Linda
09-03-2008, 01:09 PM
Here is an easy way to change any colors, either the background itself or within the actual image with just a few clicks. We'll first change the background as this will be a very simple task on this image as it is a one color background. :wink:
Here's the original -
<table width="500" align="center">
<tr><td align="center">http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/scarecrow.jpg</td></tr> </table>
We are going to use an online editor for this quick change. Go to http://www.pixlr.com/app/ and when the page opens, click on "file" and then "open". Please make sure you are using "file" on the pixlr page and not the "file" on your browser. A popup box will appear. Find your image and then click "open" in the popup box. Your image will now be showing on your pixlr page.
There are a couple of ways to set your color. Look to the left at your toolbox. At the bottom are two color squares. If you're choosing a basic color, just click on the top color square and the color picker box will appear. You can click on one of the colors in the vertical rainbow color box to set your color. If you want to lighten or darken it, just click within the large color box or you can move the tiny circle around within the large box and you'll see the color change. When you have it like you want it, just click "okay" to set the color.
Since the color I want is not a standard color, let me show you how I'm going to set it. I want to use a variation of a color that is already in my image, so I'm going to use the color picker tool. Click to choose the tool in your toolbox that looks like a little eye dropper. Now click on a color within the image. I'm choosing to click on the lighter area of his collar. Notice the top color square in the toolbox changes to that color. I can go with that color or if I want to fine tune it, I can click on the color square and the color picker box will popup showing me the shades of that color. Now you can click anywhere within the big color box or move the tiny circle around to choose your color. When you have it the way you want it, click "okay" to set the color.
Now we're ready to change our background! :wink: In the toolbox, click on the wand tool. It's the tool with the little pink top. Look to the right and you'll see "wand options". Move the slider to about 85. Click on your background and you'll see "marching ants". Now click on your "paint bucket" in the toolbox. Click on your background and watch it change to your new color.
If you want to try a different color, click "edit" on your pixlr page (not your browser) and then go to "undo". Your marching ants will still be showing and your paintbucket tool will be ready to use. Now click your top color square in your toolbar and pick another color, click "okay" and then click your background again. When you have the background colored the way you like, go again up to "edit" on the pixlr page and this time choose "deselect all".
Now you're ready to save your image. Go up to "file" on your pixlr page and this time choose "save". When the popup box appears, backspace out "untitled" and type in the new name for your image. You can choose the format and quality. Depending on what the image is, it will probably be okay to just leave both the options the way they are. Click "okay" and choose "save to disk" and then click "okay". If the quality does seem to change a lot, you can resave it and move the slider for the quality up to 100.
Here's the finished image -
<table width="500" align="center">
<tr><td align="center">http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/scarecrow2.jpg</td></tr> </table>
Please note, if you're going to change a background with small text as I have in the copyright, make sure you change the background "before" you add the text as the color might not fully get into the small letters.
If you'd like to change a color "within" your image, it's done basically the same way. Let's experiment on the scarecrow's boots. Using the original scarecrow with the white background, I'm picking black for my top color square. Leaving the wand option on 85, click your wand and then click on one of the boots and you'll see the marching ants around the entire boot. Now click on your "paintbucket" and click on the boot again and it will color the boot.
Left boot colored -
<table width="500" align="center">
<tr><td align="center">http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/boot.jpg</td></tr> </table>
When you have the wand tool selected, you might want to play around with the tolerance slider. You will note that by moving it to the right or left, it will encompass more or less of the object that you want to color. If I leave the tolerance slider on 85 and click on the bottom right side of his shirt, it will encompass just that section. However, if I move the tolerance slider to 100 and then click the same area, it encompasses a lot more of my image. You can also click around on different areas leaving the tolerance level on the same setting and it will change the area to color. You can play around with the options and if you want to change something, go up to "deselect all" to get rid of the marching ants or "undo" in the "edit" options to go back to your previous step. :hi:
Here's the original -
<table width="500" align="center">
<tr><td align="center">http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/scarecrow.jpg</td></tr> </table>
We are going to use an online editor for this quick change. Go to http://www.pixlr.com/app/ and when the page opens, click on "file" and then "open". Please make sure you are using "file" on the pixlr page and not the "file" on your browser. A popup box will appear. Find your image and then click "open" in the popup box. Your image will now be showing on your pixlr page.
There are a couple of ways to set your color. Look to the left at your toolbox. At the bottom are two color squares. If you're choosing a basic color, just click on the top color square and the color picker box will appear. You can click on one of the colors in the vertical rainbow color box to set your color. If you want to lighten or darken it, just click within the large color box or you can move the tiny circle around within the large box and you'll see the color change. When you have it like you want it, just click "okay" to set the color.
Since the color I want is not a standard color, let me show you how I'm going to set it. I want to use a variation of a color that is already in my image, so I'm going to use the color picker tool. Click to choose the tool in your toolbox that looks like a little eye dropper. Now click on a color within the image. I'm choosing to click on the lighter area of his collar. Notice the top color square in the toolbox changes to that color. I can go with that color or if I want to fine tune it, I can click on the color square and the color picker box will popup showing me the shades of that color. Now you can click anywhere within the big color box or move the tiny circle around to choose your color. When you have it the way you want it, click "okay" to set the color.
Now we're ready to change our background! :wink: In the toolbox, click on the wand tool. It's the tool with the little pink top. Look to the right and you'll see "wand options". Move the slider to about 85. Click on your background and you'll see "marching ants". Now click on your "paint bucket" in the toolbox. Click on your background and watch it change to your new color.
If you want to try a different color, click "edit" on your pixlr page (not your browser) and then go to "undo". Your marching ants will still be showing and your paintbucket tool will be ready to use. Now click your top color square in your toolbar and pick another color, click "okay" and then click your background again. When you have the background colored the way you like, go again up to "edit" on the pixlr page and this time choose "deselect all".
Now you're ready to save your image. Go up to "file" on your pixlr page and this time choose "save". When the popup box appears, backspace out "untitled" and type in the new name for your image. You can choose the format and quality. Depending on what the image is, it will probably be okay to just leave both the options the way they are. Click "okay" and choose "save to disk" and then click "okay". If the quality does seem to change a lot, you can resave it and move the slider for the quality up to 100.
Here's the finished image -
<table width="500" align="center">
<tr><td align="center">http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/scarecrow2.jpg</td></tr> </table>
Please note, if you're going to change a background with small text as I have in the copyright, make sure you change the background "before" you add the text as the color might not fully get into the small letters.
If you'd like to change a color "within" your image, it's done basically the same way. Let's experiment on the scarecrow's boots. Using the original scarecrow with the white background, I'm picking black for my top color square. Leaving the wand option on 85, click your wand and then click on one of the boots and you'll see the marching ants around the entire boot. Now click on your "paintbucket" and click on the boot again and it will color the boot.
Left boot colored -
<table width="500" align="center">
<tr><td align="center">http://www.mypcclinic.com/files/Linda/boot.jpg</td></tr> </table>
When you have the wand tool selected, you might want to play around with the tolerance slider. You will note that by moving it to the right or left, it will encompass more or less of the object that you want to color. If I leave the tolerance slider on 85 and click on the bottom right side of his shirt, it will encompass just that section. However, if I move the tolerance slider to 100 and then click the same area, it encompasses a lot more of my image. You can also click around on different areas leaving the tolerance level on the same setting and it will change the area to color. You can play around with the options and if you want to change something, go up to "deselect all" to get rid of the marching ants or "undo" in the "edit" options to go back to your previous step. :hi: