Hand coloring inkjet print
 

I'm looking for definitive instruction on hand coloring inkjet prints ie. paper, medium, books, tutorial links etc. TIA...skip

Hi Skip:

This isn't something with which I have direct experience or knowledge, but I am pretty resourceful and will help if I can.

Where the wires are getting crossed for me is: If you have an inkjet print in hand that you want to hand color, why would no need info on paper? Or, have you scanned old images you want to color digitally and want to print using an inkjet printer?

If you could further describe what you're trying to accomplish, perhaps I'll see the light and be able to point you in the right direction.

~Danny~

Thanks for the reply Danny, I have to believe members of this site have at some point done this. The reference to paper more specifically is: what print paper works best for hand coloring, Premium Luster etc. This is a goodwill project for a Seniors center, scanning their photos, doing the b/w conversions, and providing inkjet prints that they can hand color. It's amazing that a Google search yields little information, most of the search sites are closed down. From my fine art experience I formulated the following aproach, but I may be way off base. Thx...skip

1. Prepare a lighter than normal print file.
2. Print on Premium Luster.
3. Spray fix.
4. Color with Conte pastel pencils. (They have a medium softness)
5. Spray with workable spray fix as necessary.

OK... I get it now. The additional description helped a lot. This area of photo coloring (doing it by hand) is completely new ground for me. I'll poke around to see what I can find.

If you haven't yet, you might check out www.Wetcanvas.com. There are lots of folks at that site doing lots of arty things who use digital and traditional methods.

Another possible source of input might be members who participate in this very active Yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artshow_photo/

These folks are into selling their photo artwork and the variety of methods and techniques used is very comprehensive. You might join this group and ask your questions in that venue, too.

RetouchPRO member Vikki Hansen does some fabulous work of this nature. Perhaps she will see this thread and jump in.

I'll be back if I find anything else.

~Danny~

While most of the discussion in these threads focuces on digital aspects, you might unearth a few useful tidbits on paper, etc.

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1525

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=410

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8234

Hi Skip.

This is how we used to hand colour before Photoshop 1970’s My Commodore Pet with 32k ram (Upgraded from 8k) just wasn’t up to colour

Expose a half Plate film in camera
Dev and Fix and dry.
Touch in blemishes with pencil
Make B&W print with an Enlarger
Dev and Fix and dry.

If the subject had brown hair we sepia toned the whole print
If the subject had black hair we sepia toned everything except the hair (We painted a Potassium Ferricyanide solution onto the areas of the picture that we wanted sepia and then placed in a sulphide solution)
The print was then washed and dried.

For the colouring.

We used oil paint. The little tubes artists use. We applied it with balls of cotton wool
and controlled the amount with Turpentine to lighten and darken. A little paint goes a long way.

We found that Ilford velvet stipple fibre based paper was the easiest to tone and colour

I’m not sure how you would relate this to inkjet prints but it gives you an idea of the ‘old’ process.

Hope this helps.

Ken

Here is a useful line art plugin:
Line Art Plugin See example below.

For paper I would recommend a 60# or 80# cover stock with either a smooth vellum finish or maybe a linen texture depending on what is used for coloring. This paper will be strudy and should except color well. Test to make sure it will go through your inkjet. Photo paper will probably not accept color well because of the smooth finish. The cover stock will have the tooth necessary to accept the color and will allow for smudging. Bring some stomps and kneaded, rubber erasers and the senior citizens will have a blast. Good luck with your project.

I used to supervise a high-volume, in-house print shop so have had much experience with paper. Bought it by the semi-load. Way back when... I did do some coloring of photo copies with pastels.

The suggestion for cover stock might be a good one! I have an Epson 2200 set up with MIS blacks, so it should back feed with a minimum of fuss. I will dry the inkjet print, fix it, then try the Conte Pastel pencils with workable fix, then a final fix.

The notion is for me to scan their snapshots, edit and rez them up to 8x10, print them, then scan the finished art work to provide a CD for making additional Luster prints on their office Epson 820 Photo.

I will post the best example of the finished work when they complete them. One lady will probably get it done in one session, and it will be the best. The rest will take weeks. Thx...skip

Photoshop I remember those little tubes of Marshalls Oil Colors, Q-Tips, stomps etc. Oh my :rainbow: