Painter 2011: Copy Merged Color Degedation

Pencil-of-Sketching

Newbie here, I've found that when I use copy merged + paste in new image to convert a RIFF into a filetype I can post, the copy's colors are not quite the same.

Here's an example from my current project, a screencap of the RIFF on the left, and the copy on the right:

I can't just screencap the whole image for posing 'cause its too big for my monitor to display all at once. I wonder if using unusual layer types like Gel and Luminosity is causing the problem. I've also tried playing around with levels and adjusting brightness/saturation/ect to restore the colors with no luck.

Has anyone else had this problem and found away around it?

AlecMoody

I'm guessing that the riff is in a different color space than the document you are pasting into which would create a color shift.

I don't know how painter works but one solution would be to save the file as something you could use instead of copy and paste. When you open it in photoshop it should respect the color space its in- you should be converting it into srgb space at some point before you are finished with (convert not assign). Alternatively if you cannot save out a raster image directly then copy and paste and assign the profile for the space that painter is in, then convert the document to srgb. This will shift the colors to match and adjust the values so it looks the same in srgb space.


It is also possible that painter isn't color managed. If that's the case then what you are seeing in painter is your monitors color space which will differ slightly from srgb space. You can fix this by assigning your monitors color profile to the document and then converting to srgb.


EDIT:
Are you trying to paste into painter or photoshop?

Pencil-of-Sketching

I am still learning the technical stuff. I had to look up "Color Space". Oh, and the reason I'm not just collapsing all the layers is 'cause some layer types don't work when collapsed.

I've already tried converting it to a PSD and opening it in Photohop. I just did it again and tried to work out exactly what was messing it up (BTW I'm using an ancient version of Photoshop Elements, I do have a copy of CS5 on a different computer if needed). For one thing, the layer options are different. Gel layers don't convert over well. Also I discovered that grouped layers become corrupted.

And thank you for suggesting color management! Halfway through writing this I looked up tricks on how to fix that and I found this. This tutorial solved my color problem and also taught me a better trick for converting uncollapsable layer types than copy merged. PROBLEM SOLVED!!! Thanks for your help!

Note: For some reason Gel layers are a little fainter even with this method. Gel is just a really finicky layer type I guess.

Edit: Also if anyone tries this themselves, do not forget to uncheck "Embed Profile".