrate this technique, I have chosen a photograph of a black crow provided by deviantArt member Camaryn-Wallpaper.
Once you have opened the photo in Photoshop, use the Quick Selection tool and the Refine Edge options to make a selection of the crow, and make the selection a new layer with a layer mask. For help with this you can refer to this tutorial.
Duplicate the new layer so you have two. Hide the bottom two layers (we'll use them later), and desaturate the top layer.
With the top layer still selected, go to Image>Adjustments> Shadows/Highlights.
Bring the Shadows amount up to 50%, and leave the Highlights at 0%.
Next, go to Image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast.
Bring the Brightness up to 80, and take the Contrast down to -20.
We have now lightened the bird considerably - but as a result it's looking a little flat, and needs some extra contrast in certain areas.
Choose the Dodge tool and set it to Highlights at 5% Exposure.
Using a fairly large soft brush, paint over the lighter areas of the bird like the wings and the top of the head.
Next, take the Burn tool set to Shadows at 5% Exposure.
Take a large soft brush and paint over the dark patches on the belly.
Use a much smaller brush to go over smaller areas like around the beak and under the feathers.
Next we will bring some colour back to the feathers.
Add a Solid Color adjustment layer using the colour 'ffcc00?. Set the blending mode to Screen, and the opacity to 25%, and add a clipping mask.
For the beak and the feet, create another Solid Color layer using a bright pink colour. Set it to Screen, and put the Opacity at 45%.
This will have made our crow completely pink.
With the layer mask selected use the paint bucket tool to fill it with black, masking out the pink.
Then take a small soft white brush set to 50% opacity, and paint back in the pink on the beak.
Go over the feet as well.
We now want to mask out certain areas of the yellow colour layer
Choose a soft black brush set to Darken at 35% opacity.
Now, with the yellow layer's layer mask selected, begin to mask out the darkest areas on the tummy and under the wings.
Those shadow areas still aren't dark enough, so next we'll use the original photo to bring back some black to these areas.
Make sure you bottom layer is visible.
Now go to the layer mask of the white layer.
Choose a black brush set to Darken at 10% Opacity.
Concentrate on building up the black where the shadows are darkest. Use a large brush for the tummy, and a smaller brush for finer areas under the feathers.
While you're here, you can take the brush's opacity up to 100%, and carefully paint over the eye to bring back the original colour completely.
Next we'll use duplicated layer from earlier to bring back a little more colour.
Unhide it, and move it up above the pink layer.
Bring up the layer's Saturation to 60.
Now, change it's blending mode to Color, and it's opacity to 35%, and apply a clipping mask.
This will have subtly brought back some of the blues and oranges from the original black crow.
In the original layer make a selection around the eye, and use the Brightness/Contrast sliders to brighten it, and use the Color Balance sliders to make it blue.
Finally we'll reflect some of the green background onto the feathers.
Create a new layer above all the other layers, and set it's blending mode to Overlay, and it's Opacity to 35%.
Use the colour picker to find a bright green colour from the background. Using a large soft brush, build up the green on the underside of the bird and around the neck.
Your layers panel should end up looking like the one above.
And here's the final result.
You can apply similar techniques to all kinds of objects.
For something simple like this apple, you needn't go beyond the first few steps of this tutorial.
For something more complicated like this tarantula, you'll need to spend more time blending in the white with the original colours that need to stay as they are like the mouth area, and joints of the legs.
