To change the color of an object in PaintShop Pro, here’s a straightforward guide: First, open your image in PaintShop Pro. Next, you’ll typically use selection tools like the Freehand Selection Tool or the Smart Selection Brush to accurately isolate the object whose color you want to change. Once your object is selected, navigate to Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Hue/Saturation/Lightness. This is your go-to dialogue box for color manipulation. Within this panel, you can slide the Hue slider to shift the color, the Saturation slider to adjust the intensity, and the Lightness slider to control the brightness. For more precise control, especially if the object has varied tones or if you’re working with complex images, consider duplicating your layer Layers > Duplicate before making changes. This allows for non-destructive editing, giving you the flexibility to revert or fine-tune without impacting the original. Remember, sometimes a combination of tools works best. for instance, after a basic Hue/Saturation adjustment, you might need to use a Color Replacer tool for specific areas or even try a Colorize adjustment for a monochromatic look. If you’re looking to upgrade your photo editing game and unlock even more powerful features, check out 👉 PaintShop Pro 15% OFF Coupon Limited Time FREE TRIAL Included for a great deal on the ultimate version, which can make tasks like this even smoother. Learning how to paint shop pro change color of object effectively is a fundamental skill that opens up a world of creative possibilities, whether you’re fixing a photo where the does stored paint change color problem made your subjects look off, or simply experimenting with new artistic styles.

Table of Contents

The Art of Isolation: Mastering Selection Tools for Color Change

Changing the color of an object effectively in PaintShop Pro begins with precise isolation.

You can’t just slap a new hue over the entire image.

You need to tell the software exactly which pixels you want to modify.

Think of it like a surgeon performing a delicate operation—you need to cut precisely, or you’ll damage healthy tissue.

Without accurate selection, your color changes will spill over, creating a sloppy, unprofessional look.

Understanding PaintShop Pro’s Selection Tools

PaintShop Pro offers a robust suite of selection tools, each designed for different scenarios.

Knowing when and how to use each one is crucial for achieving clean, professional results when you paint shop pro change color of object.

Freehand Selection Tool: This is your basic “draw-your-own-outline” tool. It’s excellent for irregularly shaped objects, especially if they contrast sharply with the background. You simply click and drag to trace the outline. For complex shapes, you can switch between “Point to Point” mode for straight lines and “Freehand” for curves. It requires a steady hand, but practice makes perfect.
Smart Selection Brush: This tool is a must for objects with less defined edges or intricate details. You “paint” over the object, and PaintShop Pro intelligently detects edges and automatically expands the selection. You can adjust the size of the brush and the “tolerance” to fine-tune how aggressively it selects. It’s like having an AI assistant helping you draw the perfect outline.
Magic Wand Tool: Ideal for selecting areas of similar color or tone. If your object is a solid red against a green background, the Magic Wand can select all the red pixels with a single click. Adjusting the “Tolerance” setting is key here: a higher tolerance selects a wider range of similar colors, while a lower tolerance is more selective. This is particularly useful for simple backgrounds or large blocks of uniform color.
Selection from Layers: If your object is on a separate layer, you can easily select its contents. This is common when working with composite images or designs created within PaintShop Pro. Simply right-click on the layer in the Layers palette and choose “Select Pixels.” This gives you a perfect selection without any manual tracing.

Refine Selection Techniques for Precision

Even with the best selection tools, you’ll often need to refine your initial selection.

This is where the real precision comes in, ensuring your color change is seamless.

Feathering: This technique softens the edges of your selection, making the transition between the changed color and the original background appear more natural. A feather radius of 1-3 pixels is often sufficient for smooth blending. Without feathering, your color change can look harsh and “cut out.”
Contract/Expand: Use these options to shrink or grow your selection. If your initial selection slightly bled into the background, “Contract” by a few pixels can pull it back in. Conversely, “Expand” can be useful if you missed a tiny sli edge.
Add/Subtract from Selection: These modes allow you to fine-tune your selection after the initial pass. If you accidentally selected too much, switch to “Subtract” mode and “paint” over the unwanted area to remove it from the selection. If you missed a spot, switch to “Add” mode and include it. This iterative refinement is essential for professional results.
Quick Mask Mode: This advanced feature allows you to visualize your selection as a translucent overlay. You can then use painting tools like a brush to precisely add or subtract from the selection, much like painting a mask. White adds to the selection, black subtracts, and shades of gray create feathered edges. This offers unparalleled control for complex selections.

