RootsChat.Com

Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: Holly Golightly on Wednesday 01 June 05 14:36 BST (UK)

Title: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Holly Golightly on Wednesday 01 June 05 14:36 BST (UK)
Hi,

I had a quick try at colourising the following two pic's with psp9. What does everyone think. Any tips?
No 1.
(http://www.tribalpages.com/tpphotos/fullphotos43/bodd1_430378.jpg)(http://www.geocities.com/censuslookupimages/pic.jpg)

No 2.
(http://www.tribalpages.com/tpphotos/fullphotos43/bodd1_430391.jpg)(http://www.geocities.com/censuslookupimages/maryann.jpg)

Holly
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Nessie on Wednesday 01 June 05 14:40 BST (UK)
I'm no expert, but they look fine to me.
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Jane Eden on Wednesday 01 June 05 21:18 BST (UK)
As another new starter I think you have done very well. The blue behind the woman looks a bit bright to me but I'm sure the experts will help out.

Keep on going

Jane
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Holly Golightly on Wednesday 01 June 05 21:56 BST (UK)
Thaks for your comments.

I took your suggestion Jane. Does the blue look better on this one?

(http://www.geocities.com/censuslookupimages/maryanndarker.jpg)

Holly
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: deadants on Wednesday 01 June 05 23:12 BST (UK)
Hi Holly,
   You have obviously got the steps worked out how to achieve a colour photo, now you just have to fine tune it. The boys  hair needs some work as it is yellow and the clothes are going into the bright fluro range of colors. Almost everyone who tries their hand at colorizing does this, it just a matter of technique and practice.

 You might want to have a go at colorizing a modern photo, one of yourself for instance. If its a colour photo just  desaturate it then you can start to colour it using the same techniques. You know the true colour of hair, skin and clothes in the original so you just have to try and reproduce those colors.
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Jane Eden on Wednesday 01 June 05 23:31 BST (UK)
Holly

Yes I think it looks much better. Well done.

Jane
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: uk2003 on Thursday 02 June 05 14:11 BST (UK)
Hi Holly

Hope you like it  :) I will have a go at the lady later.

Done with PSP9.

To stop getting bright fluro colours, in Layers - New Adjustment Layer - Colour Balance go to the General tab, change Opacity to below 50 you can also change Blend Mode to Colour, also in the Adjustment tab screen uncheck Preserve Luminance.

The General Tab is the best place to play with the controls and colours 

Regards
Ken
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: uk2003 on Thursday 02 June 05 17:13 BST (UK)
Something not right but cannot put finger on it  ???
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Emjaybee on Thursday 02 June 05 18:59 BST (UK)
Try a gentle twiddle with brightness and contrast to bring up the detail.
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Holly Golightly on Friday 03 June 05 09:32 BST (UK)
Hello Everyone,

Thankyou for the tips, one can only learn! I am now having another go using your suggestions.

With regard to the boys hair colour i actually took it off a photo of his great grandson who looks uncannily like him. Thankyou for your go kenhar the face on the woman doesnt seem right at all.  Maybe taking the lines of the face was the problem?

Thanks again,
Holly
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Emjaybee on Friday 03 June 05 17:36 BST (UK)
Another effort - just for the hell of it!
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: deadants on Saturday 04 June 05 00:15 BST (UK)
Not bad Michael. The eyes seem a bit dark and sunken, but the skin tone is lookig much better.
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: vhansen on Sunday 12 June 05 20:18 BST (UK)
I would bring more colors into the image. Many times, if just a few colors are used, the coloring has a "dyed" appearance. I would also desaturate the brighter colors.
Here's my try at it.
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Jane Eden on Sunday 12 June 05 21:55 BST (UK)
Vikki

When you colourised did you use normal or colour?
Also do you use fill layers or adjustment layers?
What program are you using?

It gives a superb effect.

Jane
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: vhansen on Sunday 12 June 05 23:15 BST (UK)
Thanks Jane.
I use Photoshop, but it's not really the program one uses, it's how the color is applied, so any program should work. I basically use just 3 colors to colorize. Red, green, and blue.  Here's a tutorial for the technique I use. It's very different from the usual coloring techniques, and it takes some getting use to.
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161015  (http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161015)
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: Jane Eden on Sunday 12 June 05 23:36 BST (UK)
Vikki

Thanks. I have printed off the tutorial and I will have a go.

Jane
Title: Re: My first go at Colourizing - What do you think
Post by: deadants on Monday 13 June 05 10:23 BST (UK)
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161015  (http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161015)

Thanks for the link Vikki, I will try this tomorrow. I hope I can get to your level of expertise. I was using another tutorial from Worth1000, but it was using curves in cmyk. Hopefully your link will produce better  results.