Best Photo Edit Apps for Exploring Paint?

[bpreynolds]

I have been giving a ton of thought lately to what color for my Triumph Thunderbird Sport (if I even decide to have it painted).  Every free photo ed app I download for my ipad air is just that same old edit capability of only painting "over top" of an image and that gives me no real idea at all.  Is there such an app that can add color to a photo while not making it look like you took a magic marker and colored on top of the image?  Know what I mean?  

If no apps to recommend, do you guys have any tricks per se in terms of trying to figure what might look sharp or not?

[kenvil1]

"Pixelmator for iPad" might be a good choice. I only have experience with the computer version, but a quick perusal of the technical specs for the iPad version shows that it has selection tools, layer-based editing, and colour adjustment tools, which is what you need.

I used Screen mode to blend Celeste over black for my Bianchi Edition mock-up, which worked well, but I'm not sure if the iPad version has that functionality. And I use a drawing tablet and a mouse, so I have no idea how someone is supposed to achieve the same thing by simply using their finger.

Image editing is quite complex; if it's not something you're familiar with, then a self-help book is definitely the way to go. Having a good photograph to work with is also important.

[NCAmother]

that's a tough one, you'll need a color calibrated monitor to get close to true color.  Best way is to go to the paint shop and look at the chip books in the sunlight.

[bpreynolds]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I have done many google image seaches as well just to get ideas; yet, my T-bird's paint is rarely customized; instead, it is almost always not painted and converted to a cafe style bike with no changes in color.  I'll try and see about Pixelmator. 

[Kev m]

I've had SOME limited luck with Photoshop on my laptop. I define an area with the lasso tool, then adjust the color using color balance tools.

Doing it that way preserves the highs and lows, reflections/shading, but it limits what colors I can achieve and can be time consuming.

What are you thinking, going from what to what?

Can't say about iPads as Jenn and my girls monopolize the one in this house lol.

[Kev m]

For instance, that's how I made the new black Indian Dark Horse red in this image to see what it would look like with colored tins.

[boatdetective]

Kev M has it here. You need an app that has decent selection tools for one, then decent tone control. I don't know if Photoshop elements has been beefed up any to do this. I have found Photoshop a classic case of a professional program that is absolutely impenetrable for mere mortals. Ditto with Illustrator (I've taken courses for both- neither is intuitive in the least).

[bpreynolds]

I've had SOME limited luck with Photoshop on my laptop. I define an area with the lasso tool, then adjust the color using color balance tools.

Doing it that way preserves the highs and lows, reflections/shading, but it limits what colors I can achieve and can be time consuming.

What are you thinking, going from what to what?

Can't say about iPads as Jenn and my girls monopolize the one in this house lol.

Nice job on the Indian.  Sharp.  Sadly, I'm all over the map with it as far as colors and even ideas go.  One day I'm like it's gonna be green with a tan seat, then the next day I'm like scrap that, it's white with blue triumph logo and tail tidy.  Then the next day I just wanna leave it as is.  As pictured here, the bike is already blacked out quite a bit.  Looks great from about 10 feet away but up close the paint has chips and such that are consistent with a 15 year old motorcycle that has been well kept mostly but not meticulously.  I've removed the grab rail and the bar end mirrors since this pic was taken.  Bike is in pieces now while I do cam change, airbox mod, carb rejet.  Pictured here the bike also has a lowering kit on rear that I'm gonna remove and also raise the triple tree back up too as it was lowered along with the kit by previous owner.


If I had my druthers I'd take the bike back to stock as pictured here.  Except for the rear fender that is, IMHO, a little too long, I think the stock look of the bike is best.  Unfortunately, the previous owner just did too much powder and ceramic coating on my bike to do this.  I'd have to strip the headers, shocks, and other small parts; thus, if I do anything I think I'll just try to pick a paint that works well with the blacked out parts now.


Sent from my iPad

[Kev m]

If you want to email me as simple a pic as possible (straight on side, white or plain/constant background or if you want me to use that stock pic) and a color combo or two, I'll give it a shot tomorrow or Friday.

[bpreynolds]

Kev, that is really, totally awesome of ya.  I'll try and drop you some photos to choose from as per easiest to work with. 

[Kev m]

Sounds good, I'll give it a shot.

