Apply effect on selected area: Photoshop

[NeonNinja]

Ok. So I've got an image. I want to apply the curve effect to the hair, but it keeps on applying to the entire image. Played with layers, I've duplicated. What to do?

 

[creeper]

Read up on masks. It is exactly what it says. It masks the areas that you don't want the effect / adjustment to be made. Search on quick mask on google for tutorials.

 

[Quantum Theory]

What I sometimes do, is to duplicate the layer. Then I apply the effect to the layer, second from top. You can then delete the area you want to change, on the top layer, with a soft brush. You will then see the effect in the deleted areas.

 

[Pixelbender]

What I do, is, I'll get the layer, select the area you'd like to transform, hit cntrl + t and in the middle top bar, a bit more to the right is a transform nodes icon, click on that and drag the nodes

Unless I've got it all wrong

 

[DotKomrade]

Read up on masks. It is exactly what it says. It masks the areas that you don't want the effect / adjustment to be made. Search on quick mask on google for tutorials.

This but with an adjustment layer (button at the bottom of the layers panel). Apply the curves to get the hair looking like you want, then invert the mask on the adjustment layer (select the mask which is the white rectangle on the adjustment layer itself, then hit ctrl/cmd-I) so that it is solid black, then use a soft brush set to white to paint back the areas of the hair. It''ll probably give you the most natural looking transition between the adjusted and unadjusted areas..

 

[NeonNinja]

What I sometimes do, is to duplicate the layer. Then I apply the effect to the layer, second from top. You can then delete the area you want to change, on the top layer, with a soft brush. You will then see the effect in the deleted areas.

Aah Quantum. Didn't think of that.

 

[NeonNinja]

Ended up selecting the hair area. Create new image. Paste, apply effect, shift+ctrl+c, went to original, paste, positioned it.

 

[RanzB]

Ended up selecting the hair area. Create new image. Paste, apply effect, shift+ctrl+c, went to original, paste, positioned it.

Seems like too much work. If you're going to do this regularly, masks are the way to go, and simple to learn.

 

[metro_digital]

You need to learn about adjustment layers and layer masks. It'll change the way you work forever.