This video is a lot more than a tutorial on cinematic color grading in Photoshop. We will dive deep and take a comprehensive look at what color grading is, and how it works. Then you will learn how you can apply it in Photoshop using several easy methods.
The Color Theory Behind Cinematic Color Grading (The Movie Look Effect)
The popular “teal-and-orange” film look effect is the main effect that we will recreate in this tutorial. You often see it in summer blockbusters and action films. The dark shades of blue or teal, against the bright orange tones that are usually found in skin.
This complementary color combination makes the actor stand out in the frame. Complementary colors pop when they are used side-by-side, so they are recommended when applying color grades. Check out color.adobe.com to see an interactive color wheel and understand how complementary colors work.
But color grading is a lot more than making your actors pop. The Color grade should always enhance the story that your image (or video) is trying to convey.
Color Correction vs. Color Grading
In this tutorial, we discuss both color correction and color grading. A color correction removes color casts from neutral grays. While a color grade adds a creative color correction to tell a story.
It is critical that your images contain neutral grays and that they contain no color casts. If your image contains a color cast, you will not be able to accurately add the colors that you intend. Although this is not a color correction tutorial, we will learn how to do a quick color correction. If you would like to find out more about color correction you could check out my tutorial on color correction or my course on mastering color in Photoshop.
Adjustment Layers That Can Apply a Cinematic Color Grading (The Movie Look Effect)
We will also look at all the different tools that you can use to apply the film look effect. I prefer to use the Curves Adjustment Layer since it gives you the most control. But you can use almost any adjustment layer that allows you to control color and tone.
If you have any questions, leave a message below!
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Final Image
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Danny Joiner says
January 7, 2015 at 10:33 amReally nice!
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 27, 2015 at 1:10 pmThank you!
Ken Webb says
January 7, 2015 at 4:40 pmReally enjoyed this tutorial. It showed me how to use Color Grading in the creation of posters.
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 13, 2015 at 2:35 pmThanks, Ken!
Javier Somoza says
January 8, 2015 at 12:00 amReally great tutorial, I will give it a try asap!
Good job!
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 13, 2015 at 2:35 pmThank you! Glad you liked it!
Peter Ebel says
January 19, 2015 at 11:09 amHi Ken, just detected your website through CGMeetup. Great Tutorial, thanks!
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 27, 2015 at 1:02 pmYou’re welcome!
Who is Ken?
Ken Webb says
January 27, 2015 at 1:41 pmThat would be me, Ken Webb. Just an admirer of great tutorials on PTC.
jaferszm says
January 19, 2015 at 1:01 pmThank you! Glad you liked it!
Gareth says
January 30, 2015 at 5:34 pmGreat tutorial!!
Photoshop Training Channel says
February 1, 2015 at 1:16 pmThank you!
Tomasz says
April 1, 2015 at 9:38 amHi,
Awsome tuto!!!
Can you just say what is the shortcut to switch between different present in channel mixer?
Thank you!
Photoshop Training Channel says
April 1, 2015 at 12:43 pmScroll down/up on the mouse wheel.
Tomasz says
April 1, 2015 at 3:08 pmUnfortunately it doesn t work, and usually i work without mouse. Did you know maybe how can i make my own shortcut for this?
StevenH says
April 30, 2015 at 6:32 amGreat, many thanks! That info will be a big help on my project to design a film poster style catalogue cover!
Would be even better if you didn’t talk QUITE so fast 😉
Photoshop Training Channel says
May 10, 2015 at 9:33 pmI’ll try to slow down.
Carol Varveri says
June 27, 2016 at 9:20 amThis is a great tutorial! ! Steven does have a very good point when he says it would be even better if you didn’t talk quite so fast. BUT -that problem and the slow learning problem like mine could be better solved, (I think) if you started having transcripts for your tutorials. Thanks
Carol (again)
Photoshop Training Channel says
June 30, 2016 at 9:16 amAll my tutorials have transcripts! You can turn them on while watching the video. Click on the CC (Closed Captions) button.
Angel with the Phonebox says
May 7, 2017 at 10:41 pmI always think it’s nuts when people tell narrators to “slow down.” YouTube videos have *pause*, *back*, AND *speed controls*!!… 99.9% of the time, I put it on 2x, and this was no exception. Great tut, keep speaking at your normal speed! ^_^
Ken says
July 5, 2015 at 3:43 amA video that actually teaches and is not a springboard for a one man show. Really likes it and will view again to ensure I have mastered all the nuances. Thanks!
Photoshop Training Channel says
July 13, 2015 at 3:42 pmYou’re welcome, Ken!
