On-demand fashion print images are available to download in several dissimilar file formats but what happens if you accept bought a 'flat' bitmap/raster file but would really like to edit the colours to try different colourways?

Well its actually not as hard as it may seem. By following our four simple methods you should be well on your fashion to apace and easily recolouring your designs!

What is meant by a 'flat' bitmap/raster file?

A 'flat' bitmap/raster file is 1 that has no layers and is therefore very limited with its editability.  Unlike a vector file (something created in a plan similar Adobe Illustrator) elements within the design cannot easily be moved, edited or recoloured.

File types that could be included nether this heading are: .Jpeg, .PNG or an unlayered .TIFF or .PSD

How to make 'non-subversive' colour changes in Adobe Photoshop

Using Adobe Photoshop our four elementary methods will help you to quickly alter and manipulate either the colours of the whole design or target private ones.

All four methods are non-destructive and will get out all the colours from your original design intact. By using Adjustment Layers in Photoshop all our recolouring methods are easily turned on and off without affecting your file!

Method 1: Black and White Adjustment Layer

Everyone loves a monochrome design right? And then how practice you easily alter a coloured design to a black and white one?

  1. Open up your pattern in Photoshop (please non that this method merely works with RGB and not CMYK colour models).
  2. If the Layers panel isn't already showing make information technology visible past going to Window (at the top of your screen) and scrolling down to select Layers.
  3.  At present go to the bottom of the Layers panel and click on the Adjustment Layer icon.
  4. Gyre through the pop-upwards bill of fare and select Black and White.
  5.  Y'all will now encounter your design has changed from colour to black and white and a new Aligning Layer appears above your design. You may have besides noticed that that the Blackness and White Properties Panel has appeared. This console allows yous to edit further your Blackness and White Adjustment Layer.
  6.  Past irresolute the Presets in the drop down carte, or past moving the sliders below it, you are able to add in, or remove, blacks and whites to edit your design farther.
  7. Past ticking the Tint checkbox you can add together a coloured tint to your black and white design, further changing its advent. Click on the coloured foursquare next to the Tint checkbox to change the colour of the tint.

Method 2: Hue and Saturation Aligning Layer – Change the Overall Colour

Want to modify the overall colours of your design? Then this method works really quickly and gives great results without the demand for complicated Photoshop work!

  1. Open your design in Adobe Photoshop.
  2. As earlier, if the Layers console isn't already showing make information technology visible by going to Window (at the top of your screen) and scrolling down to select Layers.
  3.  Now go to the bottom of the Layers panel and click on the Adjustment Layer icon.
  4. Scroll through the pop-upwards card and select Hue/Saturation.
  5.  You lot will now see a new Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer appear above your design. You will also notice that the Hue/Saturation Backdrop Panel has appeared.
  6.  Past moving the Hue slider well-nigh the top of the Hue/Saturation Properties Panel either to the left or right you can quickly alter the overall colours of the design.
  7. By moving the Saturation slider you can add more colour saturation or move the Lightness slider to make the colour modify darker or lighter.

Method iii: Hue and Saturation Aligning Layer – Change an Individual Color

This method uses the same principals equally the previous one but allows you to target specific colours within the design.

  1. Open your design in Adobe Photoshop.
  2. As before, if the Layers panel isn't already showing make it visible past going to Window (at the pinnacle of your screen) and scrolling downwards to select Layers.
  3.  Now go to the bottom of the Layers panel and click on the Adjustment Layer icon.
  4. Scroll through the pop-up carte and select Hue/Saturation.
  5.  As in the previous method you volition now run across a new Hue/Saturation Aligning layer announced above your design. Y'all will also discover that the Hue/Saturation Properties Panel has appeared.
  6. To target specific colours using this method, click on the Master drop downward menu in the Hue/Saturation Properties Console. This then allows yous to target and rework specific colours.
  7. For the below example we have reworked both the Magenta and then Red to create this new colourway, each time using the Hue slider to modify the colour.

Method iv: Selective Colour Aligning Layer – Modify an Private Colour

Want to modify colours within private colours of your pattern? Then this method will target individual colours and allow you to change the colour values inside that specific colour using the a Selective Color Adjustment Layer.

  1. Open your design in Adobe Photoshop.
  2. As before, if the Layers panel isn't already showing make information technology visible by going to Window (at the top of your screen) and scrolling down to select Layers.
  3.  Now go to the bottom of the Layers console and click on the Adjustment Layer icon.
  4. Gyre through the pop-upwards menu and select Selective Colour.
  5. Y'all will now encounter a new Selective Colour Aligning Layer appear in a higher place your design. Y'all will also notice that the Selective Color Properties Console has appeared.
  6.  By clicking on the Colours drop menu you are able to target specific colours within the blueprint.
  7. By selecting dissimilar colours from this drib down menu, and then moving the colour sliders beneath, you are able to rework colours even more accurately. For the below instance nosotros take reworked the Magentas, Reds, Yellowish and Neutrals to create a completely new colourway.

These four methods are quick and efficient ways of trying out new colourways and changing the overall await of a 'apartment' raster/bitmap prototype. There are many more than ways, including more advanced and accurate options, but they require a more than in-depth cognition of Photoshop.

We really promise these iv elementary methods help you to effort out new artistic colour options without getting too weighed downwardly with technical Photoshop know how!