Photo Colorization

fastpitch17

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I like to colorize old black and white photos and restore the same as a hobby mainly now.

First one is a comparison I preformed against what a high paid restorer does. No looking at his work first.
DsaCVM.jpg

This is an older train the Streamline.
HyTaOj.jpg

Hopefully this photo is allowed here. If not, just remove it. It is an open domain old Bali Postcard pic from the late 40s I believe. I came as a request for me to do but it holds no copyright.
IIBlyn.jpg


Anyone else do any special editing or restoration of photos?
 
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When I read that you colorize photos, I was curious as to what that looks like. Thanks for posting these.

So do you use photoshop or?
 
When I read that you colorize photos, I was curious as to what that looks like. Thanks for posting these.

So do you use photoshop or?
I do. I started back with restoring of old photos with a program I can't even remember the name of any longer. When I started colorizing I broke down and invested in PS3 at the time. The latest out there then. Up graded until CS6 and probably won't spend the cash for any other upgrades since most of the improvements to it are not things I would normally use. Photo shop serves it purpose but even more important is a tablet and pen to do the work. It just could never be done with a mouse no matter how delicate it may be.

I also enjoy taking colored photos of people and making them into B/W or color line drawings. Now that I have put down the camera doing pretty girl shoots, retiring from a real job, and moving here, (first two caused from the last one) I have a lot of time to kill so I do a lot of editing. Some for me, some for others.
 
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How do you reference the colors? I mean, how can you know that the train above is meant to be a given shade of red? Are there any clues in the photos, or is it all a matter of imagination and/or text based descriptions?
 
How do you reference the colors? I mean, how can you know that the train above is meant to be a given shade of red? Are there any clues in the photos, or is it all a matter of imagination and/or text based descriptions?

A lot of different things. Some I just decide that it looks good this way. Other things I find some reference to somewhere. Sometimes the people that request it somewhat tell me what they are looking for. I love doing people the most and over a lot of years I put together my own color palettes. Skin, lips, eyes, and other body parts colors taken mainly from color photos of real people. There are Palettes for Civil War, WWI, WWII uniforms too. As for the red on the train, I read an article associated with the train that mentioned a blazing bright red engine speeding down the tracks passing in a silver and red blur. I went from that.
 
This is very cool! I always love old colorized photos. It gives a whole other dimension to the story.
 
This is very cool! I always love old colorized photos. It gives a whole other dimension to the story.

As I do. There are a number out there that argue that it takes away from the history because if color photography wasn't around then, it shouldn't be changed today. I will admit that there are some photos that just look better in B/W then they ever would in color.
 
Sometimes I feel that just bringing out the area one needs to focus on works well. Mainly if there is a central figure. In this case, I bought out the pretty girl and made sure she had a nice colorful dress to contrast the drab background. Cleaned up the entire photo. Lots of tiny scratches on the sides that normally indicates being put in and removed from a photo album. Very hard to see but to find them I blow it up 300 to 400 percent. Find all the dust marks from scanning that way too. You can always tell if something is professionally scanned. If not, lots of dust marks either on the photo or on the scanner screen.
ULMPVN.jpg
 
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That's awesome! I stopped at hand coloring and touching up B&W prints a long time ago. I figured it could be done digitally now, but you're doing work that's way beyond my art talents. :D Great work!

New thread for personal art project showcases perhaps? I know at least one of the mods is great behind the camera (though maybe not so well in front? Just kidding!!!) :D
 
That's awesome! I stopped at hand coloring and touching up B&W prints a long time ago. I figured it could be done digitally now, but you're doing work that's way beyond my art talents. :D Great work!

New thread for personal art project showcases perhaps? I know at least one of the mods is great behind the camera (though maybe not so well in front? Just kidding!!!) :D

I know there is a Thread for photos already.

Hand touch ups. Tried a little. Color blending is so much easier digitally, I have to say. I think it is something that photo studios mainly work in digital today. Editing is all digital. No wasted film. Still, prices for their service keeps going up when their cost has come down quite a bit over all.
 
Please! Please! Please! Keep it coming. I really love this kind of things and to see that people can be creative. Unfortunately I have never been talented for any form of art.
 
Here is a couple of my line arts. Takes about 2 minutes each normally.
The KOTAK Band
vTMmhU.jpg
 
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Please! Please! Please! Keep it coming. I really love this kind of things and to see that people can be creative. Unfortunately I have never been talented for any form of art.

I always wished I could draw but try as I might, no talent for that whatsoever. Scribble is about the best I can do in that department.
 
Sometimes it's just fun to sit back and find some art that was just a B/W drawing and make like a coloring book.
cOvHom.jpg
 
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Wow, really beautiful! I use PS a bit for editing, but not for anything like you're doing. A great addition to the forum.

I could easily see this last one hanging in my house.
 
Wow, really beautiful! I use PS a bit for editing, but not for anything like you're doing. A great addition to the forum.

I could easily see this last one hanging in my house.
I actually have built it up to a 22X14. Mega hi resolution. It's over 21Mb. Had some prints done in Jakarta but can't find even a Fuji place here. May have to trust Jakarta to ship to me. It isn't beyond me to find a painting or some print hanging somewhere and walking up to it and try to get a good clear straight on shot of it so I can bring it home and do some work on it.
 

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