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Instructor
Original Poster
#1 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 8:12 AM Last edited by broomhilda61 : 6th Jan 2019 at 6:28 AM.
I'm done with this..please delete this topic {Closed}
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone..I can't believe it is now Christmas Eve morning here...

Ok..I am trying so hard to understand a tutorial on how to recolor Zerographic's Tutorial: Using wall blanks that are color-action ready ever since I found these..and I am really needing help..just not sure where to put this help topic in..sorry if it is in the wrong place..

I need something a bit more simple to understand..can anyone help me please

Thank you for your help in advance.. :lovestruc
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 11:33 AM
Have you read the tutorial below the download? It explains everything fairly well. You probably need to use Homecrafter for making the walls, though. The tutorial only explains the Photoshop/Gimp part of how to use the templates/overlays.
Instructor
Original Poster
#3 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 8:59 PM
Yes I have read everything..and I tried to read and take a step, read and take another step..and well..I am sooo confused I have absolutely no idea what I am doing..I just want to be able to recolor those templates..I love that color but I would like more colors..

I have Photoshop.. but why would I need to make walls when all I want to do is recolor those templates???
Mad Poster
#4 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 9:51 PM
What's the point of recoloring the templates if you don't want to make them into walls? Just asking...

The tutorial is about as simple as it can get (but maybe a little wordy), it tells you which tools you need, and how to do the different steps - so I think you need to be more precise on what exactly you don't understand.
Instructor
Original Poster
#5 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 10:36 PM
oh ok I see what you mean..I have already done some of those templates just putting textures in them but not the templates themselves..there is only one color..am I right on that..

Ok when I added a color to the template it took all the texture out of the template..just covered everything up..

I don't know..let's just delete this topic..and forget it..I don't know how to explain it..and I am one of those that just needs simple words and lots of pictures..technical words are not my thing..and only have a 7th grade reading level..even though I graduated from High School and am 57..now I feel like a complete fool..sorry to have bothered anyone..and when it comes to computers we didn't have computers when I was in school..an electric typewriter was the most advanced thing we had..
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#6 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 10:52 PM
@broomhilda61 Please don't feel like you can't ask. It does help to ask in help rather than chat though since you are likely to get more help.

Going on just one what you said here, make sure you are using 'colour changer' rather than bucket fill. Again this might be totally and completely wrong advise since I haven't even checked out the tutorial or anything in it. I also use Corel Photoshop, but that is what I use when I want to keep the texture but change its colour, Colour changer. it's right there with bucket fill.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#7 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 10:57 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 24th Dec 2018 at 11:09 PM.
The tutorial tells you to use Pooklet's (or possibly also other) color actions on the templates if you want the wood parts to have different colors. It also tells you how to use the actions. Scroll down to the Box link in post #7 to find Pooklet's actions.

You need to download the actions, load them into Photoshop (via the action menu, you'll usually find it in the toolbar to the right), and then apply one of the actions to the template, and then do the rest of the tutorial.

How to load actions into Photoshop:
- Download the actions
- unzip if it's in a zip/rar folder
- open Photoshop
- find the actions bar - in the PS version I have it looks like a remote-control "play" button
- click the upper right-hand corner button that looks like a list with a down arrow
- find "load action..."
- find the action you want to add and click "load"
- The actions should now show somewhere in the actions menu as a folder.

How to use actions:
- Make sure you have the correct file selected (the one you want to recolor)
- Mark the action you want to use
- click the "play" button at the bottom.
- Apply any other changes to the file (see the original tutorial above).

(keep in mind some things may be different between versions - this applies to most of the CS versons of Photoshop)
Instructor
Original Poster
#8 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 11:09 PM
I don't know how to use Pooklet's color actions..I have the color actions downloaded and not sure where to put them..and where it shows where to put them I don't have that in my Photoshop CS2..I even put them in 2 different places but I have no idea..what I am doing..so let's forget it...just delete this..I feel like a complete idiot..
I don't even know how to explain things to people..that makes it even worse..sorry to have bothered you all..
Mad Poster
#9 Old 24th Dec 2018 at 11:11 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 24th Dec 2018 at 11:37 PM.
I just posted how to load in actions above. I think you can use this method in CS2, too.

I don't think you need to put the actions in the correct folder. Should be enough to have them on your desktop (or any other folder), and Photoshop will be able to find them by using the method above. Also remember to unzip the folders (the action files need to be ".atn" files, as zip/rar files won't work).

There aren't a lot of changes between the CS versions of Photoshop, so if you know where one tool is in one of the versions, it's probably in roughly the same spot in an older/newer version even if the interface looks a bit different.

(I have CS6, so the interface has a different style, but everything is in roughly the same place in CS2. The menu button is possibly the right top arrow in the third picture, which is a google picture showing how the action menu looks like in CS2).
Screenshots
Instructor
Original Poster
#10 Old 26th Dec 2018 at 6:34 AM
I'm closing this..not giving up..just not ready..the words from here and over at Blooming Rosy are just complicated..to understand..and I am not finding anything anyone has said to me..in Photoshop..
I just feel like a complete idiot..
When Suzanne says I have never used Photoshop but I understand it..that makes me feel even worse..
Thank you for trying to help..
Mad Poster
#11 Old 26th Dec 2018 at 11:28 AM Last edited by simmer22 : 26th Dec 2018 at 11:44 AM.
Just in case, here's a Youtube video showing how to load in actions and how to apply them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phs43_5T8ds (the part with actions is from around 4:10 to 5:30 in the video, you don't need the rest because it's for TS4). It's the same method for Photoshop CS2. The menus and buttons are in the same places as in the tutorial, but may look a little different.

