{"id":10436,"date":"2025-05-27T00:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/?p=10436"},"modified":"2025-05-15T15:56:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T19:56:37","slug":"neutralize-colors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/neutralize-colors\/","title":{"rendered":"Neutralize Colors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve written multiple posts about changing colors of elements and papers. And I\u2019ve also written several posts about using filters. And most recently I even talked about neutralizing colors in my \u201cPatterned Vellum<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today I want to share with you a whole new way to think about neutralizing. This time I\u2019m going to be using a filter\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halftone Filter<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Halftone<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Before I move forward, just a quick reminder that I use PSE 2024. If you use a different version, some of my screen shots may not look the same as what you see on your screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the Halftone Filter and two surprising<\/em> color chips I can quickly neutralize bright, bold colors on papers or even elements. This technique is great for creating a monochrome effect for any layout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m going to start with a blank 12×12 file and leave the base layer (Layer 1) blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, I\u2019m going to pull in a colorful patterned paper from \u201cFleur Patterned Paper<\/a><\/strong>\u201d by Vicki Stegall:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Triangle<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To start with a simple example, I\u2019m just going to \u201cneutralize\u201d this paper into a monochromatic beige theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set The Color Chips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, now it\u2019s time to set up those surprising<\/em> color chips! I\u2019m going to start by setting my Foreground color chip to a neutral beige (#d3c7b7):<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Color<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For now, I\u2019m going to leave my Background color chip set to white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And next comes the fun part\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Run The Filter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With the patterned paper layer active, I go to the top tool bar and select Filter->Filter Gallery:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Filter<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can see that Filter Gallery is listed twice in the Filter Menu. This happens when I\u2019ve already been using a filter. If I hadn\u2019t been using a filter the top occurrence will look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Last<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Last Filter is greyed out so I can\u2019t even select that option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When both occurrences say Filter Gallery and I\u2019m certain I want to use the same filter I can choose the top occurrence of Filter Gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I want to be certain that I\u2019m starting a \u201cfresh\u201d filter, I always choose the bottom occurrence of Filter Gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For whatever reason, when PSE opens the Filter Gallery options box, it still shows a preview using whatever filter I had used previously (at least for me in PSE 2024):<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Filter<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There\u2019s no need to be concerned when this happens. I would need to actually apply the filter to this paper by clicking OK. Since I\u2019m not going to do that, the paper will remain unaffected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the dialog box, I choose the Sketch filters category and select the Halftone Pattern filter. I set the Size to 1, the Contrast to 10, and the Pattern Type to Dot:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Halftone<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For now, this looks good so I click OK to confirm:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Neutralized<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can see that all of the colors have been \u201cneutralized\u201d into shades of beige and white (based on the original range of tones).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing you probably didn\u2019t see in the original paper is that it did have a slight texture:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Original<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

That texture is now gone\u2026sort of. Rather than a real texture it has basically been replaced by the Halftone dot pattern:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Halftone<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Even though I zoomed in quite a bit, it may still be barely visible. The whole point of setting the size of the dot pattern to 1 is so that the halftone effect is barely noticeable. But I have sacrificed the texture. Sometimes this doesn\u2019t matter to me. But sometimes it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a way to restore some texture if so desired\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add Texture (optional)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Restore<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

