Using Gradient Map Adjustment Layer to Emulate Curves

In PSE 4, the Curves function isn't available, either natively or via add-on
tools. Personally, I like adding a modest S-curve to many of my photos to
improve the contrast. Oh, well...
I remember, however, that Susan Stewart (one of the early members of this
forum) had developed a technique to use the Gradient Map Adjustment Layer as
a curves surrogate. I'm not sure exactly what she did, but I believe it
involved using the black-to-white gradient and setting the layer blend mode
to Overlay. The gradient can be modified by adding Color Stops along the
continuum between black and white to create the S-shape.
Anyone have any experience with this approach - or another Curves
replacement to consider?
Thanks,
Chuck

Chuck,
It involves using the Luminosity blend mode. Here's a PDF that gives instructions. Skip down to Version two page 3 or 4 for instructions on using a gradient map to simulate curves.
http://books.elsevier.com/companions/0240519566/pdfs/curves.pdf
Terri

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Layers Panel, Adjustment Layer Icon for Curves not working

Why in the layers panel, does the new adjustment layer icon for CURVES initiate the LEVELS dialog? This seems to be a bug.

THanks for the prompt reply. Your suggestion to "reset workspaces" worked.
FYI, I'm working with Photoshop CS6 (v13.0.1 64-bit) on Windows 7. The
problem happened with various documents, including yes an RGB/8 bit
example. I feel stupid for not trying simple fixes, but I just upgraded to
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install ACR8.5 in order for RAW files from Canon 5D MarkIII to be
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KK

Photoshop Elements 9 - unable to use brush in adjustment layer

HI
I'm new to Adobe Photoshop Elements and have recently purchased Elements 9. I am having problems using the brush in adjustment levels.
I've opened a RAW image and converted it to black and white by desaturating it using an adjustment layer. I'm then trying to adjust the black and white image using several adjustment levels. I'm using the brush to black out the parts of the image in the particular adjustment layer I don't want changing. This worked initially, but for some reason, the brush stopped working in the adjustment layers. It's a soft brush set to 300px, the mode is "Normal" and opacity is 100%. Put simply, it's not obliterating anything in the layer, nor does anything appear in the thumbnail over on the right (both these things happened before)
The brush works normally when adjusting an image with no levels i.e. when you simply open a RAW or TIFF file and use the brush.
I've tried uninstalling the programme and reinstalling, but the porblem persists.
Can anyone offer any help? It's frustrating as I can't selectively adjust my image. Am I doing something wrong, is it a glitch, or is it just a simple case of ticking a simple box some where in the pre-sets?
Hoping someone can help.

Check that you have your brush set to black (foreground color black)
and that your actually painting on the layer mask (click on the layer mask
to make it active).
Try just painting on the mask of your adjustment layer used to desaturate the photo
with a black brush (the color should come back)
Sometimes with multiple adjustment layers, the strokes on one layer mask may overlap
the strokes on another.
If you want more control over a black and white conversion, you might try something like
the following.
1. Add a hue\saturation adjustment layer and change the layers blending mode to Color
2. Add another hue\saturation adjustment layer and move the saturation slider to -100
3. On the first adjustment layer (the one with the color blend mode), move the hue
and saturation sliders for different black and white effects.
4. If you want to add a color tint, set the top hue\saturation layer to colorize and
adjust the hue and saturation sliders for different tint effects.
MTSTUNER

Using hue/saturation adjustment layer to match color from another image?

How can I use a hue/saturation adjustment layer on image 'A' so that it matches the color of image 'B' please?

Depends, John.
If you're able to create a reasonable selection via Color Range, feathered masking, etc, then by matching one specific color, you'll also be correcting for that entire range of hue. It might have been needed anyway...or you use a color filter to correct the whole image, if it's needed.
As we all know, each image presents its own specific challenges and solutions.

Elements 11 freezing using gradient map

Having recently installed elements on my Mac I have found it freezes everytime I use the gradient map tool and select a colour. I can then no longer click on anything and am required to force quit the program. All my software is up to date. Any help you can offer will be much appreciated.

Hum, this the second post this week about the very same thing:
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1182320?tstart=90
I don't know if the other poster is on a mac, but i have yet to replicate the issue on windows 7 with pse 11.

I cannot paint or use gradients correctly in layer mask mode

I have my blending mode set to 'NORMAL". When I paint in black on a layer mask it creates a transparent effect (not hide the image/pattern). Since the upgrade this has affected both my pc and laptop versions. I've read through the forums and see a lot of folks having issues with the blending mode set inccorrectly but this seems different. I'm at a loss and losing time. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Um, painting black on a layer mask is supposed to create transparency (and gray partial transparency). Unless I'm missing something subtle, it appears to be working correctly from what I can see.
Keep in mind the checkerboard is not really in the document - it's just Photoshop's way of showing you that the layer is transparent. You can set how that's portrayed in the Preferences - Transparency and Gamut section.
Or you can enable the visibility of your Background layer to see what it looks like when that shows through.
-Noel

Gradient Map uses

I'm trying to compile a list of uses for the Gradient Map in Photoshop (for my own use and yours). Can you add to the list (please)? If you have a link to an example or a tutorial that would be great as well!
Toning images using gradients (e.g. sepia)
Recolor or colorize B/W images/art
Target areas for selection (example here: http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=132)
I know there are others and some of the above cover a broad area, if you have something more specific, please feel free to add that.
Example of a toned photo using Gradient Map adjusment layer:
TIA (Thanks In Advance)
Patti

My take is that you are simply seeing the lossy conversion between CMYK and RGB. The values in the color picker appear to be fundamentally RGB based.
If I check the gradient color stops in the color picker by reopening the gradient dialog immediately after creating the gradient the CMYK values are preserved. If, however, I do any other operation, say click on the base layer, and then open the gradient, the values have changed. So it appears that once the gradient is incorporated into the work flow the CMYK - RGB conversions take place giving the results you see.
Paulo

Something like Gradient Map in InDesign?

Hi,
Wondering if in the new version of InDesign (CS6) there might be any way to do anything similar to the Gradient Map adjustment layer in Photoshop? I'm open to a plugin or any way to use a Photoshop adjustment layer in InDesign if that's at all possible.
We just need to colorize a bunch of grayscale images in InDesign and would like more control than the 2 colors you can get when doing it traditionally in InDesign (image color & background color). With a gradient map, we can add a dark/black shadow color and/or a light/white highlight color in addition to the main foreground/background colors. This allows for the same tonality as you could get in InDesign but with much more depth & contrast, much richer.
We just won't have time to be constantly opening all images in Photoshop to do this and do any color updating that needs to happen. Too many images for this to be practical.
Thanks. Any other creative ideas are welcome.

No gradient maps, but have you tried colorizing using a gradient swatch (I haven't, but I'm not sure it won't work)? You probably won't have as much control over stop positions or directionality, but you might want to see waht it can do for you.

CS4 Gradient map in CMYK mode bug (program error)

Hi,
when using gradient map or gradient map adjustment layer in cmyk mode, colors values after apply are different from values that i entered,
for example:
entering:
C=0
M=0
Y=0
K=100
after apply on image, read values are like from RGB:
C=77
M=75
Y=62
K=81
Importing file with gradient map from cs3 are ok until i click on the adjustment layer.
I have catalog printed with this bug and colors was printed bad!
Please help with this!

I know this already!
Question is how to do it correct? I think it's CS4 internal error and it's quite important bug for cmyk workers.
Maybe development team will interest with this?
It's more dangerous in dtp and catalogues, brochures etc. printing.
I had troubles with this error when printed ~1k borchures - client didn't accept this.

Pse 9 gradient map problem

when I add a gradient map adjustment layer and select foreground to transparent the result it a solid color. The gradient map layer created is unresponsive to any of the editing controls. the gradient map remains a solid color. This renders the gradient map adjustment layer function useless.
mac os 10.6.4. Just did an unistall and new reistall of pse9.
thanks for any help or suggestions.
mk

I don't think anything is wrong, it's just the gradient map layer
will map the tones in your image to the colors in the specified
gradient and won't show transparency in the gradient as transparent, but as
a color.
The Gradient fill will allow the transparency in gradient to show, much like using
the Gradient Tool from the tool box, but with more control.
Gradient Map adjustment layer using the Transparent Rainbow gradient:
Gradient Fill adjustment layer using the Transparent Rainbow gradient:
MTSTUNER

Opacity / transparency in gradient map tool not working?

Hi *,
when selecting a gradient with transparency, e.g. neutral density in the gradient map tool (in an adjustment layer), transparency is ignored, i.e. neutral density is working like plain black - which I assume is not intended. And, I'm almost certain, the gradient map properly applied transparency earlier but I might have changed involuntarily some setting. So far, I could not find a good answer. Any ideas?
Best regards,
arnie

You want to use a Gradient Fill adjustment layer instead of Gradient Map for the Neutral Density presets

Can I create a saturation mask based to a gradient map?