[kenvil1]

Pixelmator has a "Replace Color" tutorial on their website which might interest you. They offer a free 30-day trial period for the desktop version, so if you have access to a Mac you should be able to achieve your goal.

http://www.pixelmator.com/tutorials/featured/replace-color/

[bpreynolds]

Pixelmator has a "Replace Color" tutorial on their website which might interest you. They offer a free 30-day trial period for the desktop version, so if you have access to a Mac you should be able to achieve your goal.

http://www.pixelmator.com/tutorials/featured/replace-color/

Nice.  Thanks much.  Hey Kev, I think I'm gonna try this first.  If I have no success I'll definitely drop you the pics.  Thanks again for the offer. 

[bpreynolds]

Pixelmator has a "Replace Color" tutorial on their website which might interest you. They offer a free 30-day trial period for the desktop version, so if you have access to a Mac you should be able to achieve your goal.

http://www.pixelmator.com/tutorials/featured/replace-color/

Thanks again for this tip.  Sadly, there wasn't a free trial available for the ipad version; however, I went ahead and sprung the 9.99 for the software and it is WELL worth it.  Shoot, it is so much fun and GREATLY better than the other edit apps I've tried; I think I'd have it even if I didn't have a bike in consideration of painting. 

[Kev m]

I know you said you had it, but I felt like playing

One day I'm like it's gonna be green with a tan seat

[bpreynolds]

I know you said you had it, but I felt like playing

Amazing.  And suddenly my own feeble attempts look like the doodling of a 3 year old with crayons.   :BEER: ;-T  Thank you a whole bunch.  I cannot even remotely come close to that.  I personally think that looks really sharp and might even look better even still on my bike with a my blacked out forks and such.  Again, Kev, way too cool.  Thanks. 

[Kev m]

My early attempts (and some of my current ones too) come out like crayon too sometimes.

I'm still learning the tools.

The key is that I'm learning you don't try to paint it per se, or fill it on with color. At least with Photoshop, you highlite the area you want, then play with Hue/Saturation/Lightness etc. It means there are colors I can't do. and it means I have to individually highlight each area that I'm changing, then remember what the settings were for each category. In this case that meant 6 different selected areas for the green, and one more for the seat.

There may be a better way that the pros could teach us, but I'm self-taught and this is what I've figured out so far.

Keep playing, you'll get it.

[bpreynolds]

My early attempts (and some of my current ones too) come out like crayon too sometimes.

I'm still learning the tools.

The key is that I'm learning you don't try to paint it per se, or fill it on with color. At least with Photoshop, you highlite the area you want, then play with Hue/Saturation/Lightness etc. It means there are colors I can't do. and it means I have to individually highlight each area that I'm changing, then remember what the settings were for each category. In this case that meant 6 different selected areas for the green, and one more for the seat.

There may be a better way that the pros could teach us, but I'm self-taught and this is what I've figured out so far.

Keep playing, you'll get it.

Excellent tip as per highlighting area and then playing with hues and such.  Tonight when I get home I will see if I can do this in Pixelmator ipad.  In any case, not only have you done a fantastic job with my suggestion but I can even take what you've done here and fiddle around with it this evening, or at least practice on it. 

[NCAmother]

I just wanted to remind you, the colors you see on an lcd screen are false, once in a while not far.  My 69 GTX photographs black, but when its outside it's purple.  Again, gotta go with the swatch books, or you will never get the right shade.  Here's a quick experiment, take your apple air pad book, look at it straight ahead.  Then tilt the screen back 30 degrees.  Then forward 30 degrees.  I'm not trying to rock your boat, but print out the color scheme you like on your guzzi, and bring it to a painters shop for comparison if you have a true color you want.  But,.....if you just want to get close to the ballpark, color edit on your computer apple iPad air at the set degrees apple suggests viewing the screen.

[kenvil1]

Thanks again for this tip. I went ahead and sprung the 9.99 for the software and it is WELL worth it.  Shoot, it is so much fun and GREATLY better than the other edit apps I've tried.  

You're welcome. Pixelmator really is a great image editor for the price, and I hope that other forum members will show an interest in it as well. Once you get to know it, you can sketch out all kinds of ideas for your bike(s).