I'm so excited I'm gonna pop!!!

[sjm]

i just completed my first colorization by the old trial and error method. I did use some of doug's suggestions, but since I still can't figure out the whole LAYERS routine, I just painted on a page like a kindergartener.

Any suggestions on how to improve the finished product?

And what do you do to keep from going blind from PS?

oh...i almost forgot.....


here's the link!

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1269000&a=9405164&p=53380530

[Doug Nelson]

Looks pretty darn good to me.

Start a new thread about layers and we'll walk you through it.

And maybe you could upload a copy, so that future achaeologists can find it here long after that link is dead?

[Doug Nelson]

And to avoid going blind:

At least once an hour, get up and go stare out a window or go outside and admire the horizon. Anything that gets you focusing on something far away and in a different lighting situation (farther is most important).

[jeaniesa]

Wow!!

That is so cool! I haven't yet tried colorization. To tell you the truth, I'm petrified to try it. I haven't gotten over my hangup of using paintbrushes, so colorization seems a long way off. But you've inspired me! Perhaps I'll just try one of my old family photos and see what happens...

One comment (take it for what it's worth, as I have NO experience with this): The pink in the right cheek looks a little too bright to my eyes. That cheek is shaded, so perhaps darken or desaturate the pink on that side a bit?

Jeanie

[Doug Nelson]

An alternate method for the paintbrush challenged:

Make a selection (use your favorite technique). Then go to Image>Adjust>Hue/Saturation, click on 'Colorize' and 'Prevue' and have fun with the sliders

If you're comfortable with layers (and you really need to be) you'd be better off making a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and using it in exactly the same way. Plus you can change your mind, re-edit, etc. later on.

Ideally a combination of techniques would be used, depending on what you're colorizing in the photo.

[vogonpoet]

one method I like is fairly simple and never actually paints on the original.

I start off my creating a new layer above the original b&w image. Now fill this layer with a colour. Chnage the layer blend mode to 'color'. You'll see that the whole image now has the colour applied to it. Now the fun begins! Add a layer mask to your 'colour' layer and paint either 'in' or 'out' the areas you want to be colourised!

The nice thing about this method is that its fully editable, the mask can be modified or trashed at any time, the layer with the colour can be adjusted using hue/sat anytime too, and the original image has never been touched .

This is a very similar method to that Doug mentions, using standard layers instead of adjustment layers. Or you can use both. There are many ways of achieving the same thing ~Vp~

[DJ Dubovsky]

Excellent work. Great detail. Now you're ready to color the world.
DJ

[Ed_L]

Looks pretty darn good to me. But being of the weaker sex when it comes to color, my opinion might not mean too much. Regardless, I still like it!

Ed

[kathleen]

hi sjm -

i think dj discovered your name is ? susan ? is that right? what do you prefer that we call you?

just wanted to thank you for starting this thread because you saved me doing it. i too have not colorized a whole b/w photo, and the tips you elicited are just the ones i needed.

also want you to know i too have a mac, altho i'm no techie. seems like i've noted just one other mac user in these pages. but if you need to determine if something is happening because you're on mac not pc, we can at least compare notes.

which reminds me, i was unable to open your link, it just said "no such device or address" or words to that affect in 3 different browsers. hope you succeed in getting it uploaded here. is it too big? i forget the exact size req. but seems like thatt was the culprit for several others.

appreciate your enthusiasm, 'tis infectious. kathleen

[paulette conlan]

Sue-No problem with the link.
I think you did a very nice job with the color. I love that old-fashioned daguerreotype style of portraiture.I think that is what it's properly called. I'm starting to experiment with making contemporary photographs look that way. As soon as I get something looking good enough, I'll post it to show you what I'm trying to accomplish. PC

[thomasgeorge]

Sjm, VERY NICE !!! You have a flair for doing colorization. Wonderful job. Tom