How to change the color of an image....

Question

I have a logo that I use that has a
white background with black lettering. I would like to use that logo sometimes with white lettering. How can I change that using PSE 7?
I am creating postcards with a picture on the left and a color block on the right that compliments that picture on the left. I would also like to implement a gradient of some sort from the picture to the color block. Any tips on how to do that as well? I would like it to go from left to right....

Answer 1

We'll use the image you posted.
1. Use the black and white icon in your layers palette to make a pink solid color fill adjustment layer.
Since the mask is white the entire image will be covered by the pink color.
2. Now, we are going to hide the entire effect (pink solid color fill adjustment layer) by filling it with black. With the solid color fill layer highlighted in the layers palette, you can use the paint bucket or just invert the white mask by pressing Ctrl + I.
Here we see that the entire pink solid color fill layer is hidden. We are now looking at your background layer.
We are going to use a different gradient this time and make it easier to understand. I think I used linear last time. I think it will be easier to understand going this route for this particular situation.
3. Set your foreground color chip to white then select the gradient tool. With the gradient tool selected, open the gradient editor and select the white to transparent preset. (To open gradient editor, double click the gradient window in your options bar.
Above is what you need to look for in the options bar to double click to gain access to the gradient editor.
The second preset should be foreground to transparent. If white to transparent isn't available, you need to change your tool box's foreground color to white as the gradient's foreground color will be whatever is selected as the foreground color in the tool box.
4. Here is a screen shot of my gradient tool settings that I used.
I pulled from right to left because I do not have reverse checked. If I had reverse checked, I would have pulled left to right. Notice the gradient style I have selected and that the tool is in normal blend mode and that transparency has been enabled.
I should also mention that I pulled from pretty close to where the two images join and only pulled maybe a centimeter worth of drag.
Yellow line shows start and stop point of tool drag. *You can drag more than once if the gradient is too thin at the join.
The reason you want to hold in the shift key as you drag the gradient is because this gives you an even pull...makes a straight line. Without using the shift key you can get a wonky uneven join.