from brunette to blonde in photoshop?

Question

ok, im fairly new to photoshop and i wanted to see what i'd look like with blonde hair before dying it. especialy since my hair is almost black. i've been reading tutorials all day and none of them come close to looking real. the color always comes out totaly unrealistic with the shaddows of my hair still black or sometimes a blotchy mix of brown and magenta. plus i dont have a clear hairline. theres a dark shaddow around the rim of my forehead and a bunch of fly aways in the picture i'm using. so everything i try leaves me with a patch of dark fly aways or a rim of yellow forehead. i've seen some amazing transformations using photoshop, one in particular making a brunette blonde, so i know it can be done. i just want it to be real, not just to see what i'd look like, but also because it would be a great skill to have. if anyone could tell me how to make it work or could point me in the direction of a good tutorial it would be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

1- With the base layer active, Select All (Command/Ctrl+A) and Copy. Create a new channel in the Channels palette and paste the image into it. Use levels to increase the contrast of the channel. Now, using a number of different brushes with black fills, paint out all of the image except for the hair highlights.

2- When finished, Command/Ctrl-click the Channel icon to generate a selection from it. With this selection active, create a new Levels adjustment layer. Brighten the midtones and highlights considerably, and don’t worry too much about the hue on this layer. Now load the selection from the channel again and this time create a Selective Colour layer.

3- Strip away yellow and magenta from almost every section except the blacks. Keep going until you think the hair looks the way you want it.

Good Luck

Answer 2

i'd scrap that idea...
ive been using photoshop for like 5 years and i'd say im good at it.
but changing dark hair to light is well tricky and takes aggges
still doesn't look good though.

i'd try on a wig..
market hair is actually really good!
i go there all the time...
think im their best customer! lol!

going lighter is difficult.
i had naturally very dark brown hair and went to bleach blonde.
yeh i got my colour, it's possible, but it didnt suit me as skin colour was made to match your hair colour.
so it's best to go try on a wig first, and if you like it... buy a wig instead! =]
their amaaaazing.


if you wanna be good at photoshop, i wouldn't start from changing the type of hair!
do that when you get much more experienced.
you'll get there in the end im sure!
good luck sugar =]
xxxx

Answer 3

ok, first, try to get the image up real close..then use the color replacement tool and using Small strokes, paint over your hair in a light beige color. test the colors until you find the right one. if your hair is really dark, use the color re-placer with a light gray color, to de-saturate your hair first. But if you want to see your face on blond hair, take a picture of yourself and burn your face on another model. you will get a better result..

Answer 4

Try Clariol Try it on studio. You can upload a photo and try on different styles and colours and it is free.