Hi
can i create a saturation mask based on a gradient map?
for the example a gradient blue from 2441f6 to 6075f6
and have a luminocity mask based of this gradient
can i do it?
how can i do it?
thanks
cheers

The gradient maps are not use to sample color, but to recolor, so you cannot use it to create the selection, use the selection to limit the gradient map to the blue areas of the sky.
You could MASK a gradient map using the saturation of the sky, to recolor based on the actual saturation of the sky.
Select the sky with your favorite method, jump it to a new layer (CTRL+J)
Use the technique in the linked tutorial to extract the luminosity, it should land on its own layer.
Hide that layer, and delete the selective color one.
Now add your gradient map adj layer, enter the two colors as desired.
Show the layer with the saturation converted to a layer. Select all, copy.
ALT+click the layer mask of your gradient map adj layer, and paste. You might need to paint in black the areas you do not want affected.
I tried it here, and had semi satisfactory results given the very heavy compression of your file, and also because the colors are pretty unrealistic.
Here is the image showing the saturation mask, and the results on the side:

Photoshop cc and cs6 is there shortcuts to add an adjustament layer with black mask?

Hi
i read the manual , i used google to find an answer , nothing
but is there a shortcut to add an adjustament layer like a curve with a black mask ?
thanks

Not that i'm aware of.
After you add the adjustment layer, you could press Ctrl+i (Command+i) to invert the mask.

Determining when an adjustment layer holds information.

Is it possible using javascript to determine when an adjustment layer holds information? I'll go into some detail as to what I mean.
I run a combination script/actions to set up a bunch of layers based on what I'm doing. Not all layers will get used in any given image. For example, when I'm retouching a model's photo, I run one that sets up a bunch of adjustment layers to enhance the color in the models eyes, or to change the color depending on what I'm doing. This sets up seven layers, each for a different color, then a few for highlights and/or catchlights. I may use between 0 and 3 of these layers. Each adjustment layer has an inverse mask (black) which I paint white in the areas I want to enhance.
Now, is there an easy way to determine which of these masks are pure black and which have been painted onto? Also, is there an easy way to determine on an adjustment layer such as curves, levels, hue/saturation, etc. whether any adjustments have been made or if they are still in default? I'm guessing the best way would be to first check the mask to see if it's not all black and if it isn't, then check for adjustments.

