Reincarnation Post: Selective Desaturation in Photoshop

This tutorial will how to desaturate part of an image while retaining color in other areas. This method can be used for illustrations to highlight what is intended to be shown in the areas where the color remains. Or you can just use it for fun to improve your photoshop skills.

This is the image I have opened in Photoshop. I will retain the color in the sari and remove it from the girl's figure.

Step 1 : Right click the background and from the popup window select Duplicate Layer.

Step 2 : This window opens. Click ok.

Step 3 : The Layer 0 copy has been formed.

Step 4 : Drag down the corners of the image as shown. This will enable you to see the image fully.

Step 5 : Use the Zoom Tool to Zoom in on the image. This image is small so I need to zoom in.

Step 6 : This is how the zoomed in image looks in Photoshop. I have dragged the corners away to reveal the edges of the image.

Step 7 : Click the Magnetic Lasso Tool.

Step 8 : Zoom in on the face with the Zoom Tool. Click the magnifying glass with plus sign on top left to zoom in and the one with the minus sign to zoom out.

Step 9 : I am clicking the face with the Magnetic Lasso. When I come back to the first point it will turn into a selection.

Step 10 : The face has been selected by the 'running ants' dotted line.

Step 11 : Now press Shift on your keyboard and make the next part of the selection. See above. The second part of the selection has been made.

Step 12 : I have selected various parts of the girl's anatomy with the Magnetic Lasso Tool by keeping the Shift key pressed. Keeping the Shift key pressed allows you to makemultiple selections.

Step 13 : Press CTRL+ALT+D on your keboard. This will bring up the feather selection dialogue box. I have set the Feather Radius at 2 pixels. Click ok.