When it is particularly important to get a certain color right, use the Manual Color Correction command. Select a color in the image that needs to be corrected (the source color), and then select the color you want it to be (the target color). For the target color, choose from preset color options, a specific color, or a color from another image. Paint Shop Pro then adjusts all colors in the selection or image based on the shift from the source color to the target color.
Use this command when the image has skin tones that need to be corrected or when you want to get a specific color exactly right. This adjustment also works well for images with grossly incorrect colors.
You can apply the command to a selection or an entire image.
To use the Manual Color Correction dialog:
Choose Adjust > Color Balance > Manual Color Correction.
In the right preview window, center the area with the source color. Pan the image by clicking and dragging in the preview window; zoom in or out as necessary.
Note: You must use the right preview window for panning the image because you select the source color in the left preview window.
Define the Source color in the left preview window using one of these methods:
Click once to select a single pixel. Zoom in to make sure you select the correct color.
Click and drag to select a rectangular area.
To select an irregularly shaped area, mark the Freehand check box, then click and drag over the image.
To change your selection, click the Clear button or make another selection.
Choose an area that is mostly one color. You do not have to be overly precise with the selection area because pixels in the selection are averaged to determine the source color.
When you select the source color, the Source color box displays the selected color.
Choose the Target color using one of these methods:
To choose from a preset color category, select the Preset colors option, choose a color category from the list, and then choose a color from within the category.
To choose from the Color dialog, left-click the Target color box. See Choosing Colors.
To choose from recently used colors, right-click the Target color box.
To choose from any open image, move the cursor over the image until it changes into a dropper and then click the color.
To choose a color based on its hue, saturation, and lightness (HSL) values, select the Manual option, and then enter the values.
When you select the color, the Target color box displays the target color.
If you are using the Preset colors option or have selected a source color from the Target color box, choose from the following options:
Preserve Lightness Mark this check box to preserve the lightness of the source color in the corrected image. Clear this check box to have the lightness of the corrected image to the target color’s lightness.
Preserve Saturation Mark this check box to preserve the saturation of the source color in the corrected image. Clear this check box to match the saturation of the corrected image to the target color’s saturation.
Click OK.
The preset color categories of the Manual Color Correction dialog consist of a variety of frequently occurring colors. Most of these categories are called memory colors because people remember them particularly well and notice when they don’t look natural. Typical examples are skin tones and sky colors. Memory color categories in the Color Category list are Beverage, Foliage, Fruits, Grasses, Grays, Hair Colors, Metals, Skintones, Sky, Various Foods, Vegetables, Water, and Woods.
There are other categories that you may find helpful when defining the target colors for your photographs:
Pure Colors The main colors on the color wheel (example, red, orange, yellow).
Standard A set of colors designed to let you make very subtle changes in hue. When you select a source color, the Nearest preset color field above the list displays a number for the color that is the closest match in the Standard category.
To correct an image using Standard Colors:
Choose Adjust > Color Balance > Manual Color Correction.
Click in the left preview window to select a source color.
Select the Preset colors option.
In the list underneath, choose Standard.
The Nearest preset color area above the list box displays the Standard color that is the closest match to the source color. Click the Color box to the right of the list and scroll to view the color.
Modify the target color using one of the following options:
To shift all hues in the image slightly, choose a color from the Preset colors list that is similar to the current color.
To shift all hues in the image drastically, choose a color from the Preset colors list that is quite different from the current color.
Preserve Lightness Mark this check box to preserve the lightness of the source color in the corrected image. Clear this check box to have the lightness of the corrected image to the target color’s lightness.
Preserve Saturation Mark this check box to preserve the saturation of the source color in the corrected image. Clear this check box to match the saturation of the corrected image to the target color’s saturation.
Basic Steps in Improving Photographs
How to Approach Color, Contrast, and Saturation Adjustments
Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Removing Image Defects and Noise