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Often called monochrome but really it's duotone. I expect we all know by now how to make a Sepia version of a B&W picture, and I expect many have dabbled with duotone or split-toning.
This split toning is often used to simulate the quality and colour cast of old photographic paper - platinum, palladium, sepia, selenium and blue.
Instead of using just one colour, as in the Sepia version where you hit "Colorize" in a Hue/Saturation adjustment and go for a sepia colour at an appropriate saturation, the split-tone process on PSE (and PS) just requires the use of the Gradient Map adjustment layer. You can set your two colours up in the foreground/background paint swatches and run a gradient map using "Foreground to Background", or you can make the gradients and save them for future use (though I confess that making and saving a gradient seems a bit fiddly and not user-friendly).

Anyway, with a black and white image prepared (whichever way you like to make a b&w except via "Image > Mode > Greyscale") and given a little contrast boost, you need to choose your two different toning colours . Set foreground colour to set the tone for shadows and set background colour for your highlights - obviously if you set black and white that's exactly what you'd get, but we want something different.

Ok, so what colours work well...... I like all of these so it's not easy to tell you which to use, but.....(set the hex numbers in the colour palette - Foreground is the first number, Background the second number)....

Copper-Blue..... Dusky Blue (#4A616F) Muted Orange (#E6CFAA)

Rich Sepia....... Chocolate (#63441C) Cream (#FFF5D8)

Neutral........... Muted brown (#45392B) White (#FFFFFF)

Blue Tone........ Midnight blue (#2A4468) Muted cyan (#A9C6C6)


Now go to the Layers Palette and make a Gradient Map adjustment layer. You should see a smooth blending gradient of your two selected colours. Click OK. You will see a disappointing looking image that's not what you wanted. Now all you need to do is change the Blend Mode to "Color" and Viola! Alter Opacity as required.

You might find some more hints and colours online, or you could just find a toned picture online, bring it into PSE and use the eye-dropper tool to sample.
PSE6 on WinXP, Pentax K10d...... and now a Canon G10.

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I can't wait to try this, Geoff. Thanks for posting
I have been wanting to try this; now you have given me a push to do it. Here are two images, one using purple/blue for a cool effect, another one using colors in the original color version of the photo.

ImageImage ImageImage
Reka
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thanks for sharing, Geoff.
I think you give us the opportunity to be more familiar with gradient map adjustment layers. I sure want to keep your gradient settings for further use. This can be done at least in two ways:
- saving those gradients in your gradient palette to be able to recall them at will
- creating a new .PSD file with the four gradient map adjustment layers named according to the effect; then reducing the file size as I suggested in the October newsletter in the adjustment layers tutorial. When this PSD is saved, you can drag the layers on your image. Just ask if this is not clear for you.

Geoff, another question. Don't you think two gradient map adjustment layers would be ideal for duotones: the first one a standard black to white for B&W conversion and tweaking of tone curves, the second one as you stated in colour mode? By adding adding two or more stops on the first layer you can control tones exactly like with a curve, and that works with any version of Elements.
Michel B
PSE6, 11,12,13.1 - LR 5.7 Windows 7 64 - OneOne Photo Perfect Suite - Canon 20D, Pana TZ6 - Fuji X100S
Most used add-ons: Elements+


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Thanks for posting this, Geoff,
I like this method. Just for fun I took the same image and treated it first with the split-tone technique outlined by Matt Kloskowski in the PET Newsletter,V4#8, and then with your gradient map method. Both are equally easy and take about the same time.

I like your gradient map more because of the ability to fine tune the colors with the color picker. Matt's method uses Adjust Color Variations and, in my view, is not as precise.

Split-Tone.jpg
Split-Tone.jpg (164.81 KiB) Viewed 2630 times


For the MK-image I used repeated clicks of less blue to create the yellow highlights and several clicks of more red for the shadows. For your technique I used a red/yellow gradient. Then I went back, tweaking those two colors to create a new gradient until I was satisfied. in this instance I deliberately went overboard just to prove to myself how much control I had. :biggrin:

Also, for some reason I haven't figured out yet, look at the shirt Chris is wearing. I wonder why the stripes are more clearly defined by your technique.