Mastering these selection techniques is the bedrock of effective color manipulation in PaintShop Pro.

Without a perfect selection, any subsequent color adjustments, no matter how sophisticated, will fall short.

Take the time to refine your selections, and you’ll be well on your way to creating stunning, natural-looking color changes.

Hue, Saturation, and Lightness: Your Color Control Panel

Once you’ve meticulously selected the object, the real magic happens in the Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Hue/Saturation/Lightness dialogue box.

This panel is your command center for altering the very essence of color within your selected area.

It’s where you define the new shade, its intensity, and its brightness.

Deconstructing Hue, Saturation, and Lightness

Each of these three sliders controls a distinct aspect of color, working together to give you complete command over your color adjustments.

Hue: This slider literally shifts the color itself. Imagine the color spectrum as a wheel: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and back to red. Moving the Hue slider rotates your current color around this wheel. For example, if your object is blue and you drag the Hue slider to the right, it might become green, then yellow, then red. A common use case is changing a red car to blue, or a green shirt to purple. This is the primary control for a fundamental color shift.
Saturation: This controls the purity or intensity of the color. Pushing the slider to the right increases saturation, making the color more vibrant and rich. Pulling it to the left decreases saturation, making the color duller and closer to grayscale. At absolute zero saturation, the color becomes a shade of gray. This is useful for making colors pop, or for toning them down if they are too distracting. For instance, if you want a vibrant red dress to be a more subdued maroon, you’d decrease its saturation.
Lightness: As the name suggests, this slider adjusts the brightness or darkness of the color. Moving it to the right makes the color lighter, eventually turning it white. Moving it to the left makes it darker, eventually turning it black. This is distinct from adjusting overall exposure. it specifically affects the luminance of the color within your selected object. You might use this to make a dark blue object a lighter, sky blue, or to deepen a yellow to a golden hue.

Practical Applications and Advanced Tips

Understanding the interplay of these three sliders is key to achieving natural-looking results when you paint shop pro change color of object.

Targeting Specific Color Ranges: Beyond the master Hue/Saturation/Lightness controls, PaintShop Pro allows you to target specific color ranges Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyans, Blues, Magentas. This is incredibly powerful. For instance, if you want to change only the red details on an object while leaving the blues untouched, you can select “Reds” from the dropdown menu and adjust its hue, saturation, or lightness independently. This is far more precise than a global adjustment and helps prevent unintended color shifts in other parts of your selection.
Using Colorize for Monochromatic Effects: Sometimes, you might not want to just shift a color, but completely re-colorize an object with a single, dominant hue. The Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Colorize option is perfect for this. It applies a uniform color overlay to your selection, making it monochromatic while retaining its tonal information. You can then adjust the new hue and saturation to achieve the desired effect. This is great for artistic effects or creating a vintage look.
Non-Destructive Editing with Layers: As mentioned earlier, duplicating your layer before making color changes is a golden rule in photo editing. This creates a safety net. If you don’t like the result, you can simply delete the new layer and start over, or adjust its opacity to blend it with the original. More advanced users might even apply the Hue/Saturation/Lightness adjustment as an Adjustment Layer, which offers even greater flexibility and allows for further refinement without baking the changes directly into the pixels.

By mastering the Hue, Saturation, and Lightness controls, you gain unparalleled power over the visual appearance of your objects.

Experiment with each slider, understand how they interact, and combine them with precise selections to transform your images with professional-grade color changes.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Color Change Techniques

While Hue/Saturation/Lightness is your primary tool, PaintShop Pro offers a deeper arsenal for nuanced and complex color changes.

These advanced techniques are essential for achieving truly seamless and professional results, especially when dealing with challenging images or specific artistic visions.

Leveraging Blend Modes for Creative Color Shifts

Blend modes dictate how the pixels of one layer interact with the pixels of the layer below it.

They are incredibly powerful for non-destructive color changes and creative effects.

Color Blend Mode: This is arguably the most useful blend mode for changing the color of an object. When you apply a new color on a layer set to “Color” blend mode over your selected object, it adopts the hue and saturation of the new color while retaining the luminance lightness and darkness of the original object. This means shadows and highlights remain intact, making the color change look very natural.
- Workflow:
  1. Duplicate your original layer.
  2. Select your object on the duplicated layer.
  3. Create a new raster layer above it Layers > New Raster Layer.
  4. Fill the new layer with the desired new color using the Flood Fill Tool.
  5. Change the blend mode of this new color layer to Color.
  6. Adjust the opacity of the color layer to fine-tune the intensity of the color change.
Hue Blend Mode: Similar to the Color blend mode, but it only applies the hue of the new color, leaving the saturation and lightness of the original. This is less commonly used for complete color changes but can be effective for subtle shifts.
Overlay/Soft Light Blend Modes: These modes can intensify colors or add a colored tint while still allowing the underlying image details to show through. They work by combining the colors in a way that respects the original luminance. Useful for adding a warm or cool cast to an object.

The Power of Masks for Non-Destructive Refinement

Layer masks are fundamental to non-destructive editing in PaintShop Pro.

Instead of permanently deleting or altering pixels, a mask allows you to selectively reveal or hide parts of a layer. This is invaluable when applying color changes.

How Masks Work: A layer mask is a grayscale image attached to a layer. Where the mask is white, the layer’s content is visible. Where it’s black, the layer’s content is hidden. Shades of gray create partial transparency.
Workflow for Color Change with Masks:
1. Duplicate your original layer.
2. Apply your color adjustment e.g., Hue/Saturation/Lightness to this duplicated layer.

At this point, the entire layer will have the new color.

3.  Add a layer mask to this adjusted layer `Layers` > `New Mask Layer` > `Hide All` or `Show All`. If you choose "Hide All," the entire layer becomes invisible, and you'll "paint back" the color change where you want it.

If you choose “Show All,” the entire layer is visible, and you’ll “paint out” the areas you don’t want the color change to affect.

4.  Select the mask thumbnail in the Layers palette it will have a white border.


5.  Use a brush tool with white to reveal or black to hide to precisely apply or remove the color change.

This allows for incredibly fine-tuned adjustments, especially around complex edges.

Benefits: This approach is incredibly flexible. You can always go back and refine the mask, making the color change completely reversible. It’s perfect for complex objects or situations where you might want to adjust the color change’s intensity in different areas of the object.

Utilizing Color Replacer Tool for Specific Details

For those tiny, hard-to-select areas or when you only need to change a very specific shade within an object, the Color Replacer tool is a quick and effective option.

Functionality: This tool allows you to “paint” over an area with a new color, but it intelligently replaces only the source color you define with your chosen foreground color, preserving texture and shading.
Workflow:
1. Select the Color Replacer tool from the toolbar.
2. Set your desired Foreground Color this is the color you want to paint with.
3. Use the Eye Dropper tool to select the Source Color this is the color you want to replace from your image.
4. Adjust the brush size and Tolerance a higher tolerance replaces a wider range of similar colors.
5. Paint over the areas you want to change.
Best Use Cases: Ideal for correcting minor color imperfections, changing the color of small elements like buttons, eyes, or intricate patterns without affecting surrounding areas. It’s not suitable for large, complex objects but shines for detail work.

By integrating these advanced techniques—blend modes, layer masks, and the Color Replacer—into your workflow, you elevate your ability to paint shop pro change color of object from basic adjustments to masterful transformations.

These tools provide the precision and flexibility needed for truly professional-grade results.

Managing Color Consistency: Why Stored Paint Changes Color

When you’re dealing with digital color, it’s generally stable, but when you’re working with real-world applications or preparing images for print, understanding how physical “stored paint changes color” becomes relevant.

This knowledge can indirectly influence your digital color choices, especially if your digital creation is meant to guide a physical outcome.

Factors Affecting Physical Paint Color Degradation

The question “does stored paint change color” is a valid one in the physical world, and the answer is often yes, due to several environmental and chemical factors.

Exposure to Light UV Radiation: This is perhaps the biggest culprit. Ultraviolet UV light breaks down the chemical bonds in pigments and binders, leading to fading, yellowing, or shifting of colors over time. This is why artists’ paints are often rated for “lightfastness.” Even paint stored in a can can be affected if exposed to significant light over long periods, though less dramatically than paint on a wall.
Temperature Fluctuations: Extreme heat or cold, or rapid changes between them, can cause paint components to expand and contract. This can lead to separation of pigments and binders, changing the consistency and potentially the perceived color once it’s mixed. It can also cause the paint to spoil or become lumpy.
Humidity and Moisture: High humidity can introduce moisture into the paint, which can react with certain chemicals, leading to discoloration or mildew growth, especially in water-based paints. Rust from metal cans can also leach into the paint, causing discoloration.
Chemical Reactions Oxidation: Over time, paint can undergo oxidation, especially oil-based paints. This chemical reaction with oxygen can cause certain pigments or binders to yellow or darken. For example, linseed oil a common binder is known to yellow as it ages.
Settling of Pigments: In stored paint, heavier pigments can settle to the bottom of the can. If the paint isn’t thoroughly stirred before use, the color applied might be different from the intended shade, as the pigment concentration will be uneven. This isn’t a change in the pigment itself, but a change in its distribution.
Contamination: Any foreign material, even tiny dust particles or rust from the can, can alter the paint’s color or texture.
Age and Shelf Life: Like any chemical product, paint has a shelf life. Beyond this, its components can degrade, leading to poor performance, uneven application, and altered color.

Implications for Digital Design and Color Matching

While digital colors don’t “spoil” in the same way, understanding how physical paint behaves can inform your design choices if your digital image is a blueprint for something real.

Setting Realistic Expectations: If you’re designing something that will be painted in the real world, be mindful that the final physical color might vary slightly from your digital rendering due to paint properties, application methods, and environmental factors.
Color Calibration: For critical projects, ensure your monitor is color-calibrated. This helps ensure that the colors you see on your screen are as accurate as possible, minimizing discrepancies between your digital design and the physical output.
Using Color Swatches: When working with physical products, always refer to physical color swatches provided by paint manufacturers. These swatches account for the actual pigments and finishes, giving you a more accurate representation than just relying on screen colors.
Consider Lightfastness in Design: If you’re designing a piece meant for a long lifespan, like a mural or a piece of art that will be reproduced, researching the lightfastness of real-world pigments might influence your digital color palette choices to ensure longevity in the final product.

While PaintShop Pro itself doesn’t deal with the degradation of physical paint, understanding the factors that cause does stored paint change color in the real world can help you manage client expectations and make more informed decisions about color accuracy when your digital work translates to the tangible world.

The Power of Layers: Non-Destructive Editing

One of the fundamental principles of professional image editing, especially when you paint shop pro change color of object, is non-destructive editing.

At its heart, this means making changes to your image in a way that doesn’t permanently alter the original pixel data.

The primary vehicle for this in PaintShop Pro, and virtually all advanced image editors, is the judicious use of layers.

Why Layers Are Your Best Friend for Color Changes

Imagine your image as a stack of transparent sheets.

Each sheet layer can hold different elements, adjustments, or effects.

When you change the color of an object using layers, you’re essentially placing a new, color-modified “sheet” over your original, rather than scribbling directly on the original.

