Bringing History to life...

[Alex K]

Great job on Kaiser Wilhelm, Alex! If I had the time and the talent, I'd scan my entire Imperial postcard collection and colorize them, just for my personal enjoyment.

Hi Mike, thanks that you like old Kaiser Bill. There are many images from that period which I'm sure are ripe for colourisation, all that "Bling" they seemed to wear! ceremoniously at least. It all seems very dull until you add a bit of true colour to them, and then you realise what it might have looked like in reality

Regards

edit Oops, it seem me and my PC were having a moment, unfortunately deleted the original comments, however to reiterate, photo coloured from an original postcard with identical uniform as in the photo, just a matter of copying one from the other

alex K

Edited March 26, 2009 by Alex K

[Mike Dwyer]

Wow, Alex, I own a CDV of Kaiser Wilhelm that appears to have been taken during that same photo shoot! Same mustache style (standard handlebar before he adopted his famous upward model) and the same medals and orders.

[Alex K]

Wow, Alex, I own a CDV of Kaiser Wilhelm that appears to have been taken during that same photo shoot! Same mustache style (standard handlebar before he adopted his famous upward model) and the same medals and orders.

Nice image, almost the same, although on your image, he has Red Turn-back cuffs on his sleaves, as does the colourised postcard I based my image on.

regards

Alex

[Alex K]

Another from the vaults, Erwin Rommel. All photo's from Bundesarchiv

Edited April 29, 2009 by Alex K

[Alex K]

And another Erich Koch, nasty man!

[Alex K]

And just for fun, Helmut Weidling, Aged Photo style

[Alex K]

Great job on Kaiser Wilhelm, Alex! If I had the time and the talent, I'd scan my entire Imperial postcard collection and colorize them, just for my personal enjoyment.

Oil painting on canvas by any chance??

[TacHel]

Alex, I am singularly impressed with your talents!

Would you consider writing a thread with detailed instructions on just how this is done?

[Alex K]

Alex, I am singularly impressed with your talents!

Would you consider writing a thread with detailed instructions on just how this is done?

Hi I am more than pleased to give advice as to how this is done. It is really quite simple with a bit of practice and patience, however, the process will vary depending on the type of software used as each piece of software uses different processes to achieve the same end results. I use an old piece of software (Adobe Photoshop V4), using this, each different portion of the image is replicated as a separate layer, then coloured and saved. It's a little bit like the old method of producing moving cartoons, where you start with a basic Matt background, draw around the bit you want, and add it as layer over the original over the top,colour it and then keep it? then adding additional? layers on top until for each different part of the image until you achieve the desired effect, sounds more complicated that it actually is

screen shot attached

[Alex K]

Three more, Julius Streicher (Bad man), Michael Wittman, and Grofaz!

Edit forgot, 1st two from Bundesarchiv, the last from Life/Google. They look a lot better as larger images

Edited May 6, 2009 by Alex K

[Alex K]

Hi I am more than pleased to give advice as to how this is done. It is really quite simple with a bit of practice and patience, however, the process will vary depending on the type of software used as each piece of software uses different processes to achieve the same end results. I use an old piece of software (Adobe Photoshop V4), using this, each different portion of the image is replicated as a separate layer, then coloured and saved. It's a little bit like the old method of producing moving cartoons, where you start with a basic Matt background, draw around the bit you want, and add it as layer over the original over the top,colour it and then keep it? then adding additional? layers on top until for each different part of the image until you achieve the desired effect, sounds more complicated that it actually is

screen shot attached

Here, all bits of the uniform and regalia have been isolated as a layer and individually coloured in, except, you may notice his right hand, which would be the next move to colourize. when all layers are complete, all layers are merged to provide a single colour image, this then can be manipulated to provide the required colour depth, contrast etc. Just noticed his medal spange is not coloured, this could be another layer to colourize.

regards

Alex k

Edited May 6, 2009 by Alex K

[Paul R]

Now that is great!!! :jumping:

[ccj]

Another from the vaults, Erwin Rommel. All photo's from Bundesarchiv

Oh, I'd love to have an 8x10 of Rommel. You did very well... :cheers:

[Alex K]

Two more, Unknown Panzer RK Tragers, north Russia 1941. It occured to me when colourizing them, would anyone recognise who they may be. Unfortunately no unit details known. Pictures Bundesarchiv

regards

Alex

[Alex K]

Maximillian Wengler with a nice frame!

Alex K

[ItemCo16527]

This colorizing stuff is a lot of fun! Tried it with a picture from a funeral card I have, and here are the results.

Original:

1st try:

2nd try:

[Alex K]

Nice, thanks for posting, the more the merrier, It can become quite addictive if only to see what you can manage, practice is the important thing.

regards

Alex K

Edited May 22, 2009 by Alex K

[ItemCo16527]

My latest attempt, Major General Carroll Deitrick. I'm still not very good at this, so the ribbon bars came out a little weird, and I couldn't figure out how to do the SHAEF patch on his sleeve.

Original:

Colorized:

[Alex K]

My latest attempt, Major General Carroll Deitrick. I'm still not very good at this, so the ribbon bars came out a little weird, and I couldn't figure out how to do the SHAEF patch on his sleeve.

Original:

Colorized:

?Hi nice work. From my point of view, I personally slightly mute the colours when I colourise. Hope you don't mind, but this is how I would have done it (Quickly), done the SHAEF badge also although it's a difficult area to get at. Comments welcome

Edit, I admit I'm no expert on US Uniforms but I may have a try at a few

regards

Alex

Edited May 23, 2009 by Alex K

[ItemCo16527]

Alex, that is perfect and exactly what I was attempting (poorly) to do. I just could not find the right color for his uniform. Thank you for fixing it! :)

[Alex K]

Alex, that is perfect and exactly what I was attempting (poorly) to do. I just could not find the right color for his uniform. Thank you for fixing it!

Hi Jeff, thanks, I was not trying to preach, but having done many, you get the feel for it. I did't really change your original colour but reduced the brightness a bit and the depth of colour, ?so that the colours don't "Glow" Kept your ribbons as you coloured them because they actually looked fine and not over coloured. (Did Alter the cap band slightly to show some contrast with the rest of the cap), looked at some actual colour shots for ideas

regards

Alex

[ItemCo16527]

I can't wait til I have enough experience to have pictures turn out like yours. You have quite a talent for making them look like they were originally taken in color. I'll have to practice more when I have some free time this weekend. Thank you again, Alex :)

[ccj]

I do mostly Hungarian photos since i know that kind of uniforms best.

Here a photo from 1944 of General vit?z Ferenc Kisbarnaki.

Great job Peter

[ccj]

Something a bit different for me and a bit of a challenge, Hungarian Ambassador Eugen Ratz, My thanks to Hunyadi and Rick Research who gave me some good pointers as to uniform and medal bar details

regards

Alex K

Alex,

You have become a Master of colorization

[Alex K]

Alex,

You have become a Master of colorization

Thankyou, it was a bit of a challenge to try and capture all those gongs and ribbon bars in their truest natural colours. I also agree that the Hungarian officer posted by Peter of General Ferenc Kisbarnaki is an very nice example of what can be achieved.

regards

Alex

One more from me a slightly dramatic portrait of Von Rundstedt

Edited May 23, 2009 by Alex K