Making an outfit half and half colors

[BillG1955]

I have an image of the front of a dress. I want to make one half of the dress black and one half white. I am guessing I am going to use the Paths tool and outline one half of the dress and do a layer via copy and the do the same with the other half. So now each half of the dress will be on a separate layer. What is my next step? Do I create a layer mask for each layer and fill the mask with the color i want or do I just do a fill with FG or BG?

[rich2005]

Nothing wrong with your png screenshot but does the black background originally come from transparency ? That is, is the original, the desturated shape on transparency.

You might have to remove that black BG and I might do it like this.

Make the black and white images first. Black (1) is black layer in soft-light mode then a new-from-visible. White (2) is white layer in overlay mode, then new-from-visible.

Put those, new-from-visible, in a layer group (3) (I used copies just for the example) add a layer mask to separate. White layer mask, paint in black or fill a selection.

[BillG1955]

I almost got it. Two Questions when I create the layer mask on the Black copy what do I initialize the layer mask to?

Second, do I need to remove the black background background and place the image on a transparent background?

This is what i have so far.

[PixLab]

More ways to do it,

Select half of the dress
➤ New layer Mode Overlay ➤ drop black on that new layer
➤  New layer Mode Overlay again ➤ Invert selection ➤ Drop White
➤ Now you can de-select by Select ➤ None.
➤ Play opacity if needed on those 2 layers overlay

   

Or
Select half of the dress
➤ Colors ➤ Curves for the white
   

Then
➤ Select ➤ Invert
➤ Then this time Colors ➤ Curves for the Black
   

(07-12-2022, 08:31 PM)BillG1955 Wrote: Second, do I need to remove the black background background and place the image on a transparent background?

In my examples, yes better to remove the black background to work on the image as the BG will interfere, you can later put a new BG of your choice underneath once you've have finished your "coloring"
Once the BG removed, you do NOT need to place the image on a transparent BG

[sallyanne]

Just need to export as a png. NOT a jpg/jpeg to keep the transparent background.

[rich2005]

(07-12-2022, 08:31 PM)BillG1955 Wrote: I almost got it. Two Questions when I create the layer mask on the Black copy what do I initialize the layer mask to?

White - full opacity - is the obvious choice here. Clicking in the layer mask icon selects and then paint in black to make transparent. Make a mistake then paint in white to correct. The 'X' key is there to swap FG/BG colours. Large areas you can make a selection and fill.

example: https://i.imgur.com/wnBhr5V.mp4

Not even a need for a layer group as shown (but I like to keep things tidy)

Quote:Second, do I need to remove the black background background and place the image on a transparent background?

This is what i have so far.

No, I was just asking because some image viewers register transparency as black (or white) rather than the more usual checker pattern. (even Gimp can change that in preferences)
If you can work with the black background and get the result you want, leave it that way