Reversibility: This is the most crucial benefit. If you make a color change directly on your background layer and decide later it’s not quite right, you’re stuck. You’d have to use the undo history which has limits or painstakingly try to correct the pixels. With layers, if you’re not happy with a color adjustment, you simply delete that adjustment layer, hide it, or reduce its opacity. Your original image remains untouched. This dramatically reduces the fear of experimentation and encourages creativity.
Flexibility and Iteration: Layers allow you to try multiple color variations without committing. You can create several adjustment layers, each with a different color scheme for your object, and then toggle their visibility to see which one looks best. You can also adjust the opacity of a color layer to blend it more subtly with the original. This iterative process is key to fine-tuning.
Targeted Adjustments: As discussed earlier, you can apply an adjustment to a specific layer that contains your selected object. This means your color change only affects that object, leaving everything else in the image untouched. You don’t have to worry about accidentally coloring the background or other elements.
Masking Synergy: Layers work hand-in-hand with layer masks. You can apply a color adjustment to an entire layer, then use a mask to reveal only the part you want to be affected e.g., your selected object. This offers unparalleled precision and allows for complex blends and subtle effects.
Organization: A well-organized Layers palette makes it easy to manage complex projects. You can name layers e.g., “Red Car,” “Blue Dress,” “Sky Color Adjust” and group them into layer groups Layers > Group to keep your workspace tidy.

Practical Layer Workflow for Color Change

Here’s a common, non-destructive workflow for changing an object’s color using layers:

Duplicate the Base Layer: Always start by duplicating your original image layer Layers > Duplicate or Ctrl+J. This acts as your safety net. You can even hide the original “Background” layer for added security.
Select Your Object: On your duplicated layer, meticulously select the object whose color you want to change using the Smart Selection Brush, Freehand Selection Tool, or other methods.
Apply Color Adjustment on new layer or directly:
- Method A: Adjustment Layer Recommended for maximum flexibility: With your selection active, go to Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation/Lightness or Color Balance, etc.. The adjustment will automatically be applied as a new layer above your selected layer, with a mask automatically generated from your selection. Now, you can adjust the sliders on this adjustment layer. If you need to refine the selection, just click on the mask thumbnail and paint on it.
- Method B: New Raster Layer with Blend Mode:
  1. After selecting your object, create a new raster layer Layers > New Raster Layer.
  2. Fill your selection on this new layer with the desired new color using the Flood Fill Tool.
  3. Change the blend mode of this new color layer to Color or Hue, Overlay, etc., depending on the effect you want.
  4. Adjust the opacity of this layer to control the intensity of the color change.

If your selection wasn’t perfect, you can add a layer mask to this new layer and refine it.
4. Refine and Experiment:
* Adjust the opacity of your adjustment or color layer.
* If using an adjustment layer, fine-tune the Hue/Saturation/Lightness sliders.
* If you need to make the change more intense or subtle, you can duplicate the adjustment/color layer.
* Use layer masks to precisely control where the color change appears.
* Experiment with different blend modes on your color layers.

By adopting a layer-based, non-destructive workflow, you elevate your photo editing capabilities significantly.

It not only provides a safety net but also empowers you to iterate, experiment, and achieve far more refined and professional color transformations when you paint shop pro change color of object.

Troubleshooting Common Color Change Issues

Even with a solid understanding of PaintShop Pro’s tools, you might encounter issues when trying to paint shop pro change color of object. These problems often stem from common pitfalls that are easily overcome once you know what to look for.

Problem: Color Spills Over Edges

This is perhaps the most frequent issue and screams “amateur job.” It happens when your color change affects areas outside your intended object.

Cause: Inaccurate or insufficient selection. The selection didn’t precisely hug the edges of your object, allowing the color adjustment to “bleed” into the background.
Solution:
- Refine your selection: Go back and meticulously refine your selection. Use the Smart Selection Brush with a smaller brush size and adjust the Tolerance as needed. For intricate areas, zoom in significantly e.g., 200-400% and use the Freehand Selection Tool in “Point to Point” mode.
- Use Contract Selection: After your initial selection, go to Selections > Modify > Contract. Contract by 1 or 2 pixels to pull the selection slightly inward, away from the edges.
- Apply a Layer Mask: If you’ve applied your color change to a layer, add a layer mask to it. Select the mask thumbnail and use a black brush to paint out the spilled color. This is the most flexible and non-destructive way to clean up edges.
- Feathering use sparingly: While feathering softens edges, too much can also cause bleeding. Use a small feather radius 1-3 pixels only if you want a subtle blend.

