PSP Tutorial - Threshold Final
To get to this from the Original version:
1) Add a Threshold adjustment layer above the background at whatever level looks about right. Then do a Copy Merged on the photo and paste as a layer above the adjustment layer. This gives you something to play with but you still have the original just in case.
2) Do a Blur on the new layer. You might want to experiment with what type of blur - Average, Blur, Blur more or Gaussian. You want the jagged bit to smooth out, but not so much that you lose definition.
3) Using the Magic Wand with Contiguous unticked - select a black area (for a variation, select the white instead). Then apply a Remove Specks and Holes (you'll have to play around with this) to this selection and delete.
4) Select a nice large solid brush of any colour and paint over the layer. The colour will only appear in the selection.
Steps 2 and 3 are about smoothing out the areas you want coloured. You can repeat these if you need to until the selected area is smooth enough. I use a brush and not the flood fill tool in step 4 because it's easier to apply over the selected areas.
PSP Tutorial - Threshold Final
To get to this from the Original version:
1) Add a Threshold adjustment layer above the background at whatever level looks about right. Then do a Copy Merged on the photo and paste as a layer above the adjustment layer. This gives you something to play with but you still have the original just in case.
2) Do a Blur on the new layer. You might want to experiment with what type of blur - Average, Blur, Blur more or Gaussian. You want the jagged bit to smooth out, but not so much that you lose definition.
3) Using the Magic Wand with Contiguous unticked - select a black area (for a variation, select the white instead). Then apply a Remove Specks and Holes (you'll have to play around with this) to this selection and delete.
4) Select a nice large solid brush of any colour and paint over the layer. The colour will only appear in the selection.
Steps 2 and 3 are about smoothing out the areas you want coloured. You can repeat these if you need to until the selected area is smooth enough. I use a brush and not the flood fill tool in step 4 because it's easier to apply over the selected areas.