free downloads

[RJ_Paton]

http://www.pinoy7.com/
http://www.digital-foundry.com/index_paintshop.html
http://mardiweb.com/web/
http://www.wendiscarth.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

are good tutorial sites for PSP

[dennford]

Brian, all these graphics progs are intimidating at first but I suggest that you first just have a play, then look at some of Falkryn's links. I personally use photoshop but there are plenty on here who use psp and would be more than willing to guide you.
                                                Denn

[deadants]

here's another link for starting to learn PSP7

http://www.crowcity.co.uk/psp7/

[Brian & Berni]

thank you all for your help let you know how i get on

[Brian & Berni]

I have looked at the links posted but still none the wiser
Can anyone simply tell me how these two photos were changed

[Keith Bateman]

Hi Brian,

Simply - NO !! 

There is probably over 5 hours of work between the 2 pictures.

There two basic things to do to clean up a photo - I use the "patch tool" rather that the "clone" to alter the larger pieces - but that is personal preference. Then I use a filter - with noise, dust & scratches to remove the spots and scratches - save often as I go along for when something doesn't look right you can go back!!

All this is done with the photo enlarged by 400% if possible - which is why I like large scans - it is then easier to see the edges - which don't just become blocks

I think doing a cleanup is the first stage - colouring comes later!! 

But remember it is trial and error - I have only been doing these photos for a few months - which is why I use you "lot" as my guinea pigs - copying bits from people on the forum. I am also retired and spend a lot of time either on this forum or doing photos!!

I also downloaded a weekly coarse from this site:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/bllps5pre.htm

All the above by the way is for photoshop 7 which is the software I use.

The advantage of going thro the lessons is that they have the results in front of you - or in my case with 2 monitors I can look at the instructions at the same time as the picture - VERY useful.
At the time I thought some of the bits were less than useful - who wants to move a star and a fish about - but even I realised later it is the same for when you want to adjust peoples eyes etc etc!!
You can keep doing the lessons until you get it right - and even later they are still there when you need to try and remember how to move that object from one photo to the other and at the same time alter the opacity.

So there you have it !!
I bet you are even more confused now 

The thing is TIME - I don't really think people on the site realise the work that does go into this photo restoration ( now don't get me wrong I am NOT moaning!!) - but as we have all become more efficient it looks like it only take a few mins to alter a photo - OH NO IT DOESN'T!!

I also realise that looking thro non indexed census records takes a lot of time and skill - so we all do our little bits to help others.

Now I hope that doesn't sound like I am blowing my own trumpet - because it is in no way meant to - we all help one another.

Phew

Right, here  endeth today's lesson (who said something about school teachers!!)

Cheers

Keith

[Brian & Berni]

Thanks Keith
It would have taken me 5 hours to type out your reply
As you may have read by my posts that I downloaded PSP7  last Friday & I haven't got a clue how to use it.
I will try out some of your suggestions.
I was wanting to be able to do this so that I could give something back to rootschat for all the help I have had with my family tree

[Brian & Berni]

It probably wasnt the best photo to use as an example as it had been coloured
I have had a look on Paint Shop Pro & I cant even find the "patch tool" or a filter with noise.......etc..........(what does that mean)

There two basic things to do to clean up a photo - I use the "patch tool" rather that the "clone" to alter the larger pieces - but that is personal preference. Then I use a filter - with noise, dust & scratches to remove the spots and scratches - save often as I go along for when something doesn't look right you can go back!!

[dennford]

Brian,
     As everyone has said, learning a graphics prog' is a major task. Below is where I would be tempted to start - in the help file, learning where and what each tool does - clicking on each of the RED links gives a descriptionof and a basic working knowledge of each tool.
        I know that when I first started using these things, i deleted several prog's as being too difficult for me, however I kept having a nibble at them and eventually wondered what I had found so hard, just stick with it, don't be too ambitious at first and above all be patient.
                                                    Denn