How To Make Blonde Hair Look Black
How to Make Blonde Hair Look Black
Photoshop CS3
Level: Intermediate (know the basic lingo for PS and how to get around the workspace)
I made this tutorial with a book character in mind so that is why Kristen Bell is referred to as "Mac". :)
First I must mention, there are many many different ways to do one thing in Photoshop (as most programs). So there may be-and probably are - better or easier ways to do this. But this is how I do it.
1. Choose a good base image. Images where the hair is all close together is the easiest to work with. When hair is blowing in the wind or has that "wispy" appearance, it's much more difficult to work with.
Base image Ex:
2. Duplicate your base image. (You may want to make the base image invisible so you don't accidentally alter it.) Rename the new layer "Blonde Mac"
3. Duplicate the layer "Blonde Mac". It will be called "Blonde Mac Copy"
Step3 Ex:
4. Create a new layer. Name it "Color". Set the blending mode to Color. Select the brush tool and set it's blending mode to color. Use a simple soft-edged round brush. I'm starting with size 10 but I'll adjust this up and down as I work. Set your foreground color. TIP: do not use a pure black as it will not adjust well. I chose #121111.
Now color in the hair in the newest layer. The hair will look silver now. Don't panic! :)
TIP: zooming in and out while brushing will really help you around the edges. In a pc, you can easily zoom by holding down the ALT key while scrolling with your mouse.
Step4 Ex:
5. Hold the SHIFT key and click on layers "Color" and "Blonde Mac Copy". Go to Layer>Merge Layers.
6. The really fine hair against her chest will be hard to color without tainting her skin so we're going to remove it. Make the layer "Color" invisible. Select the layer "Blonde Mac". Choose the Clone Stamp and set the brush to a small soft-edged round brush. I chose brush size 8. Use this clone stamp to remove the hair you don't want to see.
TIP: To clone, you have to hold ALT+Click to select what you want to clone then just plain click over what you want gone. Remember to copy the area very close to what you're removing so that the colors and textures remain the same.
Step6 Ex:
Step6 ExB:
7. Create a snapshot under the History palette. Snapshots allow you to go back to that particular stage in the project if you ever want to. I do this frequently when I'm making manipulations. (BUT they disappear when you close the file so don't fully depend on them.)
Step7 Ex:
8. You can turn the layer "Color" back on and select it. (Set your tool back to the Move Tool). We're going to begin changing the color. Go to Image>Adjustments>Curves Drag the lighter end of the spectrum down to darken the image. I adjusted the image to Input:198 Output: 231
Step8 Ex:
9. Let's remove the rest of the image so that it's easier to see how the dark hair is looking on Mac. On the layer "Color" add a mask layer. Making sure you have the mask selected and black as your foreground color, brush out the image except for the dark hair. You will probably want to use a flat brush (no soft edges) so that you can be very precise around the edges of her hair. If you accidentally mask out an area you didn't mean to, simply switch the foreground and background colors (to white) and re-mask the area. The white will restore it to it's previous state. Be patient with yourself. This is a tedious step.
Step9 Ex:
10. Alright. Already looking better. Now, the edges can be a little stiff so let's refine them. First, on the layer named "Color" right click on the mask and choose "apply layer mask". Second, right click on the layer and choose "select pixels". In the command box, set the parameters you'd like to use. I like to use the red quick mask preview because I can really see the adjustments well. Often I use all the commands but for this image I've already got the hairline exactly on top of the blonde so I don't want to lose much distance. Therefore, I'm only going to adjust the smooth parameter. This will give the hair a much softer appearance. Then click "ok". Now you must select "add a layer mask" to apply your changes to the layer.
Step10 Ex:
Step1o ExB:
11. It's starting to look more natural now but we can improve it. On the layer "Color", lower the opacity to 88%. Then right click on the mask and choose "apply layer mask". Now duplicate the layer.
12. On your new layer "Color copy", set the blending mode to Multiply and lower the opacity to 45%. Hold SHIFT and select both hair layers "Color copy" and "Color". Go to Layer>Merge Layers
13. Repeat Step 10 (I thought her hair still looked a little stiff)
14. On layer "Color copy" right click the mask and choose "apply layer mask". We want to tweak the colors a little bit more (but don't want to completely erase the natural highlights). Go to Image>Adjustments>Curves. Adjust the light end. I used Output233 Input239
Step14 Ex:
15. Let's tone down the highlights just a shade. Go to Image>Adjustments>Exposure and lower the exposure to -.10 Click "ok"
16. I used the blur brush at size 13 and strength 15% to run over the edges of the hair.
17. One last step! On the layer "Blonde Mac" go to Image>Adjustments>Selective Color. In the drop-down menu choose "neutral". Adjust the black to +4%
Merge your visible layers (Layer>Merge Visible) and save your image.
End Result:
