Critiques - - First attempt at complete colorization

keepemcomin · #1 05-12-2004, 05:41 PM

I've added little bits of color to B&W photos before but this is the first time I've tried to do the whole thing...and I'm stuck.

I'm not all that experienced with PS 7.0; I use the "trial & error" method of learning. So, the solution may be obvious to everyone BUT me.

The things I see that are wrong with it, but can't figure out how to fix:
- Their hairlines are too sharp...the blur tool makes it look a little better, but I'm still not happy with it.
- Obviously, the trim on the woman's dress isn't finished. The design looks so intricate, and some of the detail didn't pick up well in the photo. So, I'm having a hard time coloring what I can't see...if that makes any sense!
- I'm not 100% happy with their skin colors. (Plus I forgot to colorize her arm...oops). Her face looks a little flat.
- I also just realized I forgot to colorize the background.

Any further suggestions or criticism is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Amanda

keepemcomin · #2 05-12-2004, 05:44 PM

Don't know why these things won't attach...??

http://www.luckeyfamily.com/original1.jpg
http://www.luckeyfamily.com/colorizedpic1.jpg

Gary Richardson · #3 05-13-2004, 07:29 AM

Hi Amanda, I colour everything on seperate layers, this gives you more control as you can use all the image tools, and layer blending and opacity to fine tune your colouring. I attach a quick colour job on your original image, I've only coloured, not adjusted the original in any way.

Leah · #4 05-13-2004, 06:21 PM

Hi Amanda,

You might want to check out this thread about attacing images to posts -- it may give you some pointers on what's going wrong.

One initial point - it is a very good idea when colorizing to get the best possible image to work on in the first place. That means doing the restoration first, and preferably reducing the grain if it's pronounced (as in this example).

You seem to have spotted the problems with this image already. I'm not sure what colorizing method you were using, though, so it's hard to give specific advice on how to improve it (apart from "remember to colorize the arm next time"

). So what I'll do instead, if you don't mind, is to talk through how I approached this -- there are many different ways to colorize and you may want to play around until you find one that suits you, so it's often a good thing to see the techniques other people use. I got rid of some of the stains and specks, adjusted the contrast with Levels and ran the image through NeatImage (available free from http://www.neatimage.com) to reduce the grain.

Then I colorized following the excellent Primary Colorizing tutorial from Worth1000.com. This technique isn't the most intuitive, but it's easy to do and I find it easier to get fairly natural-looking results that way. You might want to check out the results that RP member ajcutler has achieved using this method -- Elizabeth Taylor, a young Marilyn Monroe, and another shot of Marilyn -- to see what can be achieved with practice (I aspire to do work like that someday...)

Personally, I always have trouble getting good greens that way, so I cheated a little and at the end took another color layer (like the red, blue, and gold layers from the tutorial) and put that over the top -- although with that layer I masked it out completely and painted back in at low opacity just on the green areas to give the green I'd already got a bit of a boost.

charlotte · #5 05-13-2004, 06:27 PM

Wow Leah
That came out REALLY nice !
Charlotte

keepemcomin · #6 05-14-2004, 05:14 PM

That did come out beautifully, and thank you for the advice!
I did realize that messing around with the blending options helped soften the hairlines. I took your advice and found a picture that is black and white, but beautifully preserved with no grain or waterspots. So far it's looking pretty good.

Thanks again, everyone

rondon · #7 06-13-2004, 09:43 AM

looks good Leah !

ajcutler · #8 06-14-2004, 02:46 PM

Leah:

Excellent job at colorization!

For anyone trying the Primary Colorization method, you'll probably find that the skintones never quite come out like you want. If that is the case you can create a new top layer with a color blending mode, and with a low opacity soft brush, paint in a flesh color (for example a fleshtone sample you have taken from another color portrait).

Alan

Punch · #9 06-23-2004, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leah

Hi Amanda,

You might want to check out this thread about attacing images to posts -- it may give you some pointers on what's going wrong.

One initial point - it is a very good idea when colorizing to get the best possible image to work on in the first place. That means doing the restoration first, and preferably reducing the grain if it's pronounced (as in this example).

