Duotones in Photoshop 7?

[another view]

I've got a shot I'd like to try as a duotone. It is digital capture, a large jpeg file. In Scott Kelby's book "The Photoshop Book for digital photographers", he talks about how to do this. Basically, you first convert the image to black and white using one of several methods. Then go to Image > Mode > Duotone, and on from there.

The problem I'm having is that I can get the image to b&w, then click Image > Mode but Duotone isn't available (I can't click on it). I'm not sure why, any ideas? Or are there other ways - I had a sepia tone in mind for this one.

[Asylum Steve]

Steve,

An image needs to be in GRAYSCALE MODE in order for the DUOTONE option to be available.

If I remember correctly, for most if not all of the BW conversion methods I discussed, I converted to grayscale, but then at some point converted back to RGB. So, just skip that last step and go right to duotone mode...

If you want to play around with monochrome color with a b&w image in RGB mode, I'd suggest IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>SELECTIVE COLOR. Try setting the pulldown COLORS menu to (alternatively) WHITES, NEUTRALS, and BLACKS, and move the sliders to tone the respective density areas.

I think it's a toss up with method is better. The RGB selective color method I just described gives you more variety, but you kind of have to know what you're doing. It's also more difficult to get repeatable resutls unless you carefully note your settings.

The duotone method in grayscale mode gives you much better and consistent (repeatable) control, especilly with specific Pantone or other color palette swatches. You can even save and/or load preset color swatch combinations that coincide with very precise press colors.

I've got a shot I'd like to try as a duotone. It is digital capture, a large jpeg file. In Scott Kelby's book "The Photoshop Book for digital photographers", he talks about how to do this. Basically, you first convert the image to black and white using one of several methods. Then go to Image > Mode > Duotone, and on from there.

The problem I'm having is that I can get the image to b&w, then click Image > Mode but Duotone isn't available (I can't click on it). I'm not sure why, any ideas? Or are there other ways - I had a sepia tone in mind for this one.

[another view]

Ahh... I'll try that too, but if I already have a B&W conversion that's done with the RGB sliders (and checking the monochrome box in that window) then can I just convert it to greyscale? I'll try that to see if there's an effect on the already B&W image. If I can, then I guess I can just go into duotone from there(?). I didn't realize that I was looking at a B&W image but PS still saw it as an RGB image.

Thanks for the info! The book I have is great for someone like me - I could read it cover to cover and forget nearly all of it but that wouldn't help much in the end. This one is set up so that you look it over and get an idea what you can do, then go right to the topic when you need it. It's not progressive - one chapter does not build on the other. He shows how to get a sepia toned image but not any others like a cyanotype. Maybe some day when I figure out the sepia I'll try to see if I can get something that resembles a cyanotype.

The more I work with photoshop, the more I want to sell my medium format system!

[Asylum Steve]

Steve,

Converting to grayscale mode simply drops the color information from an image, and prevents you from doing any further RGB or CMYK color editing.

If your image is ALREADY b&w, even in RGB mode, and you convert to grayscale, there will be no noticable change in the way the pic looks on your screen.

Ahh... I'll try that too, but if I already have a B&W conversion that's done with the RGB sliders (and checking the monochrome box in that window) then can I just convert it to greyscale? I'll try that to see if there's an effect on the already B&W image. If I can, then I guess I can just go into duotone from there(?). I didn't realize that I was looking at a B&W image but PS still saw it as an RGB image.

Thanks for the info! The book I have is great for someone like me - I could read it cover to cover and forget nearly all of it but that wouldn't help much in the end. This one is set up so that you look it over and get an idea what you can do, then go right to the topic when you need it. It's not progressive - one chapter does not build on the other. He shows how to get a sepia toned image but not any others like a cyanotype. Maybe some day when I figure out the sepia I'll try to see if I can get something that resembles a cyanotype.

The more I work with photoshop, the more I want to sell my medium format system!

[another view]

Thanks again. You should do a workshop with Trevor on Photoshop - I'd sign up!

[Asylum Steve]

Thanks again. You should do a workshop with Trevor on Photoshop - I'd sign up!

Thanks for the compliment, but what I DON'T know about photoshop could fill a LOT of books. Come to think of it, it DOES, and most of them are on my shelf...

This may be obvious, but most important thing to remember when converting color to b&w is that grayscale mode DELETES the color information from your image file. So, as Brian and I always say, get in the habit of working with DUPLICATE files...