Problem: Color Change Looks Unnatural or Flat

Sometimes, the new color looks artificial, like a flat sticker pasted onto the object, lacking depth or texture.

Cause: Loss of original luminance shadows and highlights or incorrect blend mode. Applying a simple Flood Fill without considering blend modes often results in this flat look.
- Use Color Blend Mode: When applying a new color on a separate layer, set that layer’s blend mode to Color. This preserves the underlying texture, shadows, and highlights of the original object while applying the new hue and saturation.
- Adjust Lightness: If using Hue/Saturation/Lightness, ensure you’re also adjusting the Lightness slider to match the original object’s overall brightness or to create a more natural contrast.
- Use Hue/Saturation/Lightness Adjustment Layer: Applying the adjustment as a new Adjustment Layer automatically preserves luminance. Ensure your selection is accurate before creating the adjustment layer.
- Check Original Contrast: If the original object had very low contrast, a color change might inherently look flat. Consider using Adjust > Brightness/Contrast or Levels on the original object before the color change to enhance its tonal range.

Problem: Only Part of the Object Changes Color

You’ve selected the whole object, but only certain sections of it responded to the color change.

Cause: This often happens when you’re using Hue/Saturation/Lightness with the Target Specific Color Ranges option selected e.g., “Reds,” “Blues”. If your object contains a mix of colors, or if the primary color of the object falls outside the selected target range, only parts will be affected.
- Use “Master” Setting: In the Hue/Saturation/Lightness dialogue, ensure the dropdown menu is set to “Master” if you want the adjustment to apply to all colors within your selection.
- Check for Multiple Color Ranges: If your object truly has distinct color zones e.g., a multi-colored pattern, you might need to make separate adjustments for each color range, or use a combination of master adjustment and targeted adjustments.
- Consider Colorize: If you want to make an entire object a single, uniform color, Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Colorize is a simpler option that applies a single hue across the entire selection.

Problem: Color Change Appears Grainy or Pixelated

The new color looks noisy or has jaggy edges.

Cause: This can be due to working on a low-resolution image, excessive sharpening after the color change, or in rare cases, specific file formats.
- Work on High-Resolution Images: Always aim to work on images with adequate resolution for your intended output. Scaling up a small image will introduce pixelation.
- Avoid Over-Sharpening: If you apply sharpening after the color change, be judicious. Excessive sharpening can exacerbate pixelation and noise.
- Check File Format: While less common for color changes themselves, ensure you’re saving in a suitable format e.g., .PSPImage for working files, .JPG for web, .PNG for transparency.

By systematically troubleshooting these common issues, you can refine your skills in PaintShop Pro and consistently achieve professional-looking color changes on any object.

Patience and attention to detail are your greatest assets.

Exporting Your Masterpiece: Preserving Color Integrity

After all the meticulous work of selecting, adjusting, and refining your color changes in PaintShop Pro, the final step is to export your image. This isn’t just about saving the file.

It’s about preserving the integrity of your hard work, ensuring the colors you see on your screen are accurately represented in the final output, whether for web, print, or other uses.

Understanding Color Profiles and Spaces

This is crucial for maintaining color consistency.

Think of a color profile as a language that describes how colors should appear.

sRGB: This is the most common color space for web and digital displays. It’s a relatively small color gamut range of colors it can represent but is widely compatible. If your image is destined for websites, social media, or viewing on typical monitors, saving in sRGB is generally the safest bet to ensure consistent appearance across different devices.
Adobe RGB 1998 / ProPhoto RGB: These are larger color spaces, capable of representing a wider range of colors, especially vibrant greens and blues. They are often used in professional printing and photography workflows where maximum color fidelity is required. However, if an image saved in Adobe RGB is viewed on a non-color-managed monitor one that doesn’t understand Adobe RGB, the colors might appear dull or washed out.
CMYK: This is the color model used for commercial printing Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. While PaintShop Pro primarily works in RGB Red, Green, Blue, it can convert to CMYK during the export process. Be aware that some RGB colors cannot be accurately reproduced in CMYK, leading to a slight shift or dulling of colors especially bright blues and greens. If printing is your primary goal, it’s wise to do a Soft Proof in PaintShop Pro File > Soft Proof to get a preview of how colors will appear in print, allowing you to make adjustments before export.

