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Newbie with many questions.


PIXLR66

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Hi and apologies if I'm in the wrong section of the forum.

I have just got into photoshopping over the last few weeks and all I use is the on-line PIXLR which I am still finding my way around it.

My main interest is repairing old photographs and over this last week Ive had a go at colourizing black and whites.

I use a mac to do all my images but what I find is when I do a photoshop on the mac they look ok but if I look at them on my works PC the adjustments I have made really stand out and make it look poor, how do I get around this?

Another question, when I do colorizing of B&Ws I find it extremely difficult to colour hair without it looking like I have literally just washed over the hair with a colour, any tips would be helpful?

When colourizing images is there anyway I can work out what the original colours were, I can obviously pick between light and dark colours, my question is- is it just artistic licence?

Edit to add, when you get an old blurred photograph, is it possible to reduce or totally get rid of the blur?

Anyhow here are a couple of images I have done recently- (I bet some show up like described in my first question, if so could you let me know please)

Cheers PIXLR
Screen Shot 2016-01-30 at 13.04.56.png
johndenton.jpg
Augustines.png

Screen Shot 2016-01-30 at 19.35.50.png
 
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Tom Mann

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For someone who has only worked in photo editing for a couple of weeks, I am *very* impressed. Repairing damaged photos and re-coloring B&W photos takes considerable skill, and this usually takes lots of experience (ie, usually months or years) with the editing software to become that proficient. Did you use some other editor before Pixlr, or did you study photo editing / Photoshop in school?

With respect to your question about colorizing fine, whispy things like hair, this is one of the most difficult chores one encounters. To do it well, one usually needs very good selections, a background that isn't of a wildly different color & brightness (eg, other hair strands), and the use of layer blend modes other than "normal". I presume Pixlr gives you a choice of layer blend modes, right?

Tom M
 

PIXLR66

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Hi Tom
thank you for the compliment, no I have never used or studied photoshop software before. I do enjoy photography until I sold my gear recently to help with the house move :( I an in fact an aircraft engineer but have a reasonable eye for arty things, but I also think what makes it easier is I really love doing it.

I would think it does layer blending I shall check it out, it does do layers but I don't think thats what you're asking.

PIXLR66
 

IamSam

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I agree with Tom, you've done a pretty good job for just having started out.

I think colorization is very subjective. The real question is, do you want to colorize the image in colors that you think the image needs or do you want to base your colors on your knowledge of what color the textures could possibly be based on experience or reference.

In your baby photo, I think the colors are a bit odd. The shirt was probably a very light color with a pink or red bib. The object behind the baby was probably dark, it may have been green, but much darker. The color of the pillow looks natural.

For instance, what colors would you make this babys shirt, hair, eyes, and the pillows in the BG?

Screen Shot 2016-01-31 at 4.14.37 PM.png

Here's the original color version.
Screen Shot 2016-01-31 at 4.30.57 PM.png
 
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PIXLR66

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Hi Sam and thanks.

The picture of the baby is my uncle and when I showed him it he said its ok but all the colours were incorrect, the sofa was brown, the baby's bib was cream with blue piping and his t shirt was white, oh and he has green eyes :), but when I changed it he liked it I guess because he related to it but I didn't like it, here it is below. By the way I am still experimenting with skin tones ;)

Interesting the questions you asked me, I would have said blue denim shirt, ginger and big brown eyes, the cushion I would have done light simply because of its darker surround.

Screen Shot 2016-01-30 at 20.48.04.png
 

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