First attempt at colorizing an old player photo

Splitter24 · 12-01-2005, 10:39 PM

Just received my first real photo editor today (Paint Shop Pro X). I know. It's not as good as Photoshop, but a guy has to start somewhere. Anyway, I've been really into making facepacks and such. Currently working on my 1970 opus. Thought I'd goof around and try to colorize an old black and white photo of my favorite historical player, Tommy Holmes. Let me know what you think. Be kind, though. I just started colorizing stuff tonight.

Mark Guest · 12-01-2005, 11:16 PM

Looks good to me

Jair · 12-02-2005, 12:05 AM

Looks perfect.

Eugene Church · 12-02-2005, 05:11 AM

Looks fine to me.

Well done.

How many players have you done?

Did you go back and get the players 1900-1950 that are in black and white?

Will you make the photopack available?

Y0DA55 · 12-02-2005, 09:41 AM

Wow. That's awesome. How do you go about doing something like this?

Splitter24 · 12-02-2005, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eugene Church

Looks fine to me.

Well done.

How many players have you done?

Did you go back and get the players 1900-1950 that are in black and white?

Will you make the photopack available?

Thanks, Eugene.

That was my first. I do have tons of player photos that I hope to turn into a photopack at some point. The first project that will probably be releases is a complete photopack for 1970 including minor leaguers.

endgame · 12-02-2005, 10:01 AM

Two thumbs, way up! The little bit of Eugene that's sticking to me says it's a bit "grainy", but I think that's part of the charm of an older pic.

Splitter24 · 12-02-2005, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Y0DA55

Wow. That's awesome. How do you go about doing something like this?

Trial and error since it was my first try. It took me a good hour and a half to get something that didn't look like he had some sort of yellowing skin disease. Basically, I'm using the both the magic wand and free hand wands to pick out similar textures. Then I choose a general color for the area that I've picked. The program then adjusts the color to the shading of sample and adds the color accordingly. The free hand wand takes the longest. The magic wand has a tendency to lump dissimilar objects together. For example, Tommy Holmes' hat is misstaken for the same texture as the dugout wall to his left. So those have to be clipped out separately.

I'm sure now that I've got one under my belt, I'll be faster in making these in the future. Plus, the original picture of Holmes that I sampled from (the one in my avatar) isn't as good of quality as most of my other black and whites.

Splitter24 · 12-02-2005, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endgame

Two thumbs, way up! The little bit of Eugene that's sticking to me says it's a bit "grainy", but I think that's part of the charm of an older pic.

Thanks! Yeah, the original black and white is kind of grainy, too, so that's probably why it turned out the way it did. I'll try a better one tonight.

jdew · 12-02-2005, 10:15 AM

That looks really good! I'd be very interested in seeing more. Great addition!

Le Grande Orange · 12-02-2005, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitter24

Basically, I'm using the both the magic wand and free hand wands to pick out similar textures.Then I choose a general color for the area that I've picked.The program then adjusts the color to the shading of sample and adds the color accordingly.

There's another way to do it, at least in Photoshop. This method involves painting on separate layers using various created flesh tone colours and then using the different blending options to make the results look natural.

If you want to read about it, head to the bookstore and look for the book called The Photoshop 6 Wow! Book and turn to page 144. The process used to colourize a black and white photo is described step-by-step. I think you can also find the same exercise in The Photoshop 7 Wow! Book as well; I know it's definitely in the Photoshop 6 book because that's the book I have.

Splitter24 · 12-02-2005, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

There's another way to do it, at least in Photoshop. This method involves painting on separate layers using various created flesh tone colours and then using the different blending options to make the results look natural.

If you want to read about it, head to the bookstore and look for the book called The Photoshop 6 Wow! Book and turn to page 144. The process used to colourize a black and white photo is described step-by-step. I think you can also find the same exercise in The Photoshop 7 Wow! Book as well; I know it's definitely in the Photoshop 6 book because that's the book I have.

Got a scanner? Maybe you can pass the colorization instructions along.

I have heard it involves layering, but since I've worked with the program for all of an hour and a half, i'm not exactly up to speed on what exactly I can do with this program.

Le Grande Orange · 12-02-2005, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Splitter24

Got a scanner? Maybe you can pass the colorization instructions along.

The books I mentioned come with a CD which includes example before and after files for each exercise, along with a bunch of layer styles for Photoshop and other little goodies. I could pass along the exercise files, but you'd have to let me know if PSP can import Photoshop files or if I have to convert the files into another format.

dfsteele · 12-02-2005, 05:43 PM

The photo looks great. I have been using the colourized photos which were on the PortraitMatt site, but that set doesn't include players after the 30's or early 40's (I think). If your photo set includes more current players I would definitely be interested.

