Making part of a picture black and white while keeping the rest in color is a great way to draw attention to a specific area or subject. This effect can add visual interest and drama to photos. With the right photo editing software, it’s easy to make this black and white/color hybrid edit.
What Tools Do I Need to Edit Part of a Photo Black and White?
To edit just a portion of a photo black and white, you’ll need:
- A photo editing application like Photoshop, GIMP, Pixelmator, or Affinity Photo
- The original color photo you want to edit
- A graphics tablet (optional but useful for precise selections)
These powerful image editing programs give you full control over color adjustments. You can selectively desaturate areas of a photo while keeping other parts in full color. A graphics tablet also helps with making precise selections, but you can use a mouse if you don’t have a drawing tablet.
How to Make Part of a Photo Black and White in Photoshop
Photoshop has extremely robust tools for targeted black and white edits. Here are the basic steps:
- Open your image in Photoshop
- Select the area you want to be black and white using one of the selection tools, like the Lasso Tool or Magnetic Lasso Tool
- With your selection active, add a Black & White adjustment layer from the Layers panel
- The selection will become monochromatic while the deselected areas remain in color
- Refine the selection’s edges if needed using options like Feather
- Adjust the black and white tones as needed using the adjustment layer
Photoshop has very powerful selection capabilities. You can make extremely precise selections to control exactly which parts of your photo get desaturated. The Black & White adjustment layer applies the effect non-destructively, preserving your original image.
Photoshop Selection Tools
Some of the most useful selection tools in Photoshop for black and white/color edits include:
- Lasso Tool – Draw freehand selections around areas
- Magnetic Lasso Tool – Snaps to edges as you draw for more accurate selections
- Quick Selection Tool – Automatically selects similarly colored/toned areas when you drag
- Magic Wand – Selects pixels within a tolerance with a click
Experiment with these to see which provides the most control over your particular photo.
Fine-Tuning Selections in Photoshop
Photoshop provides refinement options that let you adjust a selection to get the perfect mask:
- Feather – Soften the selection edge by a set number of pixels
- Smooth – Smooth out jagged selection edges
- Expand/Contract – Grow or shrink the selection by a set amount
Use these tools to get a smooth, natural transition between the color and black and white areas.
Making Partial Black and White Edits in GIMP
GIMP is a free, open-source image editor that provides many of the same selection and color tools as Photoshop. To edit just part of a photo black and white in GIMP:
- Open your image in GIMP
- Choose the Paths Tool to draw a selection outline around the area you want to isolate
- Right click on the path in the Paths panel and select Path to Selection to convert the path to an active selection
- Add a Grayscale layer adjustment from the Layers menu
- Only the selected area will become black and white
- Refine the selection edge as needed using Feather and other options
GIMP takes more of a “path-based” approach to making selections compared to Photoshop’s wide array of dedicated selection tools. But you can still target specific regions precisely.
GIMP Selection Tips
When making selections in GIMP for black and white effects, keep these tips in mind:
- Use the Paths Tool to outline the region you want to select
- Add anchor points as you draw your path to accurately follow complex shapes
- Right click and choose Path to Selection when done to convert the path
- Adjust the Feather radius to create a soft edge
With practice, you can select intricate areas like hair or tree branches using GIMP’s paths.
Other Ways to Make Part of a Photo Black and White
Photoshop and GIMP offer the most control for these hybrid black and white edits. But other tools provide shortcuts or alternative workflows:
Layer Masks
An alternative method is to use layer masks in Photoshop or GIMP. The steps are:
- Add a Black & White or Desaturate adjustment layer above your image
- Add a layer mask to the adjustment layer
- Paint with black and white on the layer mask to hide/reveal color from below
This gives you a non-destructive way to brush on the black and white effect selectively.
filters
Some filters and effects can convert artwork to black and white with a color tint. Try these:
- Sepia Tone filter
- Gradient Map filter
- Selective Color adjustment
This can produce a stylized partial black and white look, though results may not look as natural.
Mobile Apps
Mobile photo editing apps like Snapseed and Adobe Photoshop Express provide basic ways to apply black and white as a filter to part of an image. Look for:
- Partial filter brush
- Regional filter paint
While not as advanced as desktop tools, these quick mobile solutions can work in a pinch.
Tips for Great Black and White Photo Effects
Follow these tips when editing only a portion of your photo black and white:
- Focus attention – Use black and white to emphasize your main subject or point of interest.
- Try different tools – Experiment with various selection tools to get the best mask.
- Refine edges – Spend time perfecting the border between color and black and white.
- Enhance contrast – Adjust levels to add more punch to your black and white region.
- Fade with feather – Soften edges by gradually fading between color and gray.
With the right edits, you can guide the viewer’s eye creatively using selective color isolation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Partial Black and White
How do I black and white part of a picture in Photoshop?
In Photoshop, use one of the selection tools to select the area you want black and white. With the selection active, add a Black & White adjustment layer to apply the effect. Refine the edges as needed.
Can you make parts of a photo black and white in Photoshop Elements?
Yes, Photoshop Elements provides the same selection tools and adjustment layers as regular Photoshop. Just select the area, add a black and white layer, and mask/refine the edges.
How do you grayscale part of an image in GIMP?
In GIMP, use the Paths Tool to outline the region you want to select. Right click the path and choose Path to Selection. Add a Grayscale layer adjustment to apply the black and white effect.
Can you make part of a picture color and part black and white?
Yes, converting only a portion of a photo to black and white while keeping the rest colored is a popular photo editing technique. Any robust imaging program like Photoshop or GIMP can achieve this effect.
How do I grayscale an area in Photoshop?
To grayscale an area in Photoshop, select the region with a tool like the Lasso Tool. With the selection active, add a Black & White adjustment layer. This will desaturate only the selected area to black and white.
Conclusion
Making part of a picture black and white requires isolating the region you want to desaturate. Photoshop provides the most control over selections. But GIMP and other tools also enable selective black and white effects. The key is choosing the right area, creating a good mask, and refining the edges.
With practice, you can precisely guide the viewer’s attention by fading your images to black and white. By creatively editing color, you can add visual interest and emphasis to your photos.