Retouched and repaired photography

“hand” tinted black and white photography There are two main methods of “adding” color to an image. –Hand Coloring… Hand Coloring involves adding color to an image that was black and white through the use of paints, pencils or in our case, PhotoShop. –Spot Coloring Spot color uses PhotoShop to take a colored photograph and remove the color from everywhere except specific areas (for specific aesthetic reasons). –We will examine two techniques for achieving this look.

More painterly or unrealistic approaches… In 2005, legendary comic artist Frank Miller and movie director Robert Rodriguez teamed up to create a movie version of Millers classic detective comic series “Sin City”. One of the hallmarks of Millers style is his unique approach to both story telling and ink work.

Miller is know for a very simple looking (yet complex) high contrast style of working. Figures are highly stylized and there are virtually no grey areas.

Miller is also a master of composition and the use of negative space to create form and the illusion of depth. His sense of balance and focal point are among the best in the comic industry.

Some examples of the panels from Frank Millers comic books and the corresponding frames form Rodriguez’s film. Notice the same use of light, high contrast areas, composition and framing (as well as how faithful the director was to the artists images).

One of the most interesting visual devices Miller used in his comic book series was the use of spot color to create mood as well as establish focal point and balance.

Spot color in the movie… By using new computer technology, the film was able to create the same type of high contrast shots and spot colorization.

Your assignment… Using the same concepts as Miller create a high contrast self portrait and use spot color (judiciously) to create emphasis and focal point. Things to consider… –Framing, lighting (think film noir), props and costumes and background. Be sure to remember your background should be incongruous or you should be able to easily rip yourself from the background. –Use of the levels and contrast tools, in combination with your dodge and burn tools. –A narration box must be included. What will be in the narration box (should reflect you). –Some sort of writing, song lyrics, poem, something you have written etc.

A faux Miller comic style layout using the high contrast style of working and some spot color.

Hand coloring black and white photographs (from scratch)…

Hand coloring Hand coloring is the way color was added to a photograph prior to the advent of full color photography. An artist used colored pencils, or more commonly oil paints to paint color “into” the image.

In a hand colored black and white photograph, the color is usually much more subdued and muted and normally only in certain areas (spot coloring).

Marshall’s Oil Color One of the most common ways to add color – the oil pencil blended with thinner and cotton. The oil color would soak into the photographic paper, making the image permanent.

More painterly or unrealistic approaches…

Your challenge… Create two images. –The first is to be a hand colored photograph. Find an old family photo, and using the techniques discussed and demonstrated in class, add coloring. –The second is to be a spot colored image. Find a color image, de-saturate the image (as demonstrated in class) and create spot coloring, This image is to be narrative in nature. I would like you to spot color an image in order to create or communicate a mood, feeling or tell a story. –How does one tell a story through color (or spot color)?