Invert Colors in Photoshop

You can use Photoshop's Invert tool to add an interesting effect to your image. You will essentially need to create a color-inverted layer on top of the original picture. Read on and learn how to invert colors in Photoshop!

Steps

Creating an Inverted Layer

  1. Open an image in Photoshop. Make sure that the photo lends itself to color inversion. The change will be most dramatic if the image is very dark or very light. Understand that the inversion will replace each color with its corresponding opposite: the brightness value of each pixel is converted to the inverse value on the 256-step color-values scale. Think about whether the photo will be more or less powerful, once inverted.[1] If you aren't sure, it can't hurt to try!
  2. Open the Layers panel. Open the "Window" menu, then choose "Layers" to reveal the Layers panel if you can't already see it. Remember; you are not actually changing the colors of the original image file – you are creating a color-inverted layer on top of the base.
    • If you want to invert the colors in a specific section of the image, use the selection tools—Add to a Selection in Photoshop, Lasso and Add to a Selection in Photoshop—to mark out the part that you wish to invert. If you want to invert the colors across the entire image, then you don't need an active selection.[2]
    • If you're inverting a complex composition, you can add a new layer at the top of the layer stack. Then, press ⇧ Shift+Ctrl+E to create a merged version of your entire composite without changing the deeper layers.
  3. Invert the image. Click on the unlabeled "Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer" button at the bottom of the Layers panel; you can find the correct button by hovering over the options. Choose "Invert" from the drop-down menu that appears. Photoshop adds an "Invert Adjustment" layer to your layer stack immediately above either the topmost layer or the layer that was active when you added the adjustment.[3]
    • If you made a selection before adding the adjustment, Photoshop builds a layer mask for the Invert layer. The program inverts the colors in the area that you selected.
  4. Arrange the inverted layer. Drag the Invert layer up or down the layer stack to a new position. Any given layer only acts upon the layers below it, so the inversion's position in the layer stack determines its impact on your file.
  5. Toggle the inverted layer on and off. Shift-click on the layer mask applied to your Invert adjustment layer to disable the mask and apply the adjustment to your entire file. Click on the layer mask icon to enable the adjustment again. Turn off the eyeball indicator at the left edge of the Invert layer listing to disable the adjustment itself.
  6. Try working with the inverted and non-inverted image side-by-side. After inverting an image, select Create New Snapshot. Keep each image open in a separate tab. This way, you can work with both the original image and the inverted image.

Using Ctrl+I or ⌘ Cmd + I

  1. Know the inversion command. Inverting colors in Photoshop is as simple as the command Ctrl+I or Cmd+I, but there are a few things to check about your file and layers before you can get the color inversion exactly where you want it. To invert the entire image, simple open the image in Photoshop, and press Crtl+I or Cmd+I.
  2. Invert colors in a specific layer. If you want to invert colors in a specific layer in your Photoshop file: select that layer, and make sure it is rasterised. If not, right-click on the Layer label (under the Layers list) and select "Rasterise Layer". Once you ensure the layer is rasterised, you can press Ctrl+I to invert all visible colors in the layer.
    • You can only perform this on one layer at a time. It will not work if you have selected multiple layers.
    • You should perform this step after you re-size the layer or image to the size that you want. Enlarging an image after rasterising could lead to pixelation and a loss in resolution.
  3. Invert specific parts of a layer. If you want to invert specific parts of a layer, you can select the layer, and select the portion you want to invert using different selection tools available in Photoshop: try the Rectangle tool, Lasso tool, or Magic Wand. Add or subtract portions to your selection, as needed. When you are satisfied with the selection area you have created, press Ctrl+I to invert.
    • You can also select different portions one at a time and invert. However, if you select a previously inverted portion a second time by mistake, that set of pixels will be reverted to original color. Thus, it is better to invert for complete selection in one go.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/using/adjustment-filters.html
  2. ↑ http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/invert-colors/
  3. ↑ http://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/19284/invert-colors-of-an-and-get-a-specific-color-scheme
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