Thanks again for this tutorial.

Rusty
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness" - Dave Barry

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Glad so many people have given this a try. Thanks for the comments.

Michel.... I think I have the gradients saved now, but I will give the PSD method a try later - I like the idea, but have yet to try it out. As for the two Gradient Maps.... sounds like a very good idea to just stay in the Layers Palette, but PSE6 has a good "Convert to B^W feature, with several control and options. How an image is made ready for split-toning is the user's choice, though I'd say that the Gradient Map and/or PSE6's own conversion are the best two. I don't quite follow what you mean by "adding two or more stops on the first layer".

Rusty...... maybe it's the Blend Mode of split-toning gives the extra clarity that just a variation of gray.

I'm not an expert on this but knew the basics of split-toning on PS/PSE some time ago. Recently, I came across a magazine item which actually quoted some real-life, proven colours. I also found a reference to a book about it all.... "Toning and Handcoloring Photographs" by Tony Worobiec - I think I'll try Amazon for it later this evening. Apparently it's only 6GBP in the UK, so maybe around $12 US/Canada. [edit] Found it with Amazon.ca but only Used [/edit]
PSE6 on WinXP, Pentax K10d...... and now a Canon G10.

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Michel - I made the PSD with the different Gradient Maps - that's a much better way to save and use the Gradients - I just can't work out how the 'proper' method of saving a gradient (into the gradient folder) works.

I "invented" three more Gradients but I'm not convinced that they work yet - although one was quite pleasant....... 221A36 to E1D8F4 - a kind of purple/lilac tone.

Now I'm experimenting.........

http://www.prestophoto.com/photos/image/1049799/24460 :woohoo:
PSE6 on WinXP, Pentax K10d...... and now a Canon G10.

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well, I found it. :woohoo:
Thanks Geoff!
~kimi~
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To illustrate the two methods of saving gradients, here is a zip with the psd and grd files:
http://mbret.club.fr/bretchermichel/gradients.zip

To save gradients, don't be mislead by the 'save' button. Once you have defined your gradient entering the color values, enter the new name in the middle of the screen, click 'new' on the button right to the name.
Your new gradient will appear with the default ones. The button 'save' will save all your visible gradients in a new file (type *.grd). This 'save' is not necessary.

I have added another layer in my psd file. Thanks to Graffi who found that you can use a CS3 B&W adjustment layer in PSE6 Windows (with a Mac, Adobe discovered the 'leak' and you can't tweak the curves...) I agree this is a very useful and powerful B&W conversion tool. If you have PSE6 Windows, it would be a pity not to save it.

Geoff, I'll have to explain what I mean by 'adding two additional stops in the gradient'... This requires a few screen shots. Maybe someone can find a video about using gradient maps as curves?

I should also mention that with PSE6, in the 'effects' palette you have got a 'monotone color' category which may be overlooked by many users.

EDIT: In my .grd file, you have also other types of gradients, one of which is called 'scurve'. It mimics a S-Curve: you just have to move the two additional stops right or left to change the shape of the S-Curve. Moving them towards the center increases the midtone contrast.
Michel B
PSE6, 11,12,13.1 - LR 5.7 Windows 7 64 - OneOne Photo Perfect Suite - Canon 20D, Pana TZ6 - Fuji X100S
Most used add-ons: Elements+


Mes Galeries
Thanks Michel....... I think I'm doing OK now...... I've made all my split-tone gradients and kept them as layers in a separate PSD file. When I feel an image needs that treatment I just open up the PSD and drag a layer over to the image. If it's not right I drag another, and so on. I'm quite happy not to have even more .grd files than I already have. I have your Tones Gradient file for shadows/highlights and I have your PSD file with the B&W gradients.

As for the Curves adjustments, I understand what you mean now, thanks. I'm giving my original images a Levels adjustment and a Curves adjustment (with an Action) before starting the toning as described above.
PSE6 on WinXP, Pentax K10d...... and now a Canon G10.

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