SandMan · 12-02-2005, 06:43 PM

Looks good, I have tried to do this with old timers and it is not easy..

Eugene Church · 12-02-2005, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endgame

Two thumbs, way up! The little bit of Eugene that's sticking to me says it's a bit "grainy", but I think that's part of the charm of an older pic.

Yeah, go ahead, endgame...be critical and blame it on Ole Nitpicker Me.

Gambo · 12-02-2005, 07:37 PM

Great work... i goofed around a bit a while ago with colorizing black and white photos using PSP. I did a quick one of the old RFK...

These were for APBA Baseball for windows

Splitter24 · 12-02-2005, 11:13 PM

An attempt at Cecil Travis. Original black and white picture quality still not the greatest. I'm working on a better picture next time.

Mark Guest · 12-03-2005, 02:15 AM

Solid, but not as good as the first.

Brick · 12-03-2005, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gambo

Great work... i goofed around a bit a while ago with colorizing black and white photos using PSP. I did a quick one of the old RFK...

These were for APBA Baseball for windows

The day shot looks great. With the night shot, there's still the shadow of the roof on the field. Good try, though.

12-01-2005, 10:39 PM	#1
Splitter24 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Willsboro, NY Posts: 2,895	First attempt at colorizing an old player photo Just received my first real photo editor today (Paint Shop Pro X). I know. It's not as good as Photoshop, but a guy has to start somewhere. Anyway, I've been really into making facepacks and such. Currently working on my 1970 opus. Thought I'd goof around and try to colorize an old black and white photo of my favorite historical player, Tommy Holmes. Let me know what you think. Be kind, though. I just started colorizing stuff tonight. Attached Images __________________ Currently Reading: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen "Well, the game is afoot. I’ll take anal bum cover for 7,000." - "Sean Connery" SNL Celebrity Jeopardy R.I.P. Tommy Holmes 1917-2008

12-01-2005, 11:16 PM	#2
Mark Guest Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 258	Looks good to me __________________ Hickory Baseball League - Baltimore Orioles (WS Champs) Cooperstown Diamond Legends - Detroit Tigers (0-0) Smallball coming soon

12-02-2005, 12:05 AM	#3
Jair Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 165	Looks perfect. __________________ HPBL - KC Royals GM

12-02-2005, 09:41 AM	#5
Y0DA55 All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: In the middle of the Yankees/Red Sox Rivalry Posts: 1,771	Wow. That's awesome. How do you go about doing something like this? __________________ Do, or do not, there is no try!

12-02-2005, 10:01 AM	#7
endgame Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 16,842	Two thumbs, way up! The little bit of Eugene that's sticking to me says it's a bit "grainy", but I think that's part of the charm of an older pic. __________________ "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." -- Samuel Beckett _____________________________________________

12-02-2005, 05:11 AM	#4
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 36,218	Looks fine to me. Well done. How many players have you done? Did you go back and get the players 1900-1950 that are in black and white? Will you make the photopack available?

12-02-2005, 10:15 AM	#10
jdew All Star Starter Join Date: May 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,763	That looks really good! I'd be very interested in seeing more. Great addition!

12-02-2005, 05:43 PM	#14
dfsteele Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 113	The photo looks great. I have been using the colourized photos which were on the PortraitMatt site, but that set doesn't include players after the 30's or early 40's (I think). If your photo set includes more current players I would definitely be interested.

12-02-2005, 06:43 PM	#15
SandMan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 2,946	Looks good, I have tried to do this with old timers and it is not easy..

12-02-2005, 07:37 PM	#17
Gambo Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,388	Great work... i goofed around a bit a while ago with colorizing black and white photos using PSP. I did a quick one of the old RFK... These were for APBA Baseball for windows Attached Images

12-02-2005, 11:13 PM	#18
Splitter24 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Willsboro, NY Posts: 2,895	An attempt at Cecil Travis. Original black and white picture quality still not the greatest. I'm working on a better picture next time. Attached Images __________________ Currently Reading: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen "Well, the game is afoot. I’ll take anal bum cover for 7,000." - "Sean Connery" SNL Celebrity Jeopardy R.I.P. Tommy Holmes 1917-2008

12-03-2005, 02:15 AM	#19
Mark Guest Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 258	Solid, but not as good as the first. __________________ Hickory Baseball League - Baltimore Orioles (WS Champs) Cooperstown Diamond Legends - Detroit Tigers (0-0) Smallball coming soon