I was not really happy with the way I was testing for default settings. I was afraid that the simple replace text I was using might fail in some cases. It turns out that I was right. So here is a new set of functions. These I feel good about using.
All of the functions need this CRC code.
JavaScript source code        March 10, 2006
Copyright (c) 2003-2006 Scandinavian Digital Systems AB
Internet: http://www.digsys.se
Freeware: The source code and its methods and algorithms may be
            used as desired without restrictions.
CRC-32 (as it is in ZMODEM) in table form
Copyright (C) 1986 Gary S. Brown. You may use this program, or
code or tables extracted from it, as desired without restriction.
Modified by Anders Danielsson, February 5, 1989 and March 10, 2006.
This is also known as FCS-32 (as it is in PPP), described in
RFC-1662 by William Allen Simpson, see RFC-1662 for references.
var Crc32Tab = new Array( /* CRC polynomial 0xEDB88320 */
C/C++ language:
unsigned long Crc32Tab[] = {...};
0x00000000,0x77073096,0xEE0E612C,0x990951BA,0x076DC419,0x706AF48F,0xE963A535,0x9E6495A3,
0x0EDB8832,0x79DCB8A4,0xE0D5E91E,0x97D2D988,0x09B64C2B,0x7EB17CBD,0xE7B82D07,0x90BF1D91,
0x1DB71064,0x6AB020F2,0xF3B97148,0x84BE41DE,0x1ADAD47D,0x6DDDE4EB,0xF4D4B551,0x83D385C7,
0x136C9856,0x646BA8C0,0xFD62F97A,0x8A65C9EC,0x14015C4F,0x63066CD9,0xFA0F3D63,0x8D080DF5,
0x3B6E20C8,0x4C69105E,0xD56041E4,0xA2677172,0x3C03E4D1,0x4B04D447,0xD20D85FD,0xA50AB56B,
0x35B5A8FA,0x42B2986C,0xDBBBC9D6,0xACBCF940,0x32D86CE3,0x45DF5C75,0xDCD60DCF,0xABD13D59,
0x26D930AC,0x51DE003A,0xC8D75180,0xBFD06116,0x21B4F4B5,0x56B3C423,0xCFBA9599,0xB8BDA50F,
0x2802B89E,0x5F058808,0xC60CD9B2,0xB10BE924,0x2F6F7C87,0x58684C11,0xC1611DAB,0xB6662D3D,
0x76DC4190,0x01DB7106,0x98D220BC,0xEFD5102A,0x71B18589,0x06B6B51F,0x9FBFE4A5,0xE8B8D433,
0x7807C9A2,0x0F00F934,0x9609A88E,0xE10E9818,0x7F6A0DBB,0x086D3D2D,0x91646C97,0xE6635C01,
0x6B6B51F4,0x1C6C6162,0x856530D8,0xF262004E,0x6C0695ED,0x1B01A57B,0x8208F4C1,0xF50FC457,
0x65B0D9C6,0x12B7E950,0x8BBEB8EA,0xFCB9887C,0x62DD1DDF,0x15DA2D49,0x8CD37CF3,0xFBD44C65,
0x4DB26158,0x3AB551CE,0xA3BC0074,0xD4BB30E2,0x4ADFA541,0x3DD895D7,0xA4D1C46D,0xD3D6F4FB,
0x4369E96A,0x346ED9FC,0xAD678846,0xDA60B8D0,0x44042D73,0x33031DE5,0xAA0A4C5F,0xDD0D7CC9,
0x5005713C,0x270241AA,0xBE0B1010,0xC90C2086,0x5768B525,0x206F85B3,0xB966D409,0xCE61E49F,
0x5EDEF90E,0x29D9C998,0xB0D09822,0xC7D7A8B4,0x59B33D17,0x2EB40D81,0xB7BD5C3B,0xC0BA6CAD,
0xEDB88320,0x9ABFB3B6,0x03B6E20C,0x74B1D29A,0xEAD54739,0x9DD277AF,0x04DB2615,0x73DC1683,
0xE3630B12,0x94643B84,0x0D6D6A3E,0x7A6A5AA8,0xE40ECF0B,0x9309FF9D,0x0A00AE27,0x7D079EB1,
0xF00F9344,0x8708A3D2,0x1E01F268,0x6906C2FE,0xF762575D,0x806567CB,0x196C3671,0x6E6B06E7,
0xFED41B76,0x89D32BE0,0x10DA7A5A,0x67DD4ACC,0xF9B9DF6F,0x8EBEEFF9,0x17B7BE43,0x60B08ED5,
0xD6D6A3E8,0xA1D1937E,0x38D8C2C4,0x4FDFF252,0xD1BB67F1,0xA6BC5767,0x3FB506DD,0x48B2364B,
0xD80D2BDA,0xAF0A1B4C,0x36034AF6,0x41047A60,0xDF60EFC3,0xA867DF55,0x316E8EEF,0x4669BE79,
0xCB61B38C,0xBC66831A,0x256FD2A0,0x5268E236,0xCC0C7795,0xBB0B4703,0x220216B9,0x5505262F,
0xC5BA3BBE,0xB2BD0B28,0x2BB45A92,0x5CB36A04,0xC2D7FFA7,0xB5D0CF31,0x2CD99E8B,0x5BDEAE1D,
0x9B64C2B0,0xEC63F226,0x756AA39C,0x026D930A,0x9C0906A9,0xEB0E363F,0x72076785,0x05005713,
0x95BF4A82,0xE2B87A14,0x7BB12BAE,0x0CB61B38,0x92D28E9B,0xE5D5BE0D,0x7CDCEFB7,0x0BDBDF21,
0x86D3D2D4,0xF1D4E242,0x68DDB3F8,0x1FDA836E,0x81BE16CD,0xF6B9265B,0x6FB077E1,0x18B74777,
0x88085AE6,0xFF0F6A70,0x66063BCA,0x11010B5C,0x8F659EFF,0xF862AE69,0x616BFFD3,0x166CCF45,
0xA00AE278,0xD70DD2EE,0x4E048354,0x3903B3C2,0xA7672661,0xD06016F7,0x4969474D,0x3E6E77DB,
0xAED16A4A,0xD9D65ADC,0x40DF0B66,0x37D83BF0,0xA9BCAE53,0xDEBB9EC5,0x47B2CF7F,0x30B5FFE9,
0xBDBDF21C,0xCABAC28A,0x53B39330,0x24B4A3A6,0xBAD03605,0xCDD70693,0x54DE5729,0x23D967BF,
0xB3667A2E,0xC4614AB8,0x5D681B02,0x2A6F2B94,0xB40BBE37,0xC30C8EA1,0x5A05DF1B,0x2D02EF8D);
function Crc32Add(crc,c)
'crc' should be initialized to 0xFFFFFFFF and after the computation it should be
complemented (inverted).
CRC-32 is also known as FCS-32.
If the FCS-32 is calculated over the data and over the complemented FCS-32, the
result will always be 0xDEBB20E3 (without the complementation).
return Crc32Tab[(crc^c)&0xFF]^((crc>>8)&0xFFFFFF);
C/C++ language:
inline unsigned long Crc32Add(unsigned long crc, unsigned char c)
    return Crc32Tab[(unsigned char)crc^c]^(crc>>8);
Application functions that calculates CRC of a string
function Crc32Str(str)