If you open up the files in Photoshop and follow along with the instructions in the video, I think you'll understand how the actions work. You already managed to make a wall (the one you posted below the tutorial), and you've made other recolors before, so it looks like you understand the rest of the steps.
Instructor
Original Poster
#12 Old 26th Dec 2018 at 3:17 PM Last edited by broomhilda61 : 26th Dec 2018 at 6:51 PM.
Thank you so much simmer and jo for your help..omgosh..

I normally don't use you tube except for listening to music..because they just go to fast on what they are doing..but omgosh it worked..just that few minutes and I was able to recolor that wood..let me show you...now I know it has to be tweaked but it's a start..
Now I had found Pooklet's actions and CuriousB: Any Colour You Like but had no clue on what to do after that..and really I still don't..I just clicked on a few buttons and it worked..and still I have no idea if they are in the right place or not..
I am one that has to be shown not told how to do things..little simple words and lots of step by step pictures is how I learn..all this other stuff just don't make any sense to me at all..I'm sorry..this is how it has always been all my life..

I am going to leave this open..I know I will have to come back to it..and ask more questions..
I am also sorry for the way I have acted..but I get so frustrated not knowing how to ask questions the right way..
Please be patient with me..



Nope that didn't work..sure the wood was recolored but then I can't get a texture in there..tried both ways..first the recoloring of the wood then tried to put a texture in there and that didn't work..wouldn't let me put it in the back..then I tried to put the texture in first then recolor the wood..and it recolored the whole thing..
Mad Poster
#13 Old 26th Dec 2018 at 10:06 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 26th Dec 2018 at 10:36 PM.
There are a lot of ways to do this - some ways are quick, others slow. The one shown in the original tutorial works, but is a slow way. Personally I'd copy the layer, add a mask to the new layer, mark the grey area, delete it from the mask (so you have a chance to correct it), and put the wall pattern between the background and the masked layer. Slightly harder to explain, but it's still on a basic beginner level.

You need to mark the grey area inside the texture and either delete it or use a layer mask. The pictures in the original tutorial shows one way to do it. You can use one of the many select tools - the square one is probably fine - click and drag until you've selected all of the grey, and delete the selected area. You can also use the tool that looks like a wand, but it doesn't always make a good selection, depending on what's around.

Selecting/marking tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Jj-nGubf0

Some of the color actions make the layer into a "background layer". If that happens, copy the layer (click and drag the layer to the paper icon in the bottom right corner) so you end up with two layers. You can use this second layer as a mask layer, and put the pattern you want to use behind it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqqVmGxvHaY, this one is also nice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA4SIF0KsDc. I mostly use mask layers for edits, and rarely erase or delete anything directly from a layer. This ensures that you can go back and edit the mask without losing anything important.

Youtube is great if you need pictures and good explanations to learn something new. There's often several different tutorials for the same thing, so if one video is confusing, just find another. For Photoshop you'll usually get a lot of result for the basic tools. Use search words like "Photoshop selection beginner" or "Photoshop layers beginner", or whatever else you're looking for.

If it's too difficult to understand, I added a file below so you can see what I meant with the masking layers. There's both a PSD and a TIFF inside the archive, since I'm not sure if CS2 can read CS6 files.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  walltest.rar (594.0 KB, 10 downloads) - View custom content
Instructor
Original Poster
#14 Old 27th Dec 2018 at 10:33 PM
Not one of those you tube things worked I had no idea what they were talking about..and everything just went to fast..to understand..
Just forget it..and please just delete this topic..
Mad Poster
#15 Old 27th Dec 2018 at 11:27 PM
It helps to look at the videos, maybe rewind them if things are going too fast. It also helps to have Photoshop open, and pause in between the steps to try them for yourself. Maybe also search for other tutorials with similar search words (I picked some of the first and shortest I found, but I'm sure there are better ones).

Maybe these are easier to follow in regards to masking? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAKILf5I0Vw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUlcW2IhFwE

Also, did you have a look at the file I posted? It shows one way you can set up the file so you can put anything you need behind the wooden part of the wall. It's even reusable (you can copy/paste layer masks to other layers, or just move it to a different layer - so you could put the actions onto the walls in one file, move them over and put the mask on in a second layer). Masking is in itself basic, and follows the same logic as alpha textures for Bodyshop (black=invisible, white=visible, grey=transparent).

I get that you feel this is difficult - but I think you're giving up much too fast. These tools (select, layers, masking) are about as basic Photoshop as you can get, and are among the first tools you'll need to learn to get anything done. If you ever want to learn more of the program, you may want to try a bit harder.

Perhaps play around with an empty document to test out the tools to see what they do. Playing around in a new program, clicking on things and trying them out is often a good way to get comfortable with the basic interface and tools (it's often what I do in new programs). Photoshop does have similar icons and tools to most other drawing/photoediting programs, so a lot of the basics are intuitive (select tools, paint bucket, brushes, etc.) if you've ever used a similar program before.
Instructor
Original Poster
#16 Old 6th Jan 2019 at 6:27 AM
I'm done..I have decided that recoloring is not fun and is very stressful..which I don't do very well..gives me serious anxiety attacks..so I have decided to just play the game..and not recolor..

I have been working on that simple tutorial ever since I posted this..and I still can't find some of the things and the recoloring is not working..it's not worth crying over anymore..

Sorry to have bothered you all..
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