Action overview

This action will quickly add a color clipping mask to the overlay. This overlay included in the download.

A Simple Production Action And A Free Overlay

When you get a French Kiss Overlay, it comes as a B&W, transparent .png file. You can then change the color by adding a solid color adjustment layer with a clipping mask. (That sounds really complicated, but it’s super easy. See the video tutorial here.) Even though adding a color clipping mask is only a few steps to do, I’m a firm believer in automating any repetitive task in Photoshop or Elements, so I’ve created an action for the process.

Here’s a layer panel view of the overlay placed and the color adjustment layer added by the action. I’ve also added a layer mask to show where to place it.

Layer Panel View

A view of the overlay placed with the color adjustment layer.

Download The Action and Free Overlay Now

I’ve included the overlay above in the download so you can try it out.

download button

How To Use The Action

  1. Find your Download on your computer. When you click the button above, it downloads automatically in the background. Check your download folder. It’s called FrenchKiss_BW_Png_To_Color.zip
  2. Unzip the file.
  3. Back Up your action to a safe place.
  4. Install the action into Photoshop or Elements.
    For Photoshop, just select Load Action from the Actions flyout menu.
    Elements is slightly more complicated. Texas Chicks Blogs & Pics has great instructions and help for Elements users.
  5. Place the Overlay into your image file. Open it and then place by dragging or copy/paste.
  6. With the Overlay layer selected, run the action by clicking the button in the Actions Panel.
    Tip: For even faster automation, add a keyboard shortcut to the action.
  7. Change the Color by double-clicking on the color square.
  8. Any edits such as Blend Mode, Opacity or layer masks should be done on the overlay layer—not the color layer.

A Few Important Notes

  • To change the color, the file must be in RGB. When you drag the overlay into a color file, it will automatically become color. If you run the action on the overlay before you drag it into an image, you will need to change the color mode from grayscale.
  • I’ve tested the action in Elements 9. It should work for at least 7&8 I’m not sure of other versions.
    Let me know.
  • Works in Photoshop CS5 and above. Let me know if it doesn’t work in your version of Photoshop.
  • Use a layer mask to show only a small portion of the overlay like some of the text.
  • Lightroom does not support .png files. If you would like to import your overlays into Lightroom, save them as Photoshop files first.

Still confused about how to use the overlays?

Watch these videos.

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Leslie Nicole
Leslie Nicole

American Photographer and Designer living in France with my French husband, 2 Weimaraners and Cat Rescues. Camera, Mac, studio, garden.