Over the years we have had discussions of the free photo software available online and the successful use of it in our hobby, most notably photo stacking software. There have been some amazing pics posted on here using the freebie stuff.
My son gave me his powerful gaming computer and I have heard about free software that is available to colourize B&W photos. Have any of you ventured into this area and used some of the free colourization software that is now available?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
The "free" colorization software out there isn't very good at best. Since most people want to colorize old family photos, they are mostly geared toward facial recognition for appropriately coloring the photo. Inanimate objects such as vehicles, structuctures, etc. come out very bad and not even remotely close to what they should be. For cases like that, you need a quality program that allows you to select the appropriate colors. Those programs are also labor intensive if you want it to be believable.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Hi! Good question! Before I got Photoshop, I had great sucess in GIMP. It's a bit outdated, but it has many if not most of the major capabilities of Photoshop.
I took inspiration from Patty Allison's rendition of her colorized photo of the NYC Mercury and made a similar version from scratch:
Not to stray too off topic, but I've recently been colorizing more prominant pics in history, like the USS Arizona during Pearl Harbor:
You just have to insert an "overlay" layer ontop of the black and white photo and use the brush tool to paint whatever color you see fit!
Enjoy!
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
Trainman440You just have to insert an "overlay" layer ontop of the black and white photo and use the brush tool to paint whatever color you see fit!
NICE, But LIONS with big furry paws have never mastered using a digital paint brush. Well, him has never mastered using any paint brush. I got kicked out of second grade coloring class.
They say that prctice makes perfect, but I say practice annoys the LION and he will EAT whatever else moves.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Trainman440 Hi! Good question! Before I got Photoshop, I had great sucess in GIMP. It's a bit outdated, but it has many if not most of the major capabilities of Photoshop. I took inspiration from Patty Allison's rendition of her colorized photo of the NYC Mercury and made a similar version from scratch: Not to stray too off topic, but I've recently been colorizing more prominant pics in history, like the USS Arizona during Pearl Harbor: You just have to insert an "overlay" layer ontop of the black and white photo and use the brush tool to paint whatever color you see fit! Enjoy! Charles
Charles, that is amazing what you did. Can you have this done by noon tomorrow?
Haha I wish I could Brent, but unfortunantly I dont have the time right now.
There's a reason I choose to ususally color ship photos...the fact that they're usually in the blue ocean makes them really easy to color! By contrast, there are MUCH more objects on land. For reference, the Arizona picture used only 6 colors, where the Mercury took 38.
Your photo would take atleast 35 colors, since those buildings and freight cars would need some variety
That is one remarkable photo though!
Cheers!