Hi folks
I haven't seen anything new on colorization for a while, so I thought I'd post an example of my own and see if anyone would like to comment on it.
Ed

Hi, Ed. Welcome to Retouch Pro. Well from your photo, it's hard to tell just what you colorized without seeing the "before" version.

Hi Swampy
Thanks for that. If it's hard to tell which bits, I guess that's a good sign! Especially as I colorized all of it. From greyscale. I'd put the 'before' on, but it looks pretty much like the 'after' desaturated so it wouldn't be much help.
Ed

Well, in that case, Ed, that is a wonderful job. Colors are very crisp and clean. Excellent job.

I agree with Swamp...it would be nice to see what you had in the first place to see the difference. I've seen some photographers to get such color with just camera and light. I assume from your note that you retouched this photo..if so, what exactly did you do. Posting is nice, but the majority on this site would also like to know how you got there..thanks

Hi skydog
Thanks for your interest. Here's another colorization, and I'll post the 'before' in a minute.
I did this in twenty minutes, with the monitor set to monochrome for the first fifteen.
I use a new technique, of my own invention, and I will be more than happy to share it, but I'd like to get a bit of feedback on some examples first so that I get it as good as possible before I burden Photoshoppers with yet another weird colorization method!
Ed

Here's the original.

Ed, That is just wonderful! I would be interested in a tutorial! :-)

BTW, You can post up to 5 attachments per message... After uploading the first image, go back to the upload dialog and upload another image.

impressive!

Now I understand...originally I thought you had color and just made the color better...I'd also like to know how you did this...

Here is my version, I tried to duplicate what you did and I think I got pretty close. All except where the hairline and the face meet, as you can see.

I could have spent more time at it, but I thought perhaps you have a special method for that part? I'd be curious to know, and appreciate your sharing it.

I want 2 know 2 !

This is my try.

Ed...you were going to show us what you do...

tried to match your image.

Hi Ed,

Here is my colourized version of the photo. About colourizing i feel people to tend shy away from it and yes it is not always mentioned it's a very hard task and very hard to achieve as i have found out myself but i do love colouring black and white photos especially vintage one.


helen

Quick try from me.

Hi folks
Dorothea Lange's wonderful 'Migrant Mother', from the Library of Congress website. I worked with the over-sharpened 821 x 1024 pixel jpeg, but there is the lovely 55 MB tiff scan there too if you want a broader canvas. Here are scaled-down copies of the 'before' and 'after'.
There are more examples @ www.edcolor.com - all done using the EdColor Colorization Method, as described in the Ed's Color Method pdf. The Ed's Sat Mask Curve upon which the method depends can be saved out of the Ed's Sat Mask Curve psd.
This is all about thinking in HSB and working in LAB, so you might want to set your Info Palette Options accordingly. If you're the forgetful type, like me, tape this note above your screen: 'If it's not going well, you're not in LAB!'
Ed

*I've updated the pdf 'tutorial', correcting a serious mistake in the step-by-step procedure (Sat -100, not 0% - apologies to anyone who wasted time trying to work out what was wrong), clarifying a few other points and adding a bit about incorporating Gradient Maps - if you downloaded it before 27/02/08, please upgrade!*

Ed Fisher, your colors look so natural..... I'm looking forward to reading and trying your method!!!!

I do have some comments to make - but it's late now.

(Bookmark)

Rô

Hi folks
Dorothea Lange's wonderful 'Migrant Mother', from the Library of Congress website. I worked with the over-sharpened 821 x 1024 pixel jpeg, but there is the lovely 55 MB tiff scan there too if you want a broader canvas. Here are scaled-down copies of the 'before' and 'after'.
There are more examples @ www.edcolor.com - all done using the EdColor Colorization Method, as described in the Ed's Color Method pdf. The Ed's Sat Mask Curve upon which the method depends can be saved out of the Ed's Sat Mask Curve psd.
This is all about thinking in HSB and working in LAB, so you might want to set your Info Palette Options accordingly. If you're the forgetful type, like me, tape this note above your screen: 'If it's not going well, you're not in LAB!'
Ed

Hi Ed,

Thanks for sharing your colorizing method. I have visited your website and see your work they are very nice colourings, one thing I've notice I have colourized the Migrant mother as well but in yours i've notice near the baby's head there is a finger and thumb I haven't notice that in my image of the migrant mother perhaps my eyes are not as good as yours, anyway pls see the link below of my colourized version of the migrant mother.

http://www.pbase.com/mstmart/image/88639128/large

thanks

regards


helen

Ed, thank you so much for that "tutorial". I never have thought of LAB as a coloring mode.

I am a newbie but am interested in colorizing photos. Have done a bit of it. I tried Ed's method but I am sort of lost, well, actually really lost. I am using CS3, maybe that is the problem. Hue/Saturation adjustment layer comes with a mask automatically. If I follow the instructions for ctrl+Shift etc., I get a selection of the image and if I go to the add layer mask at that point, I get a vector mask. Also, how do you move the Saturation Mask Curve to the mask on the image layer?
Thank you
Karen

I am a newbie but am interested in colorizing photos. Have done a bit of it. I tried Ed's method but I am sort of lost, well, actually really lost. I am using CS3, maybe that is the problem. Hue/Saturation adjustment layer comes with a mask automatically. If I follow the instructions for ctrl+Shift etc., I get a selection of the image and if I go to the add layer mask at that point, I get a vector mask. Also, how do you move the Saturation Mask Curve to the mask on the image layer?
Thank you
Karen

Hi Karen,

If you are a newbie with photoshop the best thing to do is to familiarize yourself with layer masks, photoshop can be very tricky but layer masks is very useful too, browse around the board there are good tutorials about layer masks here and you will achieve what you want and soon be able to colourize black and white images. I am pretty new myself with photoshop and getting myself familiarize little by little.


helen


www.pbase.com/mstmart

Just delete default mask dragging it to small trash icon in layers palette and click 'add new mask' button to add your selection to your mask.

Hi folks
Helen - I think your Mother colorization is beautiful. Luminous.
OnAir - Thanks: I didn't explain that bit very well, did I? Hope I do better with this one:
Karen - Open Ed's Sat Mask Curve psd - open the Curve adjustment layer, save the curve to your hard drive. When you get to the point where you've just created the Hue/Sat adjustment layer (Sat 0%) and added the luminosity mask as OnAir clarified, then, checking that the mask is selected: Image > Adjust > Curves, load the curve and apply it. Before, the mask should look like a normal greyscale - after, it should look solarized.
Here's a titchy unflattened example.
Ed

Just to say thanks to Ed and all contributors for sharing their knowledge, I am constantly amazed by their skills.......

Thank you, Ed. I appreciate the additional info. I am definitely going to try it. I love colorization. Some day I will post something I have done or try out a challenge. Everyone here is so talented and generous! Their talent can sometimes be intimidating but I keep studying, reading and practicing :)

Karen

Thank you, Ed, for your additional help and I think I am closer but still confused on a key point. I would appreciate just a bit more help :)

Step 2 says to add a hue/sat layer set to 0, however, the sample you uploaded has the sat set at -100

I understand now that I have to delete the default mask that opens with hue/sat adjustment layer.

By adding a luminance mask, are you getting a selection of marching ants when you do Ctl+Shift+Alt+~ and then that gets added to the layer mask when you “add layer mask”?

I have Ed’s Sat Mask Curve. psd saved and it along with the image I am going to colorize are open. Here is where I am confused. It says check to make sure the mask is selected. Which mask, Ed’s mask or the luminance mask on the colorize image? I have tried both and gone under image>adjustments>curve and there is no option to load

I try dragging Ed’s layer to the image to be colored image and it gets the solarized effect, however, I then have a curves layer sitting above hue/sat layer with the luminance mask.

I can see that somehow I have to get Ed’s Sat Mask Curve applied to the luminance mask on the hue/sat layer of the image that I want to color and I cannot figure out how to do that as I see no options for loading a mask and applying it.

I am getting close but not there yet.

Thank you
Karen

Tried, but could not open, Ed's file. All I get is an image with the title and no place to open.

What am I doing incorrectly?

Thanks

albatrosss, the file is a photoshop .psd file. You need to open it in photoshop. My system is set up so that when I double click on a .psd file, it opens photoshop and launches the file. You may need to open the file in the traditional way under the menu of photoshop.

Karen

Right click the file and select open with...choose Photoshop.

I didn't finish this but it was done in RGB mode. I used solid color adjustment layers in color blend mode and one curves adjustment layer.

I will be trying out Ed's Lab method but I think this provided a very similar result.

Hi Karen
You're absolutely right, you've found another flaw in my tutorial - I wish I'd had you to proof it before I posted it! By 'set 0% Saturation' in the Hue/Sat adjustment layer I meant 'move the slider to -100' and should have said so!
You're right about the selection being added to the mask as you 'Add Layer Mask'. In fact you can make the selection before you create the Hue/Sat adjustment layer, which does the same and saves the trouble of deleting the blank mask and replacing it.
Ed's Sat Mask Curve psd was just a way to give you the actual curve which is inside the Curve adjustment layer, inside the file. When you open the Curve adjustment layer (double-click it's layer icon) you should see the curve itself, shaped like a shark fin. Use the Save button to the right of the fin to save the curve for future use. Now forget all about the psd file! When you get to the stage where you've created a saturation mask, apply the curve to it: don't create an adjustment layer curve, just open the Curves dialog from the main menu (Image > Adjustments > Curves), then use the Load button to load the curve from wherever you saved it to.
Let me know how you get on - when we've ironed out all the glitches in the tutorial, I'll update it!
Ed

Thank you, Ed. I have it figured out now. When I opened your curve, there was no save button, however, there is a preset options icon at the top of the box and when you open it, you can save the curve as a preset. Then when you go to the layer with the luminosity mask, it is under the preset curve menus when you go to image>adjustments>curves and you can apply it then.

So I worked on an image and everything was clipping along fine, until I wanted to go back and fill in some areas with more color. Other than keeping a specific palette of swatches for the image, how do you recreate the shade that you used to say fill in the skin on the face? Previously, when just doing color blend layers, you can hide all the layers and sample just the color you want.

Also, I really like Neat Image but it doesn't support LAB, so in order to use it, I have to flatten, convert to RGB and then apply that filter. Not a big deal, but thought I would point it out.

Also, what is the skin gradient process you have done with your sample image?

Thank you for your patience and support.

Karen

Ed, this was a little image that I played around with using your method plus Neat Image at the end. I wonder if I need more saturation in the skin. I couldn't get the blush on the cheeks with the saturation curve, so I made a regular color blend layer above the saturation curve layer and that worked for me. This is an old postcard from long ago.

Karen

very nice, thanks for the info....i noticed that when i run the curve for the SAT mask on the image you posted that it doesn't match exactly, do you know why that is happening?

Pixelzombie,
I attached a hue/sat layer to each color layer and then tweaked the saturation and hue as I worked through the image. I also added a layer outside of the hue/sat curve mask for the cheeks. I just couldn't get the subtle shading to work within the confines of that curve. Maybe some or all of these things contributed?

Karen

*I've updated the pdf 'tutorial' attached to my post of 18/02/08, correcting a serious mistake in the step-by-step procedure (Sat -100, not 0% - apologies to anyone who wasted time trying to work out why everything was oversaturated), clarifying a few other points and adding a bit about incorporating Gradient Maps - if you downloaded it before today, please upgrade!*

Hi Karen

Excellent work.

Did you establish a full tonal range before you colorized it? (Auto Levels, or however you set your highlight and shadow points.) I said you can 'scan loose and fine-tune the greyscale later, but must rebuild the sat mask when you do' - but you must do it before you leave LAB or flatten your layers. You won't get the proper relationship between tone & saturation in the crucial highlights-to-quartertones if you come out of LAB with a flat image and set your range in RGB.

Did you paint all over the skin with full-strength colour? The sat mask fades the colour in the highlights, so you don't need to - you should use a 100% opacity brush with full-strength colours (Hue ?, Sat 60, Bright 100) throughout. (At least until everything is covered, then you might go back in with a lower opacity brush to modify that base colour with other hues. I prefer to do everything on separate layers, e.g. a skin base layer, a blusher layer, a lipstick layer - it makes it much easier to experiment & change things.

Sample colours you've used already just as you say, by temporarily switching off all the other layers (including the Hue/Sat adj layer clipped to it) - Alt-click on the layer visibility eye logo of the layer you want. If you've been painting with a brush at less than 100% opacity, or reduced the layer opacity, the sampled colour Saturation won't read 60% anymore - just reset it in the Colour Picker.

I use Gradient Map adjustment layers a lot - see the updated pdf.

With many old photos, the lightest skintones have bleached out and/or got lost in the discolouration of the paper so that when that tint is cleared the skin goes too. 'You can't colour what isn't there.' Actually, you can tint whites with Colour mode layers in LAB, but, because my method derives saturation from tone, it really works best with good quality, full-toned black & whites - it may be that other methods work better with faded, high-key, high-contrast and poorly exposed images.

Hi pixelzombie

If you're talking about trashing and rebuilding the sat mask on my 'Layers psd' example, I see what you mean. The difference is quite dramatic, but it's nothing to worry about: My tiny example was created much bigger and downsampled to meet the site's 100k file size limit, so when you delete and remake the sat mask at the new scale, the aliasing is much harsher.

Ed

Hi, Ed,
Things are going great and I am moving right along using your method. To answer your questions:
Yes, I do tonal adjustments before colorizing. I like to use Neat Image as well and it only works in RGB, so my method at present is to open the image in RGB, run NI, do some background spotting by using the nudge method by Katrin Eismann, if necessary, and copy a layer for spotting and one for cloning, if necessary. Then I stamp visible for a wip and move it over to a new LAB document. There I do the tonal adjustments and start the colorization process. I may still do a bit of spotting or facial softening etc. in this mode as well.

I have to admit I don't paint the whole image in full strength color. I usually go with the brilliance that is inherent with the color but do move the saturation to the Adobe RGB setting (52) and then clip a hue/sat ajustment layer to each color and tweak it till I like it.

Yes, I do a color layer for every component; lips, cheeks, eyes, etc.

I added a gradient map to the hair on one subject, and found it added a nice effect. I will try to use it more.

Thank you for the tip on how to isolate the color on a layer but I didn't know how to make all the layers visible again without clicking on each one. But I found out it was just simply alt clicking again on the eyeball of the isolated layer and voila, they all came back on.

Unfortunately, most of my images are not the good quality full toned black and white ones. They are mostly turn of the century photo postcards; some of which have some color painted on them by artists at that time. They tend to have a lot of noise and damage.

Thanks again. I think my color work has never looked better.

Karen

Hi Skydog-The photo has very vivid colors. Why not make your bike this color?