Photoshop Elements >

Toning B&W Photographs >

Split Toning

With a Gradient Map Adjustment Layer

Toning is when you add color to a B&W photograph.

Split toning is when the:

• Shadows are one color.

• Highlights are another color.

Traditionally, one color would be warm, and the other, cool.

Go to Split-Toning: Background and Historical Antecedents by Jonathan Bailey

We'll use a Gradient Map adjustment layer to do the split toning.

You can also use Color Variations window to do split toning.

Go to 2 - Method #1: Color Variations.

Be sure to check off as you go along.

Preparation

1) Preserve your original file.

If you haven't already done so, go to Preserve Your Original File.

2) Create a Background copy layer.

If you haven't already done so, go to Create a Background Copy Layer.

We'll use the photograph below as an example.

B&W or Color?

3) Are you starting with a black-and-white photograph or a color photograph?

B&W Photograph

You need to make sure your black-and-white photograph is in the RGB Color mode.

To check, go to Image > Mode.

If RGB Color isn't checked, click RGB Color to convert to the RGB Color mode.

Color Photograph

You need to convert your color photograph into black-and-white.

The easiest way is to go to Enhance > Adjust Color > Remove Color.

However, the quality is often poor.

Instead, go to Enhance > Convert to Black and White.

Or, for even more control, go to Method #2. 

Make a Composite Layer

5) If you have more layers than just the Background and Background copy layers, merge them into a composite layer.

A composite layer contains all of the layers of your photograph.

Go to Composite Layer.

Use the composite layer for toning.

Gradient Map Adjustment Layer

6) Select the composite layer that's on top of the layers stack.

7) Make sure the foreground color is black, and the background color is white.

If you haven't already, go to Foreground & Background Colors.

8) Create a Gradient Map adjustment layer (not a Gradient adjustment layer).

The Gradient Map adjustment panel will open.

FYI

The two selections in the Gradient Map window, Dither and Reverse, are not used in this tutorial.

Dither

If you select Dither, Photoshop Elements will create colors from the existing colors.

Dither reduces banding, stark transitions between colors.

An illustration of dithering. Red and blue are the only colors used but, as the red and blue squares are made smaller, the patch appears violet.

Reverse

If you select Reverse, the gradient will switch from going from black to white, to white to black.

Open the Gradient Editor

Click the gradient in the window to open the Gradient Editor window.

If it isn't already selected by default, select the Foreground to Background gradient.

The Foreground to Background gradient fades from black to gray to white.

The gradient type in the window is set by default to Solid.

That's what we're using here.

FYI

Smoothness

The Smoothness percentage determines how smoothly a color blends into another color.

The Smoothness is set be default to 100%.

That's what we'll need here.

Noise Gradients

The Noise gradient type contains random colors in a range of colors that you set.

Noise Gradient

Above & Below the Gradient

Opacity Stops

On the top of the gradient, at the ends, are two square icons called opacity stops.

You can adjust the transparency of the colors.

Ignore the opacity stops.

Color Stops

The square icons below the gradient, at the ends, are called color stops.

We'll use the color stops to change the color of the gradient.

9) Double click the black color stop, at the left end, beneath the gradient, to open the Color Picker window.

Make sure you're clicking the black color stop on the bottom of the gradient—not the black opacity stop on top of the gradient.

8) Enter:

• 218 in the R box

• 165 in the G box

• 32 in the B box

The color, goldenrod, is displayed below with its RGB values.

The shadows are now goldenrod colored.

	Goldenrod		Dark Steel Blue
Red	218		50
Green	165		110
Blue	32		160

We'll use dark steel blue for the highlights.

10) Double click the white color stop, at the right end, beneath the gradient, to open the Color Picker window.

Make sure you're clicking the white color stop on the bottom of the gradient—not the black opacity stop on top of the gradient.

11) Enter:

• 50 in the R box

• 110 in the G box

• 160 in the B box

The highlights are now dark steel blue.

However, the photograph looks like something from the 1960s.

Change the blending mode of the Gradient Map adjustment layer.

Blending mode?

At the top of the layers stack, look for the unlabeled Blending Mode box.

It's to the left of the Opacity box.

If you're new to blending modes, go to Blending Modes.

12) Change the blending mode from Normal to Color.

If you're new to blending modes, go to Blending Modes.

You can experiment with the other blending modes.

The photograph is now split toned.

Here's the un-toned photograph.

Choosing Colors

As mentioned, split toning in the darkroom often consisted of using a warm color and a cool color.

Color choice may be based on a convention, such as seeing blue light as being night time in day-for-night scenes in films.

Our perception of depth may guide color choice.

Blues recede.

Reds move out.

You can choose intense colors, as you can adjust the color with opacity.

If you haven't already, go to Color Picking.

Move the Stops

In the above example, the color stops were left at the ends of the gradient.

You can move the color stops to bring the colors more into the midtones.

You can create more color stops.

Double click below the gradient.

Opacity

You can reduce the effect of the Gradient map adjustment layer by reducing the opacity of the layer.

Click the Gradient Map adjustment layer, and go to Opacity at the top of the layers stack.

You can also reduce the opacity with the opacity stops located on top of the gradient.

By default, the opacity stops are at 100% opacity.

Click on an opacity stop, and change the its opacity in the Opacity box below the gradient.

Move the opacity stop to control where the effect is located on the gradient.

Click just above the gradient to create a new opacity stop.

Masks

You can block the effect of the Gradient map adjustment layer by painting a mask on the layer.

Do the following.

1) Click the Gradient Map adjustment layer.

2) Select the Brush tool.

3) Go to the Color Swatches panel and select black or a shade of gray.

Black will block the effect of the Gradient Map adjustment layer.

The various shades of gray block less-and-less as they become lighter.

4) Click and drag the Brush tool.

An alternative is to fill the mask with black.

Do the following.

1) Click the Gradient Map adjustment layer.

2) Press Ctrl + i.

The effect of the Gradient Map adjustment layer will be blocked everywhere.

3) Brush with white or shades of gray to produce the effect where you brush.