Guido says
July 14, 2015 at 9:35 amHi,
first, fantastic tutorial!
one question. You pulled the lights of the green channel to the left and said you would like to add magenta. If I compare this to what you said about the red channel I expected that dragging lights to the felft would add green. The same you said about the blue channel afterwards. Now I am confused, what did I miss here?
Thanks in advance and best regards,
Guido
Photoshop Training Channel says
July 14, 2015 at 10:31 amYou didn’t miss anything!
As I recorded it I was talking about the outcome, which was not necessarily the accurate thing to say. When I moved the green channel it creates a curve and although it’s going into the greens it adds magenta to the light colors I wanted, because of the way the curve bends. If I had not added that point in the middle that would of not happened. And it definitely would of added green. I should of explained that better in the video. Same for the blues. Thanks for commenting!
Marc says
October 26, 2015 at 7:18 amGreat tutorial. One of the best I have seen on this subject.
It might also be worth mentioning on future tutorials when you are working in curves that the same workflows can be achieved using levels adjustment layers too instead. I have always preferred levels to curves and some other people do too. So I followed this tutorial using your blended adjustment layers using levels and achieved the same results of course.Cheers.
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 11, 2015 at 9:19 pmYup, if you like you could use Curves.
Des says
January 8, 2016 at 6:44 amAwesome tutorial and many thanks!
This will be really helpful for the poster i’ll be needing to create for my assignment!
Photoshop Training Channel says
January 12, 2016 at 1:54 pmI’m glad it helped, Des!
Photoshop says
June 8, 2016 at 6:31 amThank you
Photoshop Training Channel says
June 8, 2016 at 6:57 pmYou’re welcome!
Mari Nino says
July 20, 2016 at 12:47 amJesus,
I want to thank you with all my heart for this tutorial. Amazingly explained, interesting tips and positive teaching. I have a result to share which I am proud of. I created a series of works that shows a story ‘Trepidation nature’ – https://marininoart.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/trepidation-nature/
I wanted this cinematic effect in my pictures and create a viewer’s feeling as if he/she watches motion picture. For that I used your methods and a movie format 16:9.
Thank you once again!
Greeting from Russia
Photoshop Training Channel says
August 22, 2016 at 5:19 pmAwesome, Mari! Thank you for your message and for sharing your link!
I’m glad my tutorials helped you out with your porject. 🙂
Louis Heeren says
August 25, 2016 at 6:16 amAgain another great tutorial
Thank you so much
ellen says
August 25, 2016 at 9:58 amgracias
Photoshop Training Channel says
August 29, 2016 at 4:30 pmDe nada!
Hafid Ayllon says
August 28, 2016 at 10:59 amHi Jesus,
great tutorial! Very impressed on how you dissected the elements of color grading. You made a complicated subject easy to understand ! Well done.
Photoshop Training Channel says
August 29, 2016 at 4:29 pmThanks, Hafid!
Nera says
September 12, 2016 at 6:54 pmI love this tutorial because it actually is a Color Grading lesson. Very easy to understand.
Thank you.
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 27, 2016 at 3:54 pmYou’re welcome, Nera!
José Gonçalves says
September 16, 2016 at 1:39 pmVery gooooooooooood Really enjoy it. Love the way you show movie examples , reminds a lecture I gave in June in my Photoshop class. Congrats from Portugal
Photoshop Training Channel says
September 18, 2016 at 7:00 pmThank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Bob Daniels says
September 23, 2016 at 10:51 amThis tutorial is great! The whole channel is great, congratulations. A quick question. How does this tutorial differ from the tutorial you have on Creative Live?
Thanks, Bob Daniels
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 27, 2016 at 3:55 pmThis tutorial is a shorter version of that one. The creative live version goes into more detail on certain things.
Becky says
December 6, 2016 at 2:42 amThis is awesome! I have used this tutorial from Creative Live for sports team photos!!
Photoshop Training Channel says
December 12, 2016 at 5:28 pmAwesome!!! Thank you, Becky!
Andre says
December 7, 2016 at 11:06 pmHi
Great explanation and tutorial thank you
Photoshop Training Channel says
December 12, 2016 at 5:28 pmYou’re welcome, Andre!
NISHANT says
September 28, 2017 at 10:50 amThank you buddy for sharing
Photoshop Training Channel says
November 16, 2017 at 2:18 amYou’re welcome!
Murugan G.R. says
March 13, 2018 at 8:48 pmnice advance tutorial
Javier Veliz Delgado says
April 26, 2018 at 7:17 amReally amazing tutorial!
Thank you so much
Photoshop Training Channel says
June 8, 2018 at 7:24 pmYou’re welcome!