Ps tips #3

Sorry for the delay,

Keep on working with curves. In previous article we used onle rgb curve, today we'll work with channel curves. You can select them from the menu:

As we work in rgb mode, we have three channel curves - Red, Green and Blue. You can see shotcuts on the right, you can use them to switch among curves, it's faster than using menu every time. Every curve is coloured according to its title for convenience.

But despite the title, every curve works with two colours, you can imagine them like this:

Remember luminosity scale, black point - shadows - midtones - highlights - white point,
works for all curves:

For examle, I've changed shape of red curve:

Analyzing our curve: white point shifted down - lightest areas tinted cyan, curve up in shadows tinted them red, black point and midtones fixed - changes in these areas are minimal.
To check put this curve over b/w image:

Let's change the curve:

See how the picture has changed: white point shifted to the left gave reddish colour to lightest areas, curve down in the middle tinted midtones cyan, black point shifted upwards tinted darkest areas red:

To remember:
Tint in midtones is always more visible than in other areas.
You can use tool with hand(remember previos article) for channel curves too! With it you can easily define part of curve you need.

Well, we have six colours to choose from, but if we need more? Use more than one curve!
For example, mixing magenta and yellow you can get chocolate colour:

A bit of practice:
I took beautiful photo by faestock. We'll create "soft" toning, many people like it.
RGB curve - reducing contrast:

Channel curves:

Before/after
 
Happy toning everybody!

Stamp tool is coming next!