don’t make a promise you can’t keep

if you're having trouble seeing, click on the pictures to see the full image!

i. Curves

I always start with a curves layer and use the eyedropper to select a white point. In this case, I used the white spot circled on the left.

I decided I didn't like the way it looked using that white point - it was too red overall. So I tried a second spot (the reflection in her eyes). I mainly use the white dropper to help with coloring, so even though it's darker, I preferred this base.

I then use the curve to brighten the gif. FIRST PHOTO: I start with the highlights, usually moving it up slightly. SECOND PHOTO: I then will add a second point for the midtones, which doesn't usually change the coloring much but anchors the midpoint for when I adjust the shadows. THIRD PHOTO: I add a third point to adjust the shadows and usually lighten them.

ii. Levels

Next I add a levels layer. I learned this from a pastel coloring tutorial I used 7 or 8 years ago. That tutorial shifted both the middle and right points to the left. I still start with moving the middle to the left and then move the circled one to the left, but I then usually move the middle point back to where it started (or close).

iii. Vibrance

Next is the vibrance layer. I move the vibrance up and it's usually anywhere between 20-80, but it depends on the gif. It mostly falls between 30-50.

iv. Channel Mixer

NOTE: I recommend reading this tutorial by @aubrey-plaza to help you understand the channel mixer tool. I also used this tutorial by @ajusnice to help me figure out my own coloring process.

FIRST PHOTO: I always start with the blue channel and increase both red and green; often, it'll be +8 for both, but it depends on the gif. SECOND PHOTO: I then go to the green channel and add green to the red, usually +8 as well. Whether or not I add green to the blues depends on the gif, in this case I did +2. THIRD PHOTO: I don't always add red back in, but in this case I used the red channel to add a small amount (+2) of red to the green.

v. Selective Color

FIRST PHOTO: For my base coloring, I only mess with the black slider. I always start by removing some black from whites (in this case, -8). SECOND PHOTO: I then move to neutrals and will remove some of the black from there as well. This one is also -8. Lightening the neutral colors does usually lighten the skin tone, so it's important to remember to add color back in so as not to whitewash POC. The final layer adds the color back in to the gif, however with POC, sometimes you will need to add additional layers to make sure you are not whitewashing. THIRD PHOTO: One of my favorite parts is increasing the black and seeing the contrast. The amount can vary significantly. For this one, I did +19, but I often will go as low as +8 and have also done +100 before, it just depends on the gif.

vi. Hue/Saturation

Starting with the master hue/saturation, I increase saturation as much as I want (often between +8 and +24). I don't touch the hue or lightness.

Now for one of my favorite parts: messing around with individual colors! Which colors I mess with depends on the colors in the gif, but I almost always do reds, yellows, cyans, and blues. FIRST PHOTO: I start with reds, which is mostly going to affect the skin tone. I often will increase the saturation and the lightness. In this case, I did +19 saturation and +7 lightness. SECOND PHOTO: There isn't much yellow in this gif, but I did it anyway to show what I often do. It tends to be the reverse of red. I increase lightness more than saturation, so in this case it's +19 lightness and +8 saturation. THIRD & FOURTH PHOTOS: If I want to manipulate the color, I will mess around with the hue, but I usually just increase the saturation for the different blues in the gif (in this case, cyans +19 and blues +24).

And that's it! Hope this is helpful, feel free to reach out if you have any questions! <3

NOTE: If something doesn't make sense or you don't see the settings, click on the photo! They are cropped in order to unify the size, however if you click on it you will see the full picture I included. EDIT: For some reason, the formatting gets messed up for me when you click the read more on the dashboard. But if you go to this post on my blog, the photos seem to be in the correct places!

I. Create Your Base Text

First I create a new text layer and figure out my font settings (font, size, etc.). The text color should be white. The picture on the right shows my settings—I like to unify the layer position and effects so that it applies to my entire gif (note: I make frames from layers so it's necessary for me; I'm not sure if it is necessary if you do the text in timeline).

Change the blending mode to exclusion (right), which gives you the image on the left.

Right click on the text layer and go to blending options. First I select drop shadow and use the settings in the photo on the top right. Add gradient overlay. For this particular gifset, I used overlay for the blend mode (bottom left). The blend mode I use for the gradient changes based on the gif and the coloring, so play around with what blend mode looks best to you! Add color overlay. I also play around with the blend mode and opacity for each gif; in this case, I set it to color burn and 50% opacity.

This is what we have so far.

II. Create Text Outline

Right click your text layer and duplicate the layer. Open blending options and de-select drop shadow, gradient overlay, and color overlay (alternatively, you can right click and clear effects before opening blending options, but this is the way I do it). Go to the blending options panel and set fill opacity to 0%. Add stroke with the settings pictured in the bottom right picture (1px, white, inside, normal blend). The opacity for this gif is set to 58%, but I play around with the opacity for each gifset.

Use the arrow keys to offset the outline however you would like. I usually move it slightly to the left and up, as shown above.

III. Masking

Create a new text layer and style it how you would like. In this case, I just added a drop shadow with the settings pictured on the right. Move the text layer to where you would like it to be (left).

Use the rectangular marquee tool to select the area with your text layer (top left). Make sure you have the base text layer selected (top right). With your text area selected, add a mask by clicking the third button from the left in the layers panel (bottom right). Now we have the image on the bottom left.

Select the mask you created and invert it, which gives you the image on the top left. Hold the option key and drag the mask for your base text layer to the outline layer.

IV. Finishing Touches