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In this tutorial, I explain my techniques for colorizing an old photograph. In this example we will be using an old lo-res portrait of a Civil War veteran we downloaded from a genealogy site, to create the image at left. The master image is 302pixels X 400pixels @ 72dpi. That resolution is fine for the web, but will produce terrible results if printed. Our job is to remedy this. For this project you need 3 things. 1.) A computer w/ adequate RAM, 2.) An image creation program capable of supporting layers, 3.) Patience. And one more thing...SAVE OFTEN! Click on the thumbnail at left for a larger version of the finished graphic. |
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To make this portrait usable for printing, we are going to enlarge it to a minimum of 200dpi. We cannot manipulate pixels that don't exist, so we must increase the number of pixels from 72dpi to 200dpi. We do this by duplicating the existing pixels. On the right, we have enlarged the image to a respectable size, and changed the resolution to 200dpi. We then duplicated the layer 3x, changing the blending mode of each layer to brighten and increase contrast. in the lower right corner, you can see the layers pallet. |
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Here, we cropped out the head, and repeated the process. We now have our source image in a usable condition. Save As the appropriate file name, in tif format, so the image will not pixelate further. |
Using the Lasso Tool we have removed the background, isolating the head, and created a transparent background. |
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Create a white background layer, we will keep this layer separate from the rest for the duration of the project. Next, switch to the image layer, go to Layer/Layer Style/Stroke and put a 3px, brightly colored line around your image. This is to highlight any imperfections in the edges that occurred during your selection process. You can see our guy needs some attention at the top of his head, the tip of his nose, and the bottom of his prodigious beard. |
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We have cleaned up the edges using the Erasure Tool, changed the Stroke to 1px, dark brown, inside. Because we enlarged the pixels, his skin looks blotchy. We are going to give him a facial. This is where the patience part kicks in. We are going to use the Smudge Tool, using the default settings, and carefully blend the entire face. Start by blending areas that are similar in tone, then when it is blocked in , pay close attention to the areas where light & dark meet. Don't overdo this treatment. Subtlety is the key to a lifelike representation. Remember, we are here to enhance the existing image. SAVE OFTEN! |
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The image at left has been smoothed. We left the hair alone, concentrating on the skin. The first color layer is an overall flesh tone, set to Multiply, adjusting the Opacity to taste.. |
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Here a pale green layer, has been laid out in the lightest shadow areas. No need to be precise here, just slather on the color. Layer/Rasterize/Fill Layer. Layer/Remove Layer Mask/Apply. This process will be repeated for each color layer. |
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Go to Filter/Blur/Gaussian Blur and blur the layer into a color cloud as shown on the left. Adjust the Opacity percentage until the desired effect is achieved. |
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Go to the Blending Mode pallet, and change the setting to Multiply. |
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The process is repeated for each color layer, changing the blending mode for each to get the desired effect. |
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Here is a list of the colors, Blending Modes, and Opacity settings for each layer used in this graphic starting with the Pale Green color. |
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#9BB294-Multiply-100%, |
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It is OK if the layers overlap, in fact it is desirable, every portion of the face has color, and overlapping the colors will create a richness and subtlety of color. |
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Experiment with each color layer when blurring and changing the Blending Mode, this process is largely trial & error. With practice you will discover what works and what doesn't. SAVE OFTEN! (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) |