A New System… Free of Charge!
Over the last several months I have been working tirelessly on the Color Zone System which was recently released last month. It grants you the ability to select certain colors in your photograph and control them in ways you may never have imagined before.
This is unlike the HSL adjustments in many programs as it allows you to affect the Highlights, Midtones, and Shadows independently. Basically, I am in love with the way the Digital Zone System and the Color Zone System work together.
While I was working on this system I started to develop another, The Tonal Grading System. I know what you are thinking, What the heck is that? Have you ever watched a movie or television show and seen that the colors were manipulated to fit a mood.
Look at the movies 300, or Three Kings. These movies have been Tonal Graded (sometimes called Color Graded) to give the scene a certain feel. These Grading techniques can make a scene feel anxious, calm, nostalgic, etc.
This is really a basic concept and nothing more than a clever way of using a Gradient Map. The Gradient Map looks at your photo and gives various areas a certain value on the gradient scale. Usually, we use this for something like rendering a great Black and White photo. However, if you change the colors of the gradient map in various locations combined with a drop in Opacity and a blend mode change, you can create some amazing effects!
That is where the Tonal Grading system comes in. It is about 40 minutes of training that will have you making effective moods in your images in no time. One of the things I love about this system is how well it integrates with its siblings, the Digital Zone System and Color Zone System!
For Blake, it's all about the art and process synergy. He dives deep into complex topics and makes them easy to understand through his outside-the-box thinking so that you can use these tricks in your workflow today!
Blake. Thanks for the color charts. It reminds me of my painting lessons while at school just like you said. I do all of my initial print processing in Lightroom. Have you detailed how to download these charts into Lightroom and Photoshop ? Being an old fart I need to see details of how to process them. Thanks for the great beyond the wheel lessons. I look forward to listening to the new one on August 6.
Graem Coles
No problem! I loved those charts in school!
You can just open them in Photoshop as any normal photograph. The next Webinar should be pretty interesting as well!
Blake,
You’re really moving on a pace and I guess it’s as equally exciting to you as it is to those of us who follow you, but (isn’t there always one 😉 ) I think it would help newcomers to assimilate your various systems if you were able to create an overview diagram of how they all inter-relate eg: how the CZS can be both a support system for the DZS and a standalone workflow and/or the role of a system eg: manipulate Highlights, Midtones, and Shadows independently etc.
Thanks for all your great work anyway – it provides plenty of challenging weekends as well as helping delievr great results.
Steve
I completely agree! I will have to put together a flow chart of some sort to show the systems and their implied uses. Maybe an info-graphic of sorts. Thank you for the suggestion! Glad I could make your weekend more interesting 🙂
Hi Blake –
Thank you so much for the ‘tonal Grading system’.
I have to admit I have not really used the Gradient Map adjustment layer apart from the odd mono conversion – but following your videos – you have really ‘opened my eyes’ – Even after just one try-out the colours are amazing!
Your videos are always just so clear and understandable – also your webinars for Topaz. I am not too sure at the moment if I will go the ‘whole hog’ with your Zone systems – perhaps a step too far for me?!
Many, many thanks for all your hard work –
Judy
Thanks Judy! The feedback means a lot! The Gradient Map is one of the most powerful tools in Photoshop next to the Curves adjustment layer! I love what it can do and, quite frankly, I feel it is under utilized in our industry!
The systems, while they seem difficult, are pretty easy to follow along with! There is over 3 Hours of instruction per system and it is a stair step type of training starting you at the bottom and working up! Regardless of the complexity, I try to teach to the lowest common denominator.
I appreciate the feedback n the Tonal Grading System!
“A Grade Beyond” is utterly amazing and the actions are some of the best to explain and demonstrate how gradients and gradient maps can improve photographs and art projects. It was a WOW for me! Blake further demonstrates his Digital Zone System and the Color Zone System and their effect. What a terrific package not to be missed.
Thanks Carolyn! Such a great review. I appreciate your thoughts on the system!
Is your Tonal Grading System still available, because when I click on the link for the free download I get the icon of dots going in a circle like it is loading, but nothing happens. Your website is great and I love watching your webinars. Found out about you through Topaz Labs.
So sorry about that! It was a conflict with a recent plugin I added. Everything should be great now! Here’s the link if you are still having issues.
Thanks for the cordial feedback! I really appreciate it!
Blake did you create a workflow chart for your systems. If so would you mind emailing me the link. Always impressed with your work and readily available assistance. Kind Regards Ian Dodd aka kundabungkid.
I have not yet. I am working on that for the Zone Systems Master Class. I will have something with that shortly!
Hi Blake. Jusr discovered your site and downloaded the tonal grading zip file. However, it doesn’t open due to a missing directory. What is it looking for?
That is interesting, can you try downloading it again? Sounds like a broken download. This is the first time I’ve heard this so I am curious.