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This image was created in Photoshop Elements 7, I wanted to re-create the old fashioned hand coloured Black and White effect. I would like to know what you all think of this image and do you think I have managed to achieve my goal.
I see what you're getting at, but it looks mainly green on my monitor. I think it also needs more contrast.
Thanks Stephen, the image I displayed was the one that printed the best but this is the image before I altered the final colour, it would be interesting to get your opinion on both.
Barrie I think you have got pretty close to it with the first one but perhaps a sepia tint instead of green.
I think the correct term is hand coloured b&w, not to be confused with selective colouring which I think Stephen is thinking of. I used to do a lot of it in my b&w printing days with paint brushes and dyes and most prints were toned before colouring. I still have few from those days.
I also still collect the old hand coloured b&w movie star post cards.
A true hand coloured image should not have a lot of b&w in it at all as you can see from these vintage post cards although the dyes have faded a bit.
Regards Paul.
One day I hope to be the person my dogs think I am.
Certainly it looks more selective coloured than true hand coloured. On screen I prefer the second image - obviously I can't see what the printed result looks like.
Stephen
A camera takes a picture. A photographer makes a picture
I prefer the second one on-screen, but the first looks more "coloured".
Thanks Olypaul for the interesting historical pictures. I tend to forget the fact that these old pictures were hand-tinted. Looking now, they seem to hold a magical (nostalgic) quality about them.
I prefer the second one on-screen, but the first looks more "coloured".
Thanks Olypaul for the interesting historical pictures. I tend to forget the fact that these old pictures were hand-tinted. Looking now, they seem to hold a magical (nostalgic) quality about them.
We are spoilt in this modern age!
David.
Thanks David
The printed version is very different as it was printed on pearl paper so the colours were optimised for printing not screen but I was interested in other peoples opinions to the effect, it was very nice of Paul to post the images as it gives a good comparison of what I wanted to achieve. I also followed an article in Black & White Photography but I only have Elements because my main software is Lightroom, and you cant do everything in Elements that you can in CS, but I wouldn't use it if I paid out the money.
I like the effect. I think the first version looks far more authentic than the second. You might achieve even more of an authentic aged-out look by varying the extent of saturation/desaturation for different colours (see e.g. OlyPaul's genuine postcards). But the image you have (first version) is already destaurated and I don't think it would stand any more!
Did you make a note of the steps you took (that's always my failing!) and if so what were they?
I like the effect. I think the first version looks far more authentic than the second. You might achieve even more of an authentic aged-out look by varying the extent of saturation/desaturation for different colours (see e.g. OlyPaul's genuine postcards). But the image you have (first version) is already destaurated and I don't think it would stand any more!
Did you make a note of the steps you took (that's always my failing!) and if so what were they?
Keith
Yes I did:
1. Open Image in PS.
2. Adjust levels/curve to boost contrast.
3. Create B&W Layer (Layer>Adjustment Layer>Black & White)
4. Once B&W dialogue box opens try the different pre-set.
5. Now all you need to do is play around with the Opacity slider to get the effect you want, also to enhance certain areas you can use the eraser tool but be careful set the level at about 10% and keep working the same area.
6. finally flatten the layers, you still have a colour image so you can still adjust the overall effect with Adjust colours.
Please note that this was done in Photoshop Elements but it should be transferable to other software.
Barrie, thank you for the steps, notably the use of the B&W adjustment layer as, in effect, a different kind of desaturation technique. I am always interested in image work.
I've had a go with a quite ordinary original image. I found that the IQ (E5) was nevertheless too good to be convincing when antiqued, so I added a further few steps. I took the basic image and applied a slight Orton effect to make it less clear, and very slightly altered some hues in the saturation dialogue. Then used a B&W Fractalius layer just underneath, with greatly reduced opacity, to leave some outlines showing through. Then I applied your technique, and flattened the image. Then I used a faint desaturating brush to make the desaturation slightly uneven across the photo. That still left an image that looked too new, so finally I applied a grungy vignetted texture.
My thinking was that with a genuine original tinted photo, the tints would be slightly unrealistic (hence alter hues); as it aged, the print would have faded unevenly (hence varied desaturation) and the darker parts especially lines would be left stronger than the washier areas. Uneven fading and use would add grunge.
Without Fractalius one could probably get a similar, very faint emphasis of the darker lines by using a sub-layer of some Photoshop filter such as sumi-e or ink outlines, then reducing that to a skeleton by changing contrast and suchlike).
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