var n;
var len=str.length;
var crc;
crc=0xFFFFFFFF;
for (n=0; n<len; n++)
    crc=Crc32Add(crc,str.charCodeAt(n));
return crc^0xFFFFFFFF;
Hex convert functions
function Hex32(val)
Convert value as 32-bit unsigned integer to 8 digit hexadecimal number prefixed with "0x".
var n;
var str1;
var str2;
n=val&0xFFFF;
str1=n.toString(16).toUpperCase();
while (str1.length<4)
    str1="0"+str1;
n=(val>>>16)&0xFFFF;
str2=n.toString(16).toUpperCase();
while (str2.length<4)
    str2="0"+str2;
return "0x"+str2+str1;
isDefaultHueSatAdjustment();
function isDefaultHueSatAdjustment(){
     if(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind != LayerKind.HUESATURATION ) return;
     var ref = new ActionReference();
     ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
     var desc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID('adjustment')).getObjectValue(0);
     var rawData = desc.getData(stringIDToTypeID('legacyContentData'));
     var str = Hex32(Crc32Str(rawData));
     if( str == '0xB83ED6B1' ) return true;
     return false;
isDefaultColorBalanceAdjustment();
function isDefaultColorBalanceAdjustment(){
     if(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind != LayerKind.COLORBALANCE ) return;
     var ref = new ActionReference();
     ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
     var desc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID('adjustment')).getObjectValue(0);
     var rawData = desc.getData(stringIDToTypeID('legacyContentData'));
     var str = Hex32(Crc32Str(rawData));
     if( str == '0x16CEAACC' ) return true;
     return false;
isDefaultCurvesAdjustment();
function isDefaultCurvesAdjustment(){
     if(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind != LayerKind.CURVES ) return;
     var ref = new ActionReference();
     ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
     var desc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID('adjustment')).getObjectValue(0);
     var rawData = desc.getData(stringIDToTypeID('legacyContentData'));
     var str = Hex32(Crc32Str(rawData));
     if( str == '0xF5315AF8' ) return true;
     return false;
isDefaultLevelsAdjustment();
function isDefaultLevelsAdjustment(){
     if(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind != LayerKind.LEVELS ) return;
     var ref = new ActionReference();
     ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
     var desc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID('adjustment')).getObjectValue(0);
     var rawData = desc.getData(stringIDToTypeID('legacyContentData'));
     var str = Hex32(Crc32Str(rawData));
     if( str == '0x02A5FFD5' ) return true;
     return false;
isDefaultBWAdjustment();
function isDefaultBWAdjustment(){
     if(app.activeDocument.activeLayer.kind != LayerKind.BLACKANDWHITE ) return;
     var ref = new ActionReference();
     ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
     var desc = executeActionGet(ref).getList(stringIDToTypeID('adjustment')).getObjectValue(0);
     var rawData = desc.getData(stringIDToTypeID('legacyContentData'));
     var str = Hex32(Crc32Str(rawData));
     if( str == '0x8BE5167D' ) return true;
     return false;

Adjustment layer to apply to a previous layer mask

i want to use a separate adjustment layer (curves) to apply to the previous layer luminance mask only rather than to the layer as a whole -
possible or no -
i can't see a way to separate applied curves from the mask -
ta,
d

thanks for the quick replies - here is a more detailed explanation of what i want to do -
i've made a luminance mask (command/alt/tilde) and applied it to the layer (to apply sharpening in highlights only) - now, i can also apply curves to this mask for a more precise application of the mask - i'm fine with all this - however -
i'd like to make all of this into an action, still no problem - but i'd like to have the curves (applied to the luminance mask) as a separate layer so that they could be varied after different pictures are put thru the action -
when i try to make a curve adjustment layer it will only apply to the complete picture + mask layer below - i want it to apply to only the mask so that it is tweakable after the batch action -
does this make sense now, and if so is it possible, have i missed something -
thanks,
d

Using Gradient Map Adjustment Layer to Emulate Curves

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