okokok this one was much harder to colorize. The original image had no shadows whatsoever, and no sky, both due to an overexposure (and lack of contrast compensated by heavy sharpening). It always made the photo look a tad "off", and I tried my best to rid of it but something still looks off to me atleast.
That, and also, the dreyfuss is inherently gray, making the photo consist mostly of greys and browns, making for a pretty uninteresting color palette. (the grime on the loco only added to the brown-dominate color usage)
(took 3.5 hrs, used 25 different colors, compared to only 9 in the Blue Goose)
Anyhow, I really liked this photo, so I figured Id give it a shot!
Anyone got suggestions for how to make it look more realistic?
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
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"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
No expert but I'd say somehow weaken the discolouration. That looks to me more like something that's been abandoned for a few years.
But interesting stuff.
Gray engine, gray day, gray groundwork. Not much to colorize, eh?
NYC_5445_Elkhart by Edmund, on Flickr
But, there it is.
Regards, Ed
I can't enlarge these pictures to show detail. But this is Elkhart, in March. I think I see frost on the upper part of the PT tender, and perhaps snow in the background; it's better as Ed noted if the sky is cloudy (and probably grimy) too.
Interesting commentary on wartime air-quality standards that all that schmutz on the nose and pilot didn't get there from the engine exhaust or coaling...
... and why all the rust on the cylinder lagging? That shows light, dusty, with clear streaks of what looks like water treatment chemical residue running down (I won't speculate from where).
I hear you say it was a crime to let an engine like that get in such a state. It was certainly a crime -- a serious wartime crime -- to photograph it in such a state (in fact, in any state...)
Thanks for the replies!
Yea I had very little background for this photo. The wartime-timing and the location and temperature makes a lot more sense now. I'll change it accordingly.
Ive never weathered a loco before in colorizing so I appreciate the feedback. I'll admit I started enjoying making it dirty so much I went way overboard haha
I like it. It has a 'gothic' look to it with a heavy hand in contrast. Or more like HDR (high dynamic range). It's a look that either appeals or doesn't, depending on the viewer's taste. The locomotive could use some care, but maybe it has just been parked there after a particularly grueling tasking.
Alright, well I lightened the contrast and toned down the weathering a tad. The snow in the background and frost on the tender is more visible now.
Since Im only colorizing, I dont "add" anything to the photo, so the sky will stay the way it is. I cant artificially add cloud cover without altering the photo's original look.
Due to the fact the loco was originally painted gray, having the photo in black and white actually makes the loco look cleaner than it actually is. That's why when you see the colorized version its a bit shocking how dirty it was.
This photo was fundamentally not a pretty one, adding color wont make it any more pretty than it already is, just hopefully more realistic.