You seem to have spotted the problems with this image already. I'm not sure what colorizing method you were using, though, so it's hard to give specific advice on how to improve it (apart from "remember to colorize the arm next time"

). So what I'll do instead, if you don't mind, is to talk through how I approached this -- there are many different ways to colorize and you may want to play around until you find one that suits you, so it's often a good thing to see the techniques other people use. I got rid of some of the stains and specks, adjusted the contrast with Levels and ran the image through NeatImage (available free from http://www.neatimage.com) to reduce the grain.

Then I colorized following the excellent Primary Colorizing tutorial from Worth1000.com. This technique isn't the most intuitive, but it's easy to do and I find it easier to get fairly natural-looking results that way. You might want to check out the results that RP member ajcutler has achieved using this method -- Elizabeth Taylor, a young Marilyn Monroe, and another shot of Marilyn -- to see what can be achieved with practice (I aspire to do work like that someday...)

Personally, I always have trouble getting good greens that way, so I cheated a little and at the end took another color layer (like the red, blue, and gold layers from the tutorial) and put that over the top -- although with that layer I masked it out completely and painted back in at low opacity just on the green areas to give the green I'd already got a bit of a boost.

Hi... I'm a new member and have been intrigued by colorization as I recently purchased rights to a bunch of old photos. I plan to use them as is but am likely to try colorizing them also.

I found the primary colorizing tutorial on Worth1000 quite good but went through the CMYK tutorial http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161018 and was quite pleased with the results. Still in the experimental stage but am getting a lot of mentoring on RetouchPro and get a strong feeling of community here.

I even contributed to one of the mini challenges... a first for me as an inveterate lurker.

Thanks to all... Kent

NancyJ · #10 06-23-2004, 01:14 PM

I'm new at this too but I find that the CYMK method is great for getting the basic flat colours down but especially on old photographs it lacks 'life'.
It works fine on professionally taken studio images, particularly on old movie stars where their complexions were flawless and the photographs were crisp and perfectly lit but on 'real' people I tend to find that more tonal variation is needed which I add in in a similar way to the primaries method.

I think you'll find that when you start to colourise those old photographs that the colours can look very flat if you just use CYMK but its a great place to start for getting the basic colour down - which can be kinda tricky with masking primaries (wish I paid more attention in physics lol)

BTW where did you buy the rights to old photographs? I'm looking for some more practice material myself.

Punch · #11 06-23-2004, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NancyJ

I'm new at this too but I find that the CYMK method is great for getting the basic flat colours down but especially on old photographs it lacks 'life'.
It works fine on professionally taken studio images, particularly on old movie stars where their complexions were flawless and the photographs were crisp and perfectly lit but on 'real' people I tend to find that more tonal variation is needed which I add in in a similar way to the primaries method.

I think you'll find that when you start to colourise those old photographs that the colours can look very flat if you just use CYMK but its a great place to start for getting the basic colour down - which can be kinda tricky with masking primaries (wish I paid more attention in physics lol)

BTW where did you buy the rights to old photographs? I'm looking for some more practice material myself.

Hi Nancy...

You have a point and thank you for your input. Each of the tutorials suggests that you start with the highest resolution and clearest photos possible. One of the intriguing aspects of this field to me is the many different ways things can be done. Some techniques work for some things and won't turn out as well on others. If there were only one technique to accomplish every task it would quickly become a "one trick pony" and be boring.

I think I must have ADD.

I have begun many things only to become bored once mastered. With retouching and manipulation there are so many possibilities no one would be able to take it all in. Danny Raphael tells about his journey on one of the threads on this site. His story inspires me to try to master the medium as much as one person can.

Another technique which caught my eye on the Worth1000 site was colorizing with gradient maps which put another arrow in my quiver. Sorry for all the cliches.

I bought the photos from a dealer on ebay. If you'd like the name PM me.

They are in the public domain and are already retouched in b/w. I got them originally to handtint with airbrush but see the potential to do it with photoshop and other software. I am sure there is an audience for both.

...Kent