AL advantages

The main point is the understanding of some key concepts and use cases.

This allow you to experiment with the technique and find out your own way to use the feature.

There are no particular rules how to use it, it is all depends on a final result you want to achieve.

I will be showing the use case of a Gradient Map adjustment layer as a base to colorize a grayscale illustration I made in Clip Studio Paint.

In addition some principles of a local color values theory will be explained as well. I think it is also important for the beginners to understand its importance, to achieve a good result.

 

1) Nondestructive edits. You can try different settings and re‑edit the adjustment layer at any time. You can also reduce the effect of the adjustment by lowering the opacity of the layer.

2) Selective editing. Paint on the adjustment layer's image mask to apply an adjustment to part of an image. Later you can control which parts of the image are adjusted by re-editing the layer mask. You can vary the adjustment by painting on the mask with different tones of gray.

3)Ability to apply adjustments to multiple images. Copy and paste adjustment layers between images to apply the same color and tonal adjustments.

4)Modular approach. Combining a few adjustment layers in a single “stack” folder to automate color grading. In this case, you can use a single mask for all the layers of a shared folder and individual masking within the folder for each layer.

5) Creative flexibility. Fast quantity in ideation process. You can easily create a bunch of variations just changing the settings of the base adjustment layer.

 

 

You can access to Adjustments layers clicking right mouse button, while selecting a layer.

Local color Values concepts

The most important concept to understand before using the Gradient Map AL is that all the local colors have a different values. Which are “mapped”

with the Gradient map AL

As shown on the color wheel

all the cold colors are darker in values, by comparison to the warm colors.

As you can see here the same is going on in the gradient map AL

So technically when we applying the AL all the colors are applied to the BW values according to its corresponding “value” in colored mode.

Another trick here is to keep your color gradient scale (CGS) consistent. What does it mean?

By saying that I mean that it is much easier to move from darker colors to lighter colors.

• So do not break the color CGS with colors of different values.

Use in-built presets Presets to experiment with a base look.

 

Modular Approach

I would not say I will use the Gradient map AL in a “single mode”.

It is just more flexible to use it in a conjunction with other layers.

For example Levels, as I did in my case, to contrast the GS image to make its values more distinguished. It helps to create more solid color pallet

But the trick here is to use AL for values in the bottom of the stack, otherwise

 

But the trick here is to use AL for values in the bottom of the stack, otherwise the result will not be as different as expected.

Of course it is a subjective opinion

But I reckon this approach helps to create more different look, and appearance.

Selective Editing

For some layers I was using a mask. To control a particular area of an image.

To create a masked layer you need to make a selection on an area of your image and then you just apply the AL which you want to use. And Its automatically gets masked.

 

First Step_Gradient Map

Applied a few random gradients maps I came up to the one which I finally liked, and decided to bring to a final look.

As you could see I kept all my AL in a single folder for the sake of organizing the whole “layers tree” stack.

And here I need to notice that when you are working in such a way you need to change the root blending mode for Through, by default its Normal, otherwise your effects wont be working properly.

Another good thing is to keep all the layers named, otherwise its easy to get lost!

 

Color Balance AL

With the second AL which is COLOR BALANCE i changed the face color a little.

Of course you still can use the Gradient Map AL but for me it was just faster to use another layer with a mask.

 

Hue/Saturation/Luminosity AL

With the next AL in stack I changed a little the lettering value in my image. I wanted it to be a bit darker to create a “frame like” effect.

Level Correction for Color Adjustment

In the next step I could use the same AL I used a step before, but I decided to go with the Level Correction AL to show how it could be used it to adjust a color of hair.

I switched to the channels list in the drop down menu, and decreased the blue channel and increased the red one. So I went to warmer colors to increase the color contrast in the pic.

 

Color Balance AL second use

In the next step I used the COLOR BALANCE again.

To edit colors of the skateboard and the surf.

Since we dont really have separation in highlights, midtones and shadows I simply adjusted highlights level a little.

 

Brightness / Contrast

In the next step I used BRIGHTNESS/ CONTRAST to change the sky color to push background separation a little. Again, for the compositional sake.

Level Correction Tone Adjustment

Finally I felt my image is a little darker then I wanted it to be.

So I applied another Level Correction on the top, without masking. To change the overall tonal look.

Adding a texture variations.

In this step I added a little feel of a texture on some parts of the image by a mask.

To do so I used a 50 % grey fill layer with a Perlin noise filter. Why 50?

Because in such a case the value of your images will not be changed unless there some values lesser or bigger then 50 . The noise still added additional values but only partly which I actually was aiming for.

I moved this layer in the bottom of the stack to make it toi affect the base Grey Scale image.

In this case the top layers which are based on the very bottom layer would be affected as well.

Grain “film look” over the top.

In the final step I added a little bits of very tiny noise on the top, top make it a bit film looking.

It was make in the same way I have done in the previous step

50% gray fill layer with some tiny perlin noise filter. Top layer has a bigger scale of noise and 55% opacity, and a layer underneath smaller scale and 25 % opacity.

But it is very personal preferences.

And depends on a look you want to achieve.

Thank for reading My Tutorial I hope You enjoyed it and found some usefull tips and Tricks!