color forground b&w background

[Good Time Gang]

i am new to this, and i am sure that there is a tut somewhere, but i cannot seem to find it. i have so photos that i would like to make the focal point of the image in color and the rest black and white. any help on how to do this would be great. thanks, GTG

[GimpKnowHow]

Ok. Duplicate your layer and then click colors-Desaturate on the top layer. Right click on the top layer thumbnail and click add layer mask. Now color anything that you want colorful with a black paintbrush.

[Gimper165]

Alternatively you could use the color select tool:



Then just hold down 'SHIFT' and click on the colors you want to keep colorful, once you done that create a new layer, then make sure your still on the image layer, cut and paste it into the new layer.

Hope this helps - if not just ask and i'll make a tutorial.

[Good Time Gang]

i must be doing something wrong, i keep getting a third layer when i try and past the cut color onto the new layer. GTG

[Gimper165]

Ok, first of all just use the 'color select' to select the color you want, then copy it, then create a new layer, then paste it.

After that go to 'Layers' -> 'Anchor Layer'.

P.S. If your still getting a new layer, then close GIMP, the re-open it again, (you may have changed a setting), it's happened to me before but don't worry GIMP doesn't save your settings.

Hope this has cleared everything up

[Good Time Gang]

Cool, i think i have it now! Thank you, GTG

[Gimper165]

No problem, GimpKnowHow's suggestion was good, however i find if you use the 'Color Select Tool' then you have more control over what's colorful and what's not

BTW if you select some color that you dont want, after youve pasted it into the new layer just use the 'Rectangle Select Tool', Select it and go to 'Colours' --> 'Desaturate'.

I've really got to stop using so many smilies in my messages lol

Also here's an image i made a while ago:

[Good Time Gang]

i was having trouble getting all the color variations to show with the select tool, so i used GimpKnowHow's idea. man it was rough staying in the lines, but i think it turned out nice. Thanks again to you both, GTG

[GimpKnowHow]

Yeah NP.

[Gimper165]

I like both ways, for larger pictures with more color i prefer to use my way, however GimpKnowHow's way can save a lot of time on certain projects.