(AP) Hand Coloring Lesson
Hand Coloring
Get Out the Colored Pencils!
Without access to a darkroom and chemistry, it can be somewhat difficult to experiment with many traditional alternative processes. But the process of hand-coloring photographs is one that can be done with the colored pencils in your supply kit and a printout of one of your photographs.
Check out the before and after of a hand-colored photo below:
Hand Coloring
- Explore: What is hand coloring?
- Challenge: Which photos are hand-colored, which are digitally colored, and which are originally in color.
- Application: Practice hand-coloring a photograph digitally
Old School Process!
Hand coloring has a history almost as long as photography itself. As you remember, when the first invented photographs were only in black and white. Hand coloring allowed artists to create more lifelike portraits from the black and white photographs.
Take a look at this painted albumen print from the late 19th century.
Ask WHY not HOW!
Adding color to photographs is a very old idea. The first people to add color to photographs did it because photographs were black and white, all colors in them had to be added. Today color photography is the rule, not the exception so adding color to make black and white photographs “look realistic” has lost its justification. However, color has other functions. Color can be arbitrary- just check with any four-year-old about that. And color can have symbolic and emotional implications.
When adding color, the first step is to ask “Why?” not “How?”
What meaning does this color add to the image?
Images intended for hand-coloring with colored pencils and most other mediums should be printed on a matte surface.
The only paper that is absorbent will accept pigment in a way that looks natural, like it is a part of the image, to create an integrated whole.
Paper that works for hand-coloring has enough “tooth” or texture to grab the pigment and absorb it.
The quality of matte surface paper varies considerably.
Usually the more expensive the paper, the better it works for hand-coloring.
But don’t be afraid to experiment with whatever you have on hand.
When hand coloring silver gelatin papers, the surface but first be treated so that it can accept the pigment. But inkjet prints will readily accept most media. Colored pencils are the easiest for beginners but I encourage you to make several prints and experiment with whatever you have available to you: watercolor, acrylic paint, markers – try it, layer it, start over. Be willing to make mistakes and discover your own way of doing things.
For tips and examples of how to hand color traditionally printed black and white prints (silver gelatin) take a look at the work of Laurie Klein.
There are labs that will print your digital files on silver gelatin paper and kits that can be purchased to add color to this type of paper if you’re interested in trying this method.
Work of Laurie Klein Link
Links to an external site.
Let's Look at Some Examples of Hand Coloring:
Hand Coloring Demonstration Video
IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS