Okay, quick, easy tutorial about how to get color on a black and white graphic. I will be using Photoshop CS, but I think you can find many of the same things in version 7.

1. Take any graphic you want; the simpler, the better.

2. Go to the Layers tab, right click, and choose Duplicate Layer

(You'll get a message asking what you want to name the layer and where you want it. Just press OK to go with the default.)

3. Go to the Image Section in the top area, select Adjustments, then Desaturate.


4. Now, here's what my graphic looks like so far:


5. I'm going to make the butterfly stand out, so I'm going to select a small Eraser brush, this one being Oval 10 px...take your time, and even zoom in a little bit to see that you're only revealing the color where you want to.

Voila! Finished Product:

Nice idea, much simpler than what I do. I'd use the pen tool and outline the entire area or region that I want to remain in color and then press ctrl+shift+I. This will invert the selection and then desaturate. But yours is much easier than rearranging the anchor points. Nice one .

Alright so I just wanted to say
THANK YOU

I've spent hours searching and trying out tutorials
But I understood NONE of them
But this one finally worked
It was the Eraser brush that did it

Everywhere else said like select the "brush tool" and that never worked
THANKYOU!!

-janice

In following your instructions here - when I apply the eraser -= it only seems to add a red mask?? I tried changing the background and foreground colors to the browns you show - but that did not make any difference. I have CS2.
Any suggestions?

-Bill Polkinhorn

Another Idea for you...
Photoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo

Thanks first of all! Been wondering how its done for ages!!

Secondly, I used the magic wand to outline the part of the image I wanted to turn to colour again and just erase away, doesnt even matter if you go out side the lines.. It only does what youve highlighted! So you can use the biggest size eraser and be done in seconds!

Thanks again mate!

Daniel

-reply by Daniel Spencer

What adobe are you using? I am on Photoshop elements and do not see a Desaturate button to press. I am waiting to receive my update but have not yet gotten it or are ya'll on the professional Photoshop?

-reply by Paula

This is a great tutorial! I've read a couple others that didn't work out for me, but this one did!

Post more techniques! :D

Thanks!
Photoshop Tutorial: Adding Color To Black And White Photo

Thanks for the tutorial! 

Thank you so much for the tip! I had a beautiful picture of my daughter I wanted to turn to black and white and leave the vivid colors of the fall flowers she was smelling. I searched many sites to find help to do my project. All of them so flustating and then ..I found this. WoW! Thank you so much for making this easy.My picture is just what I was wanting. I found a new site and have signed up for future issues.Thanks again.

Replying to (G)smilephotochic Thanks for such a simple solution to a problem I have been trying to figure out for ages