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Hi, this is so basic, I'm almost afraid to ask...<br /><br />I'm still working in P4, to refresh rudiments, and because my long-suffering family insist I MUST_NOT un-box P7 before mid-January...<br /><br />I have a gray-scale hair texture (512x512, umpteen bits, zillion colours) and I need to colourise it...<br /><br />An artist could simply re-draw it, but I'm not an artist of any brush...<br /><br />Using eg free ImageForge, I can reduce texture to 16 'optimised' gray shades without hurting the look. I've tried the colour changing 'fill' / 'replace' tool, but that does too much, too little or *leaks*. <br /><br />I've tried changing 'actual palette' from 16 grays to graded shades of desired colour, but weirdness happens. This may be because you can't use subtle colour shades in 'sixteened' piccies, or *free* ImageForge cannot do it, or I'm asking the wrong tool...<br /><br />Or, of course, missing the obvious !!<br /><br />When I've learned how to do this conversion, I'll be able to tackle other textures, reflection maps etc etc. <br /><br />I don't mind paying ~ $50 to upgrade ImageForge, unlock share-ware or buy a PhilC toolkit, but I really do not want to pay more for an image-manipulation program than for my P7...<br /><br />Advice, please !!

Hi Nik; <br /> I'm unfamiliar with Image Forge; but I have recommended GIMP (<a class="post-url" href="http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/</a>) to a few people. It is a free open source image editor with features that are comparable to Photoshop. I have not used it myself (I have Photoshop 5.5); but I have not heard any complants from those that i've recommended it to. <br /> <br /> Here is the Wikipedia link about GIMP: <a class="post-url" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP</a> It will give you a good idea of what GIMP is and does before you decide to download it. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/happy8.gif" alt="" />

I haven't hear of the program u are using ( i use jasc paintshop pro 7)... so i don't know the features in your program... in most photo/drawing/image programs there is a features called colorize.... does your prog have that.

Same suggestion as Whazizname, The gimp is a very good freeware alternative <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/thumb.gif" alt="" /> . I should put the link in the front page and interesting links too...

Thank you, I'll check out Gimp.<br /><br />ImageForge belongs to cursorArts, and the free version has some tools for selective colour replacement.<br /><br />[url autourl=1623663271]http://www.cursorarts.com/ca_imffw.html[/url autourl=1623663271]<br /><br />Either I'm not using it correctly, or the free version can't do it quite the way I'm asking, or as precisely...<br /><br /><br />Sorry, like I said, I'm no artist. Sure, I've worked with 'colours', but in photometer and spectrophotometer cells, looking at absorption & emission peaks of chemicals from infrared through to ultraviolet, checking the instruments' nm wavelength and AU sensitivity calibrations etc etc...

Okay, I've downloaded GIMP.<br /><br />FWIW, if you, too, have persistent trouble opening Sourceforge pages, is probably due firewall blocking their cookie download. (Got a red eye icon at bottom-right ?) Don't alter your cookie settings, just refresh page....<br /><br />D'uh, I had enormous HelpFile downloading at 198 Kb/sec while the *smaller* GIMP app came in at ~95 Kb/sec-- That is one HOT server !!

Nik, your firewall troubles seems to be a little bit persistent... <br /> <br /> <a class="post-url" href="http://www.posetteforever.com/discussion502.html#4618">http://www.posetteforever.com/discussion502.html#4618</a> (exactly 4 years ago...) <br /> <br /> Can we help you in some way ? What is the firewall that you're using ?

Yippeeee !!!<br /><br />Okay, I'll be re-doing the process several times to become familiar with the path through GIMP menu system, but arcane 'indexed images' facility does *exactly* what I was trying with ImageForge...<br /><br />GIMP took my piccy, converted it to my choice of numbers of colours, here, shades of gray. It created a custom palette with those colours, then let me edit palette to selected colours, auto-changing same colour in piccy. In this case, I put in a pre-calculated gradient (RGB 248 200 200 --> 248 248 248), but could have been psychedelic highlighting... Or Marbelling ??<br /><br />Aaaand, I think I could have saved the modified palette for re-use, but I must have blinked.<br /><br />Er, looks like I'll be spending some time learning my way around GIMP, printing HELP-pages as I go...<br /><br />Thanks again for the Excellent advice !!<br /><br />If I can, I'll post the Before & After JPGs for comparison.<br />---<br /><br />My firewall is a paranoid Norton's (LiveUpdate), browser is stripped-down IE_6, carefully bereft of Flash, Script, Codecs etc etc...<br />Most cookies bounce off, or are eaten by nightly AdAware sweep.<br />Think 'child safe'... and staying that way.

Hope this works... <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.postimage.org/aV2qLuHA.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to open image in new window"><img src="http://www.postimage.org/aV2qLuHA.jpg" alt="Image" title="Image" /></a> <br /> <a href="http://www.postimage.org/Pq2nWO3J.jpg" target="_blank" title="Click to open image in new window"><img src="http://www.postimage.org/Pq2nWO3J.jpg" alt="Image" title="Image" /></a>

ehm.. I fixed the BBCODE of your message. It's better to use our "add an attachment" button to add files and pictures to the site, avoiding leeching and files that disappears after a while <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/smile.gif" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> (good work there)

Ah, yes, that is what I was trying to do with those piccies... <br /> <br /> Middle-aged Eyetis, I fear... <br /> <br /> Second time through, I managed to save the indexed palette. Shades of my old Acorn 410/1: You gotta right-click for context-sensitive menus... <br /> <br /> This way of re-colourising textures is not for everyone or every task, but it does allow very close colour matching of unrelated wardrobe items. When I am confident of 'indexed image' route and results, I'll post the recipe. <br /> <br /> Thanks again, Tormie & Co !

I happy to to hear that GIMP was able to help you achieve your objective. <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/smile.gif" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> I look forward to seeing the recipe for your color conversion. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/happy8.gif" alt="" />

Disclaimer: There are probably three better ways to do this... <br /> <br /> I reduced my total count to 16 because I was changing all of a 'simple' gray-scale image If you need to tweak a couple of shades of a more complicated palette, GIMP can index up to 256... <br /> --- <br /> <br /> Using GIMP Indexed mode. <br /> ================== <br /> HELP section is 14.9.6.1 in current version 2.4.2, but F1 or right-click gets context-sensitive help. <br /> --- <br /> <br /> Open GIMP. <br /> File, open, browse to piccy file. ( DO NOT experiment with original !!) <br /> <br /> Image, Mode, Indexed. <br /> ( New dialogue box opens) <br /> Convert to indexed colours. <br /> Select 'Generate Optimum palette'. <br /> Maximum number of colours ? <br /> Select manageable number, eg 16 ) <br /> Convert. <br /> ( Dialogue box closes) <br /> <br /> Dialogues, Colour Map (NOT Palettes !!) <br /> (New dialogue box opens with actual palette of piccy ) <br /> (Drag box wider until palette items big enough to see and/or neat grid !!) <br /> Double-click on palette item. <br /> (New dialogue box opens with colour editor.) <br /> Drag sliders and/or enter eg RGB values to taste. <br /> Click Okay, colour changes are copied to piccy. (!!) <br /> <br /> Repeat with other palette items until happy. <br /> <br /> File, Save As... <br /> New dialogue opens: Must convert to RGB before Export: Convert ? <br /> Click Yes. <br /> JPG dialogue may open, offering compression default: Set and click Yes. <br /> <br /> Aaaand, there you go.

Cool. <br /> <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/smile.gif" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <img src="https://www.posetteforever.com/images/smiles/happy8.gif" alt="" />