Similar to the Reuse Image feature, the Image Color Change feature in Creative Force allows studios to reuse previously produced assets from their productions, define specific color instructions for retouching, and forward them directly to post-production as a new production.
➕ Add On: Image Color Change is an add-on feature. If you are interested in using it in your studio, please contact your CSM.
Feature Overview
Why bother capturing shots of the identical product in various colors when you can leverage Color Change within Creative Force? This add-on feature drastically minimizes production time, requiring only the reuse of existing images and the selection of the desired color for the product.
⚙️ Permissions: To perform this action, you must have the Art Director skill enabled for your user account and 'Edit' permission for Production view.
Getting Started
Color Change is a two-step process, first you will need to select the images, and second, you will then need to assign the color for that specific production.
With the destination production selected in the Production Tab, right-click it to bring up the selection menu. In the menu, you will see the option to 'Change Color.'
Production Requirements
In order for the Production to be eligible for the Color Change action, it must meet the following requirements:
Source = Photo Production
Current Step = Capture
Current Step Status = To Do, Backlog, or Rejected.
Asset Type = Image (Video and Text types are not supported)
The production must be on a Workflow that has Post-Production enabled.
📝 Note: VPI, Looklet, and Orbitvu productions are not supported.
Image Selection
After selecting the action, you will be brought to a selection screen where you can search or filter for specific assets.
By default, two filters will be applied:
[Product Codes = Same as Selected] This is a dynamic filter and will change according to the selection you have made as the destination production.
[Step = Asset Delivery] This ensures the version of the asset is one that has completed all post-processing during its previous production.
You will also see a badge indicating ‘Step 1: Image Selection’.
Filter & Display Options
However, you can use the available filtering options to narrow down the source assets as desired.
Filter Option | Function |
| Hover over the applied filters and select the 'x' to remove them if they are not applicable. |
| Select the Filter icon to apply any other desired filters to narrow down your search. |
| Use the free-text search to search for specific file names. |
| Select to apply display sorting options within the generated results. |
Remove Filters
Apply Filters
Search
Sort Option
Auto Select Images
When multiple productions share the same Style Code, Style Guide version, and are of the same Production Type, selecting images for the source production and clicking ‘Continue’ will trigger the automation box.
This box will ask for your permission to apply the same images across the other work units that meet the above criteria.
When clicking on ‘Continue’ the second time, you can see that the same images of the previous task are now auto-mapped to the positions in the current task.
You have the flexibility to update the selection for any tasks as needed. The image selections will be saved automatically, allowing you to choose and apply them to your current task at any point.
Color Definition
After selecting the images manually or by auto selection and hitting ‘Continue,' you will be brought to a new screen for color selection. This view will look familiar to Markup & Instruction, with all the same features, plus an additional marker tool.
Define Post Step
Before defining a color and leaving other instructions, you should first define which post-production step the directions are meant for. Any available Post-Production steps configured in the Workflow will appear as a tab option along the top of the screen. Select the intended target post step before moving forward.
⚠️ Important: External Post vendors will only see instructions added to the External Post step. However, Internal Post retouchers will be able to see instructions added to any post-production steps.
Marker Tool
When the color definition screen is opened, the default selection will be set to the Marker tool, displayed with the plus icon within a swatch square.
Swatch Select
You can mark the color by using the color code: HEX or RGB, or select a color by clicking directly in the color gradient field. Once you save the marker spot, you can select elsewhere on the image to pick and mark additional colors.
📝 Note: The maximum number of Swatches (marker selections) that can be submitted per production is capped at 100.
Swatch Upload
In addition to the Color selection method, you can use the image upload tool to upload and define a custom color swatch to be shared with your retouching team.
Switch between other tools on the left hand tool bar, or use the text box to submit any additional instructions for the color change or retouching guidance. When done, you can click ‘Continue' in the top right to move the task forward in the Workflow.
🗣️ Tip: Marker Swatches are not permanent after submission. You can edit or remove them at any review or QC step that has access to the markup interface.
Next Steps
Workflow Processing
After completing the image assignment and color selection processes, your production will be moved forward automatically through the Workflow. Regardless of whether Final Selection has been assigned to happen in Kelvin or Gamma, both Photography and Final Selection will be completed.
Swatch Visibility
Color Change data will be associated with the production and will be visible throughout Creative Force. Within the product slide-in, it will be listed below the product properties in a dedicated Color Change section.
Post QC
You can see the info within the Post tab on the right-hand side of the task screen.
Post Review
You can see the info within the Post tab on the right-hand side.
Hue
For Internal retouchers, the color change instructions will be shown within the Hue panel. If you have different post-production steps, and all of those steps have color change instructions, the notes will all be displayed in Hue.
External Post
For external vendors via Box.com or FTP, the instructions will be added to the instruction file. For other external vendors using the API, all instructions will be sent via the backend.