Choosing the Right File Format

The file format you choose significantly impacts image quality, file size, and how well your color changes are preserved.

PSPImage .pspimage: This is PaintShop Pro’s native file format. It’s fully layered, preserving all your non-destructive adjustments, masks, and original pixel data. Always save your working file in .pspimage first! This allows you to come back and make further edits without losing any flexibility.
JPEG .jpg: This is a widely used format for photographs, especially for web and sharing. It uses “lossy” compression, meaning some data is discarded to reduce file size. While great for small files, repeated saving and re-saving can degrade image quality over time. When saving as JPEG, you’ll be prompted to choose a compression quality e.g., 1-100%. For web, a quality of 70-85% often provides a good balance between file size and visual quality.
PNG .png: A “lossless” format that’s excellent for images requiring transparency like logos or images with transparent backgrounds or sharp-edged graphics. It generally produces larger file sizes than JPEG but maintains image quality perfectly. If your object’s color change involved making the background transparent, PNG is your go-to.
TIFF .tif: A high-quality, lossless format commonly used in professional printing and graphic design. It supports layers though not as robustly as .pspimage and various color spaces. TIFF files are typically much larger than JPEGs or PNGs.
WebP .webp: A newer format developed by Google, offering superior lossy and lossless compression for web images. It often results in smaller file sizes than JPEG or PNG while maintaining comparable quality. Great for optimizing website loading speed.

Export Workflow and Settings

When you’re ready to export your image in PaintShop Pro:

File > Save As for initial save as .pspimage: Save your working file in .pspimage regularly to protect your work.
File > Export > JPEG Optimizer, PNG Optimizer, etc.: For final output, use the “Export” options. These optimizers provide specific settings for each format.
JPEG Optimizer Settings:
- Compression: Adjust the slider to balance file size and quality.
- Progressive JPEG: For web, this makes the image load gradually, appearing blurry first and then sharpening.
- Embed Color Profile: Crucially, check this box! This embeds the sRGB or other chosen profile into the file, ensuring that color-managed browsers and applications interpret the colors correctly.
PNG Optimizer Settings:
- Transparency: Choose between “No transparency,” “8-bit palette,” or “24-bit true color.” If you need transparency, select the appropriate option. 24-bit provides smoother transparency.
- Interlacing: Similar to progressive JPEG, makes the image load in stages.
- Embed Color Profile: Again, crucial for consistent color.
Resizing for Web/Email: Before exporting, consider resizing your image. A large image meant for print will be unnecessarily slow to load on a website or send via email. Use Image > Resize to scale down your image to appropriate dimensions e.g., 1920 pixels wide for a full-width web image.

By paying close attention to color profiles, choosing the correct file format, and understanding the export settings, you ensure that your beautifully color-changed object looks just as intended, whether it’s viewed on a screen, shared online, or printed as a physical product.

Don’t let your hard work be undone by a poor export!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to change the color of an object in PaintShop Pro?

The easiest way is to use the Smart Selection Brush to select the object, then go to Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Hue/Saturation/Lightness and move the Hue slider.

How do I select an object accurately for color change in PaintShop Pro?

You can select an object accurately using tools like the Smart Selection Brush for intelligent edge detection, Freehand Selection Tool for drawing custom outlines, or Magic Wand Tool for areas of uniform color. Always zoom in and refine your selection for precision.

Can I change only a specific shade of color within an object?

Yes, in the Hue/Saturation/Lightness dialogue, you can select specific color ranges like Reds, Yellows, or Blues from the dropdown menu to target and adjust only those particular hues within your selection.

What is the difference between Hue, Saturation, and Lightness?

Hue shifts the actual color e.g., red to blue. Saturation controls the intensity or purity of the color vibrant to dull. Lightness adjusts the brightness or darkness of the color.

How can I make my color changes look natural instead of artificial?

To make color changes look natural, use Color blend mode when applying a new color on a separate layer, or utilize Hue/Saturation/Lightness adjustment layers which preserve the original luminance shadows and highlights of the object. Also, ensure your selection is precise.

