Before the advent of color film, the only way to achieve color in photographs was to hand tint. This was very time-consuming and hence, rather expensive for the common man. We have come a long way. Now, we can have color photos with the click of a shutter and, if lucky enough to have a digital camera, we can shoot, select and print a photo in less time than it takes to load a film into a camera.
Today, photo tinting has become an art form and varied results can be achieved through many different mediums. With a supply of colored pencils or decorator’s chalks you have all that you need to add another dimension to your photographs. For those who are more comfortable in the digital world, many of the same effects can be accomplished on the computer.
There are a few tips that you should be aware of before you start.
1. To color black and white photos with chalks or pencils, your photos must be printed on a matte finish paper.
2. Select photos with simple subjects. Too much background will detract from the subject.
3. It is best to choose photos in which the objects that you want to color are not too dark, as when you change the photo to black and white, the darker colors will appear black.
The color photos that were taken of my granddaughter blowing bubbles in the backyard caught the exact moments that I was looking for, but the light playing on the bubbles was lost in the intense colors of the garden. To achieve a stronger focus on the bubbles and the denim overalls, the photos were changed to black and white.
In PhotoShop Elements, open your image, select "Enhance" from the menu, then select "Adjust Color" and "Remove Color." Print photos on matte photo paper or white cardstock - it is best that the cardstock is not textured. Color the denim overalls with a blue colored pencil. You will notice that no great artistic ability is required. The texture of the pants and the shading is already there in the photo. For the bubbles, use a very light touch and in pastel shades, color in an arcing motion on the side of the bubble where you think the light would hit. You just want a hint of color on one side of the bubble. Too much color and you will lose the transparency.
Photos of flowers lend themselves nicely to the use of chalks. All the photos in this example were changed to black and white and colored with "Decorating Chalk" by Craf-T Products. Colored pencils were used to color finer details such as the stamens on the lilies. Several applicators can be used with chalks and often this is more a matter of personal preference than anything else. Experiment to see what works best for you. Color the background slightly using cotton swabs or a make-up applicator. This softens the black and decreases the contrast. Apply color to the flowers in the same manner. To achieve a deeper hue, apply another layer of chalk. If you make a mistake, chalk is easily erased using a white craft eraser. When chalking flowers, use a sweeping motion, starting at the part you want the darkest and fading to the lightest. Colors can also be mixed, but it is best to try the mixes on a separate page before committing to your photo.
Photo tinting can also be accomplished with a few easy steps and a steady hand by using your photo-editing software. The instructions that follow are specific to PhotoShop Elements but probably adapt easily to other photo editing programs.
Start with your color photo, make a copy and save it. Open the copy and "Remove Color." Save. (Images should be saved in TIFF format.) You now have one color image and one black and white image. Copy the black and white image and using the "Move" tool, place on top of the color image. Use the eraser tool to erase the part of the photo where you want the color to show through. It is easier to zoom in on the area that you are working on to ensure that you stay "within the lines." Save the image once the desired result is achieved.
The layout entitled "Uncharted territory" was colorized using the same method as above but the colored part of the image was feathered (CTRL+ALT+D) for a more old-fashioned look. The opacity was also changed to age the photo and soften the colors.
There are a number of variations on this theme available in most photo-editing programs. Some of the more commonly used tools are posterizing photos or editing your photo to look like a pencil or pastel drawing. As you become more familiar with the various mediums and applications you can begin to "Color Your World."
