L.W. from Pickens, SC using Windows and Photoshop 7 wrote in with this "emergency"
> I had downloaded a free plug in at one time.
> it allowed me to take a color pic, put a layer on it,
> change it to black and white.
> then i could take the eraser tool and "erase" the color back into the pic.
> i could use this on hair bows, ribbons, etc.
> i cannot find it again. can you help?
Dear L.W.: We do not know about that plug-in, however, we don't believe you need it. Follow this is a very basic, and very easy tutorial and you'll know how the plug-in did the magic. This works in all image editors that support layers and layer masks.
Open the file you wish to modify
Choose: Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Hue / Saturation
The Hue Saturation dialog will open, and a new adjustment layer will appear.
Slide the saturation slider all the way to the left to remove all color. You may want to adjust contrast/brightness if the resulting black and white image doesn't appeal to you.
Open the demonstration diagram (It will open in a separate window so you can continue reading this tutorial)
Click once on the WHITE layer mask generated by the adjustment layer (2)
Tap the letter "D" to set your foreground color to BLACK
Tap the letter "B" to select the Brush Tool, and in the Options bar above set the brush to a medium softness, and an appropriate size for working with your image
Now move into the image window and begin painting over the part of the image you wish to be in color. Painting BLACK into the white adjustment layer's mask will "erase" it to reveal the color subject below.
Change brush sizes as needed. You could also use the Lasso Tool (L) to make a selection, and then Alt/Delete (Option/Delete) to fill the selection with black and accomplish the very same thing.
That's all there is to it.
Duplicate the background image by dragging it to the "New Layer" button at the bottom of the Layers Palette.
Control / Click the new layer's thumbnail (Apple/Click) to select the whole layer
Select: Image > Adjustments > Hue / Saturation, and slide the Saturation slider all the way to the left
TAP the letter "E" to load the Eraser tool, and begin erasing away image in the image window where you wish to restore color. Once again, adjust the size and softness of the eraser to suit the image under modification.
When complete, Save the file as a PSD layered file, then flatten and use File > Save As... to save the final file.
See: Painting from Color to Grayscale for a similar technique.
A Photoshop Elements tutorial is also included.
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