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Digital BW, The Print

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Converting to B&W with Split Channel

Converting to B&W with Split Channel

2003-12-04 by Glenn Mitchell

I have not seen any messages that discuss my favorite technique for
conversion to B&W. It uses a little-known PS feature called Split
channels.

Split Channels is a menu option on the flyout menu for the Channels
Palette. It takes your RGB image and creates a separate grayscale
image for each channel.

Almost everyone here will be familiar with using Mode | Grayscale or
Channel Mixer with the Monochrome box selected to create a B&W image.

This is even better than using Channel Mixer with Monochrome. Much
better, IMHO! After you create files for the separate channels, you
copy them all to the same document as separate layers. That way, you
get immediate feedback as you experiment with various layers options,
like opacity.

I worked on an image last night I brought the blue channel in at 5
percent opacity in Normal blend. The red channel was 80% opacity in
Normal blend. The green channel was 95% opacity, but I used Soft
Light blend for added contrast.

You can turn the visibility on and off for various layers as you try
to decided how much of each to incorporate. You can change the layer
opacity and blend mode. You can even control the set points for what
gets blended from each channel -- perhaps the shadows from one, the
midtones and highlights from another.

I'm working on a PDF tutorial right now.

It's now the only way I convert from color to B&W. Give it a try!
Pretty neat stuff!

Perhaps the Split Channel technique will come in handy for you in
the future.

Cheers,

Mitch

Re: [Digital BW] Converting to B&W with Split Channel

2003-12-04 by Mike Sommers

I'm interested in this approach, so I gave it a try.

without much success.

Couple of quick questions...

when I combine all the individual channels as separate layers back into 
a single document, what layer goes on top? what layer goes on bottom?

Should there be a fourth layer? (the background, essentially).. If so, 
what color should it be? assuming either black or white..

Thanks,

Mike

Glenn Mitchell wrote:

> I have not seen any messages that discuss my favorite technique for
> conversion to B&W. It uses a little-known PS feature called Split
> channels.
>
> Split Channels is a menu option on the flyout menu for the Channels
> Palette. It takes your RGB image and creates a separate grayscale
> image for each channel.
>
> Almost everyone here will be familiar with using Mode | Grayscale or
> Channel Mixer with the Monochrome box selected to create a B&W image.
>
> This is even better than using Channel Mixer with Monochrome. Much
> better, IMHO! After you create files for the separate channels, you
> copy them all to the same document as separate layers. That way, you
> get immediate feedback as you experiment with various layers options,
> like opacity.
>
> I worked on an image last night I brought the blue channel in at 5
> percent opacity in Normal blend. The red channel was 80% opacity in
> Normal blend. The green channel was 95% opacity, but I used Soft
> Light blend for added contrast.
>
> You can turn the visibility on and off for various layers as you try
> to decided how much of each to incorporate. You can change the layer
> opacity and blend mode. You can even control the set points for what
> gets blended from each channel -- perhaps the shadows from one, the
> midtones and highlights from another.
>
> I'm working on a PDF tutorial right now.
>
> It's now the only way I convert from color to B&W. Give it a try!
> Pretty neat stuff!
>
> Perhaps the Split Channel technique will come in handy for you in
> the future.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Mitch
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
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> DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE 
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Re: [Digital BW] Converting to B&W with Split Channel

2003-12-05 by Tom Baker

Mitch  -
 
This is amazingly powerful.  Thanks for the info.  
 
Tom Baker

Glenn Mitchell <gmitchel850@...> wrote:
I have not seen any messages that discuss my favorite technique for
conversion to B&W. It uses a little-known PS feature called Split
channels.

Split Channels is a menu option on the flyout menu for the Channels
Palette. It takes your RGB image and creates a separate grayscale
image for each channel.

Almost everyone here will be familiar with using Mode | Grayscale or
Channel Mixer with the Monochrome box selected to create a B&W image.

This is even better than using Channel Mixer with Monochrome. Much
better, IMHO! After you create files for the separate channels, you
copy them all to the same document as separate layers. That way, you
get immediate feedback as you experiment with various layers options,
like opacity.

I worked on an image last night I brought the blue channel in at 5
percent opacity in Normal blend. The red channel was 80% opacity in
Normal blend. The green channel was 95% opacity, but I used Soft
Light blend for added contrast.

You can turn the visibility on and off for various layers as you try
to decided how much of each to incorporate. You can change the layer
opacity and blend mode. You can even control the set points for what
gets blended from each channel -- perhaps the shadows from one, the
midtones and highlights from another.

I'm working on a PDF tutorial right now.

It's now the only way I convert from color to B&W. Give it a try!
Pretty neat stuff!

Perhaps the Split Channel technique will come in handy for you in
the future.

Cheers,

Mitch



Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, and other resources as they are often being updated.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint

If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish to unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this same page.

Please follow these basic guidelines:
- As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to keep them short.
- Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or flames. Hostile, aggressive or argumentative users may be removed from the membership without notice.
- Keep your posts and threads related to the group topic of digital B&W printing. Users who persistently make off-topic posts may be removed from the membership.
- By posting on this forum you agree to abide by the group rules and guidelines, and to abide by the actions and decisions of the group Owner and Moderators. See �Group Topic, Rules and Guidelines� in the Files section:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/

BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO! GROUP YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE �OWNER� AND �MODERATORS� OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE  �OWNER� AND �MODERATORS� OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (iii) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP.


Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


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