Colourising

[Kev Pugh]

OK Seeking little advice here,

Following on from the thread ....

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/digital-processing/3872-so-you-think-youre-good-photoshop-eh.html....

I have a little project that I have been wanting to do for a while in retouching and restoring some photos I have of my Dad from 1948 to create a Picture Book for my mother.

Having seen this thread I've decided to spend some time looking further into this I have been playing this morning on a downloaded image just as an experiment in technique. now I'm looking to see if it can pass the critique test.

I'm not trying to get a full modern colour but more of a period feel to it, Historically the uniform colouring may be off but this one has been done from a blind view, in other words as I see it and not from too much research

I don't know who the guy is, it is just a download as I wanted to basically use an unknown..who I have no connection with if that makes artistic sense..

 

[Pete Askew]

A pretty good job I'd say Kev and similar to some of the colourised images my mother had from that period. Skin tone pretty good and details look authentic although I guess it would be prudent to check say hat colour etc in the real ones. Lips don't look right though and I suspect the scarf was white. And I'm pretty sure the backgrounds were either off-white or paper base on my mother's.

 

[Kev Pugh]

Thanks Pete, My monitor is not calibrated so I may be seeing slightly different tones to you, this is one of the reasons for posting so I can get feedback on what others see online I plan on checking out the uniform colouring when I get started, this was more of a test of technique and workflow without any references so am happy with all your comments. The lips again possibly a little pinker than should be but that may be down to my monitor again. may need to check that out..Thanks again

 

[Pete Askew]

Could be. On a colour claibrated monitor it looks like he's wearing pink lipstick! I believe was frowned upon in the forces at the time (except maybe for senior officers!).

 

[Kev Pugh]

Just had a bit more of a play, there was defo a pink hue yanks what d'ya expect, now where is my Anderson shelter??

Together with download US Airforce Cadet Cap as reference



Thanks again for you input Pete

 

[Pete Askew]

Definitely better and the cap is very close. Bit of a blue tint to the whites of the eyes though and the lips still look wrong. What about just using a very faint red on them?

 

[Hamish Gill]

Im getting what Pete is getting too...
Blue white of the eyes and slightly effeminate lips
Impressive none the less, I downloaded the trial software, had a go, promtly uninstalled it after seeing how much effort was involved ...
If i had any need for it im would be very interested in pursuing it, but i dont, so i shall watch your efforts with interest

 

[Kev Pugh]

 

[Kev Pugh]

This is PS3 Hamish, haven't downloaded Colorise

Thanks again guys, input is great help

 

[Hamish Gill]

care to chuck me the psd? im interested to see what your doing... dont worry if you cant be arsed!!

 

[Hamish Gill]

the lips stil look odd, but i think it now might be an odd that works with the colourised look you are going for

 

[Kev Pugh]

care to chuck me the psd? im interested to see what your doing... dont worry if you cant be arsed!!

On it's way via email Matey

 

[Joan West]

For mens lips I tend to go with a darker shade of the skin colour, works most of the time.

 

[Kev Pugh]

Thanks Joan

 

[Hamish Gill]

Did I not post in this thread ilasking if you might to a photoshop colourising tutorial Kev?
Of did I post that somewhere else ...
Or did I not ask and am actually going mad?

 

[Kev Pugh]

Did I not post in this thread ilasking if you might to a photoshop colourising tutorial Kev?
Of did I post that somewhere else ...
Or did I not ask and am actually going mad?

Ahh other thread Hamish I'll have a look at it, not sure I'm on top of the game yet though.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Looks like your doing alright to me ...
Who cares about top of game... Who's perfect at anything?
No worries though

 

[Kev Pugh]

Cheers Hamish,

I'll sort something out soon

 

[Kev Pugh]

A little more playing, Not sure where the original photo is from, just another download, but I suspect it to be an airshow or museum shot, never the less it serves it's purpose.

As for the colouring absolute colour accuracy is probably a little off but for the benefit of playing I'm good with it, afterall it's not going to be used anywhere other than for demo purposes..

 

[Hamish Gill]

If you had a full colour shot you might aim for a look like your colourised b&w version! I like mate!