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| Adding Colour To B&w Portrait; hay-yulp hay-yulp | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 22 2010, 07:43 PM (793 Views) | |
| Svee | Apr 22 2010, 07:43 PM Post #1 |
 
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Ok guys, i need some advice here please. Im doing a portrait of a friend and it was originally going to be black and white (which is what ive done) but ive now decided i would love to make it colour. Im very worried though, the last time i did this i used AA transparents to add the colour and it ruined it. It looked so crappy you wouldnt believe. So ive had a look around and there doesnt seem to be any such thing as a "flesh candy" so what you guys use? I thought maybe orange or red candy but i think they are going to be too overpowering and the lassy in the pic will end up looking very odd indeed lol. Theres also the issues of bleeding, this is on a 2.5 by 3.5 foot canvas and needs to stay a matt finish so clearing it is a no go (unless it is matt finish of course). Im almost tempted to re-do it cos i would have just gone straight in there with the flesh tone if i knew i was gonna be doing colour but ive only got a week left to finish it and theres still loads left to do  Below is the pic im painting (minus the purple background). Getting that flesh tone isnt going to me easy me thinks. Cheers chaps.  
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| Hasey | Apr 22 2010, 09:16 PM Post #2 |
Silverfox
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Svee how about Wicked's new Detail Colours? They spray great and can be reduced to be very transparent, they're also available here. 
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| Guns | Apr 23 2010, 08:46 AM Post #3 |
Usque ad mortem Bibendum
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I've got some Lechler Macrofan 2000 Matt with hardner if you need some mate. Damn that stuff flows nicely, I just gave a tank I am working on a quick coat last night and it is magic stuff 
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| markralph | Apr 23 2010, 09:17 AM Post #4 |
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A photographer friend of mine was showing me some of his recent stuff, he had done some B & W portrait/wedding stuff, he had then tinted only certain parts with colour in Photoshop such as the guys tie some of the flowers in the background. It did look really effective. Might be a way of meeting in the middle on your pic Svee, wouldn't have to worry about skin tone then. Just a thought ;-) Mark |
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| cackiepratt | Apr 23 2010, 06:35 PM Post #5 |
cackiepratt
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  Svee, depending how far you got with the painting, and the degree of black and white , why not go with just coloring the braids and Tattoos and maybe a hint of color in the hair, why not Photo shop it first to see what it would look like, just my thoughts mate, shame to start all over again maybe you could post up what you have already done, ? I done this with a black and white painting I done some time ago, it was a wedding portrait of the bride and groom, and I made the roses she was holding red, it made the picture pop.
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| KatLeib | Apr 24 2010, 02:08 PM Post #6 |
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Could you show the black and white version? If you did it on grey shades, you will just subtle tint it. If you did it in reduced black, you will hit problems with some shifting and muddy colors. Correct this by going back in with true gray shades. The only snag there is you need to keep the values on the lighter side for the grayscale because adding the color will add value as well. Nguyen does his stuff in greyscale first and adds color last. He does a pencil sketch first, with an H if memory serves me, then he will add color with the airbrush then detail with a paint brush. One thing to keep in mind, go for likeness and a good painting, remember it does NOT have to be photo real in accuracy....you can easily do this... |
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| Svee | Apr 24 2010, 03:00 PM Post #7 |
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Cheers everyone. Really appreciate the replies. This is how she looks at the moment, ive gone too heavy with the black but thats something i intend to fix next week... |
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| KatLeib | Apr 24 2010, 03:42 PM Post #8 |
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You will want to lighten it at least 50%. Your values BEFORE you add the color, in the grey scale piece, should be 60% lighter than the final. I would mix about 10 shades of greys. With a dark gray for the darkest value and a near white for the lightest. It doesn't take much black to add to the white. Go back in and rework in the greys then add REDUCED color in layers... It will looks a bit bluish but that is okay. The color addition will negate that. Another thing that will help is a black and white reference image and decrease the contrast so it is flatter and lighter. Use this as the ref for the grey work. |
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| Mr Pid | Apr 24 2010, 06:39 PM Post #9 |
Misunderstood Genius!!
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I wouldnt do it mate - that photo is well saturated and the black and white is very contrasting and the colour will look muddy as hell. Kat is correct in what she is say but its alot of work and it has to be spot on before you add colour. I never use black if doing portrait stuff in colour, the darkest ill go is a very dark brown/umber. Up to you though bro - just have to weigh up what is going to give you less of a headache. Looking good so far!
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| salem | Apr 24 2010, 08:25 PM Post #10 |
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Svee mate im with Stu on this one,,sorry but i would start again  If your going for colour are you going to keep the background black??.looking at your ref. picture.... black hair,black background....!!  Good luck with what ever you choose to do mate steve. |
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