What is non-destructive editing and why is it important for color changes?

Non-destructive editing means making changes without permanently altering the original image pixels, primarily by using layers and adjustment layers.

It’s crucial because it allows you to undo, modify, or refine your color changes at any time without damaging the original image.

How do I use layers to change the color of an object?

Duplicate your image layer, select the object on the new layer, then create a New Adjustment Layer for Hue/Saturation/Lightness which automatically masks to your selection or create a new raster layer, fill it with your desired color, and set its blend mode to Color.

Can I change the color of multiple objects at once in PaintShop Pro?

Yes, if the objects are of similar color and density, you can select them all at once.

For disparate objects, it’s often better to select and change the color of each object on its own layer or adjustment layer for precise control. Corel ulead dvd moviefactory

What is a layer mask and how does it help with color changes?

A layer mask is a grayscale image attached to a layer that allows you to selectively reveal or hide parts of that layer.

It’s invaluable for color changes as you can “paint” on the mask to precisely control where the color adjustment is applied, refining edges or blending effects.

How do I prevent color from bleeding over the edges of my selection?

Ensure your selection is tight and accurate.

You can use Selections > Modify > Contract by 1-2 pixels to shrink the selection slightly, or use a layer mask to manually paint out any spillover with a black brush.

Does PaintShop Pro have a tool to replace one specific color with another?

Yes, PaintShop Pro has a Color Replacer tool.

You can select a source color from your image and then paint over it with a new foreground color, replacing only that specific hue while preserving texture.

How do I adjust the intensity of a color change?

If you’re using a separate layer with a new color and Color blend mode, you can adjust the layer’s Opacity to control the intensity.

If you’re using Hue/Saturation/Lightness, you can adjust the Saturation slider, or even reduce the opacity of the adjustment layer itself.

Can I change the color of a black or white object?

Changing the color of pure black RGB 0,0,0 or pure white RGB 255,255,255 objects using Hue/Saturation/Lightness is difficult because they lack hue and saturation information.

For these, it’s usually more effective to add a new layer, fill your selection with the desired color, and experiment with blend modes like Color, Overlay, or Soft Light, adjusting the layer’s opacity. Corel dvd moviefactory pro 7

What are blend modes and which ones are best for color changes?

Blend modes define how pixels on one layer interact with pixels on the layer below.

The Color blend mode is generally best for color changes as it applies the hue and saturation of the new color while preserving the luminance of the original image, making the change look natural.

Why do my colors look different after exporting my image?

This often happens due to a mismatch in color profiles.

Ensure you Embed Color Profile typically sRGB for web when exporting your image.

Also, ensure your monitor is calibrated for accurate color representation.

How does “does stored paint change color” relate to digital image editing?

While digital colors don’t degrade like physical paint, understanding factors like UV light, temperature, and age affecting physical stored paint changes color can be relevant if your digital work is meant to guide a physical outcome e.g., designing paint schemes. It informs realistic expectations for physical color accuracy.

What is the best file format to save my edited image in PaintShop Pro?

Always save your working file in .pspimage to preserve all layers and edits.

For final output, JPEG is great for photos web/sharing, PNG is excellent for transparency or graphics with sharp edges, and TIFF is preferred for professional printing workflows.

Can I make an object monochrome while changing its color?

Yes, after selecting your object, go to Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Colorize. This option applies a uniform color overlay to your selection, making it monochromatic while retaining its tonal information, and you can then choose the desired hue and saturation.

How do I soften the edges of my color change?

After making your selection, you can apply Selections > Modify > Feather with a small radius e.g., 1-3 pixels to soften the edges and create a smoother transition between the changed color and the background. Corel draw 17 download

What should I do if my color change seems too strong or too subtle?

If using an adjustment layer or a color layer with a blend mode, simply adjust the Opacity of that layer in the Layers palette to make the effect stronger or more subtle.

If using Hue/Saturation/Lightness directly on a selected layer, you can adjust the Saturation slider.undefined

Paint shop pro change color of object