IMPROVE YOUR OLD PHOTOGRAPHS
No.3
Combining computer technology and principles
of painting.
This is a photograph of a local dignitary that hung on a very light effected wall for twenty or more years. As you can see it is very faded and any blue/green has faded out completely.
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The first move was to scan it into adobe photoshop and remove all color. In other words convert it to a 'greyscale' format.
So I searched for a background that might
describe the nature of the war the man fought. I wanted a stark, riveting
but an atmospheric scene. I found what I wanted but it was tiny. This was
not necessarily a disadvantage as I could repeat some facial and clothing
hues in the top half of the background.
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Next I applied contrast and then converted it back to 'RGB' or a 'color' file since I nedded to add color. I added color using 'color adjust' and 'variations'.
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Next I used masks and more color controls to vary certain elements.
Then I removed the background and applied a diagonal brown/gold color gradient from the top left to the bottom right.
I needed to touch up the result by adding a little rouge to the cheeks, sparkle to the eyes, depth to some of the shadows and generally to work the portrait up just as if I were doing a conventional portrait in paint.
The result you can see below.
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The final print size was 18" by 14", printed with a wide format epson printer, on canvas, with pigment inks and varnished before re-framing and replacing on the wall.
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