Best Way To Regain Colour

[czcar]

Hi All

Have an image badly damaged by the sun, still has original colours on the outside as they were hidden by a frame, I offered to fix it for a friend but I have got to a point and I am stumped, Ive played round with it in Photoshop and Gimp. Removed big scratches and gouges, now im stumped. Any hints, pushes/shoves in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Original http://www.flickr.com/photos/22063001@N08/2122920471/

My touch up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/2206300...n/photostream/

Thanks a tonne

Cameron

[Damo77]

Do you think your friend would be happy with a nice black-and-white restoration? That'll be much easier.

[czcar]

Ive been working on a sepia / bw restoration.
Sepia is what he actually asked for, but theres still a tonne of scratches and patchiness in the image.

Its going onto canvas as Xmas present for the lady in the picture.
The outline (grey/goldy) area will be on the sides of the canvas and the picture on the front.

Link http://www.flickr.com/photos/22063001@N08/2123831678/


Thanks

Cameron

[czcar]

Sorry, so yea, any suggestions on how to make a smoother b/w slash sepia picture would be extremely appreciated

[James Penner]

I think B&W might be the best way to go as well. I think this image might lend itself nicely to a high-key/blur kind of effect. There's a lot that could be done to make the image look better than what I've done, but I think it'd be a direction worth exploring.

[czcar]

Thanks, ill give that a play with, thanks again for suggestions

[chillin]

First, I regained the colors from the part covered by the frame to see the overall
look of the picture. Next I try to match the middle part to it.
I have also created a pattern for a healing brush to bring back the texture.

[Swampy]

Just super, Chillin!

[chillin]

Thanks, Swampy.

[czcar]

that is amazing, just wow