All I have to do is go back to the top tool bar and select Filter->Filter Gallery this time being sure to select the bottom one. If I select the top \u201cFilter Gallery\u201d PSE will automatically re-apply the last filer used. And I certainly don\u2019t want that \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When PSE opens the Filter Gallery options box, I choose the Texture filters category and select the Texturizer filter:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Texturizer<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I set the Texture to Sandstone, the Scaling to 150%, the Relief to 2, the Light to Top Left and Click OK to confirm:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Texture<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Even at this smaller size you should be able to see there is a texture rather than the Halftone dot pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Optional\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note<\/strong>: If you\u2019re following along you can experiment with the Burlap or Canvas texture patterns, the Scaling % and the Relief settings to achieve whatever texture suits your project. Typically, I would say not to play with the Light setting. But if you have a distinct \u201cshadow\u201d in your paper that is coming from an angle different than top left feel free to adjust this as well. Again, this is a totally optional step. If you\u2019re happy with the halftone effect alone, that\u2019s perfectly fine!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Save<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Now all I have to do is save this paper with a new name. In my case I used a subset of the original paper\u2019s name and added Neutral to the end (Fleur-Papers-12aNeutral).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This technique works on most patterned paper but I want to show you a few other things I can do using different color chips, different papers and even a cluster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First let\u2019s see what happens to this current pattern if I flip the color chips and apply the Halftone filter with the same settings I used above:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Color<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There is a greater difference than I expected. This is a lot darker than the original halftone. I like this well enough that I\u2019ve added the texture back and saved this paper under a new name as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s try another example using this same pattern. This time I\u2019m not going to use white in either color chip. I\u2019m going to use a dark tan (#b59b79) for my Foreground color chip and the same beige (#d3c7b7) that I used above for the Background color chip:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Color<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What a difference this made by using no white at all\u2026I think I might like this one the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One more example for this pattern. This time I\u2019m going to choose a different color from the pattern for each color chip. I set the Foreground color chip to a pale blue (#85abc0) in one of the triangles. I then set the Background color chip to a pale pink (#ffbeca) in one of the other triangles:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Color<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

So, you can see how versatile this Halftone technique can be in helping you create a near endless variety of paper options using the original pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also want to quickly show you what can be done using a more complicated piece of paper. I\u2019m going to be using this \u201cmetal\u201d paper from \u201cFunky Metals (two)<\/a><\/strong>\u201d by Joyful Heart Designs:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Floral<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I\u2019m going to use the same dark tan (#b59b79) for my Foreground color chip and the same beige (#d3c7b7) for the Background color chip that I used on the triangle pattern:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Floral<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Oh, that turned out so much better than I could have imagined. I certainly don\u2019t need to add any texture on this one. This just goes to show you how quickly you can take a very bold paper and turn it into something so soft and lovely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And why stop at paper. Let\u2019s see what happens if I use this \u201cbusy\u201d cluster from \u201cRosy Posy Cluster Borders<\/a><\/strong>\u201d by ADB Designs:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Busy<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Again, I\u2019m just going to use the same color chips I used on that metal paper. But this time I set the Halftone Contrast to 20:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Cluster<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Okay, so that cluster may not have been the best choice. Or perhaps it was the color chips. Let\u2019s see what it looks like if I just use black & white and return the Contrast to 10:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Cluster<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Oh, that\u2019s much better. Now I\u2019m going to try using that dark tan(#b59b79) instead of black and set the Contrast to 15 just to see if I can get a better version of the first attempt:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Cluster<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Oh, that could definitely work! In any case, I think you get the idea. It\u2019s certainly possible to \u201ctone down\u201d more than just paper using the Halftone technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Tips<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"More<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Experiment with different papers (or elements) to see upon which ones this technique will work the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try different color chip options. As you can see from my examples, some work better than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try using an off white vs. a stark white for a \u201csofter\u201d contrast with the other color you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And don\u2019t forget to try flipping your color chips. You\u2019ve already seen what a difference that alone can make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you add a texture, don\u2019t be afraid to play around with the Scale setting. The higher the setting the more pronounced the texture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading this week\u2019s Tuesday Tip. Remember, if you have any suggestions or questions please don\u2019t hesitate to “Message Me<\/a><\/strong>“. Check back next week for some fun tips about the Solid Fill \u201cAdjustment\u201d Layer. Click \u201cFollow Me<\/a><\/strong>\u201d to stay in touch. I hope you have a wonderful week!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Keep<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve written multiple posts about changing colors of elements and papers. And I\u2019ve also written several posts about using filters. And most recently I even talked about neutralizing colors in my \u201cPatterned Vellum\u201d post. Today I want to share with you a whole new way to think about neutralizing. This time I\u2019m going to be using a filter\u2026 Halftone Filter Before I move forward, just a quick reminder that I use PSE 2024. If you use a different version, some…<\/p>\n

Read More Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"0","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tuesday-tip-day"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10436"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10436\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}