How to Recolor in Photoshop: One Easy Way!

I love that Photoshop offers us many tools to work with and multiple methods to accomplish the same task.  This is also true of recoloring images, which is something that we may find the need to do when we scrapbook.  Today, let’s take a look at just one simple way to recolor an element in both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

Here’s how to accomplish the quick color change seen above.  (Screen shots in this tutorial are from Photoshop CC2015.  The path noted below is the same in Photoshop Elements.):

1.  In the top Menu Bar:  Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation

2. An options box will open.

• Tick the “Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask” if you wish to constrain this adjustment to one layer only.
• Experiment with Color, Mode, and Opacity as you like; but for this tutorial I am going to leave them as-is.

3. Drag the Hue slider to the right and/or left to see real-time color changes occur in your image.  Experiment with Saturation and Lightness as you like.

If you did not make any “Mode” choices in Step 2, you can experiment with Blend Modes in the Layers Panel now.  (This is my preference because it’s easy to quickly cycle  through Blend Modes at this point: Using Blend Modes in Photoshop.)

Here is just a sampling of some of the great colors you can achieve by changing Blend Modes.

And that’s it! That’s how easy it can be to recolor an element.

This technique can be especially helpful when we are creating a layout and mixing elements or papers from multiple kits, or when we wish to incorporate elements from Commercial Use Elements Packs.

This week at theStudio, we are featuring our designers’ Commercial-Use Element Packs.   Commercial-Use elements are not just for the designer, but can be very helpful for the Personal-Use Scrapper too.  Now would be a great time to browse this category, knowing that you can easily change colors as needed!

Credits:  The coffee cup used in this tutorial is included in Designer Mix Coffee by SnickerdoodleDesigns.

If you would like to keep this tutorial on your computer for easy reference, you may download a PDF here: How to Recolor in Photoshop: One Easy Way.

If you are a visual learner, you can view this tutorial on SnickerdoodleDesigns YouTube Channel  and on theStudio’s YouTube Channel.

Please head over to YouTube and take a minute to Follow both channels.  Each Channel will have some exclusive videos, so by following both channels, you will be sure not to miss a thing!