Digital colouring is one of those things that I'd been deterred from trying because of unconvincing work seen elsewhere but, quite honestly, it's not that difficult with a methodical approach.
The greatest challenges is knowing where to start - either it all seems too complicated (so no start is made at all) or else there's a tendency to rush in and tackle the interesting bits first. Experience has told me to start with the background and work forward - no matter how tempting the reverse may be. This is especially so with detail that will be revealed through windows, as it's more difficult to deal with this later.
The background doesn't need to be too precise and 'overspills' of colour can be overpainted later provided there has been no tonal changes (this wouldn't happen by the application of colour alone). The best starting point is often a simple wash of a very muted greyish-brown and greyish-blue across the lower and upper parts of the image respectively.
The first view (top left) shows the source image, a monochrome view of a Northern General Marshall-bodied Leyland Leopard. This was a fairly high-resolution scan from a good quality 9x6" print so there wasn't much preparation needed. In the second view, the background is almost complete. This was the most complex stage, requiring more effort than the main subject itself. The method was to apply the basic colours (sky, road, brickwork, and grass), ignoring details such as house windows - it's easier to simply paint over these than to work around them. The image starts to come to life when you go back and pick out the detail later.
The next view shows the main subject colour applied - again ignoring details such as chrome work and headlights, which can be easily picked out out afterwards. The interior has also been coloured prior to applying the cream window surrounds. The final view (bottom left) shows the finished image. With practice, it's possible to complete a project like this in about an hour, depending on the complexity of the background (05-Feb-10).
All rights reserved. Follow the link below for terms and conditions, additional information about my work; and to request work from me:
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/6046035749/in/set-7...
Tags: Northern General Leyland Leopard Photoshop techniques digitally-coloured
© All Rights Reserved
Successor to Sir Nigel Gresley as Chief Mechanical Executive of the LNER, Edward Thompson's achievements are commonly overshadowed by his controversial rebuilding of various Gresley locomotives. No 2001 Cock O'The North had begun life as the premier member of the six-strong P2 Class of 2-8-2 Mikados. Introduced in 1934 for use on the steeply-graded Edinburgh to Aberdeen main line, the P2s were renowned for their legendary pulling power but the wheelbase was found to be too long for the continuous curves of this line. In 1943/4, Thompson rebuilt all six to 4-6-2 Pacific configuration with ungainly long smokeboxes and set-back cylinders. In his defence, there was a pressing need to simplify maintenance under difficult wartime conditions and the rebuilt locomotives reputedly did perform well. Renumbered 60501 by British Railways, Cock O'The North was withdrawn and scrapped in 1960. This digitally-coloured image in LNER wartime livery is based on an original monochrome view from the collection of Graham Newell. It has been a challenge to colourise a black subject in a scene that offers few opportunities for colour (03-May-16).
All rights reserved. These rights cannot be overridden by the rules of individual Flickr groups to which I agree to add my work. Please follow the link below for full terms and conditions and additional information about my work:
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/6046035749/in/set-7...
Tags: digitally-coloured LNER London & North Eastern Railway A2/2 Pacific Edward Thompson steam locomotive Cock O'The North 2001
© All Rights Reserved
This is a digitally-coloured version of an original monochrome print, which is stamped 'Metropolitan Railway Neasdon Works Mar 1925'. 111 was one of six K-Class 2-6-4T tank locomotives constructed by Armstrong Whitworth & Co in 1925 from parts produced at the Woolwich Arsenal to a Maunsell design (and sharing much in common with the Southern Railway's N Class 2-6-0s). The final class of steam locomotives built for the Metropolitan' Railway, the K Class was intended primarily for freight traffic rather than passenger services and were, in fact, out of gauge working for working in the tunnels south of Finchley Road. The Metropolitan Railway was absorbed into the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) in 1933, which reached agreement with the LNER for the latter to operate the remaining steam services north of Rickmansworth. The former Metropolitan locomotives were sold to the LNER in 1937. Withdrawals started in 1943, possibly due to the non-standard boilers used. Two survived long enough to pass to British Railways in 1948, but were withdrawn before the year-end (25-Sep-13).
Strictly Copyright: You are encouraged to provide links to this image but it would be an offence to post it elsewhere (or to publish or distribute it by any other means) without the express permission of the copyright owner
Tags: digitally coloured Metropolitan Railway K Class Steam Locomotive steam locomotive
© All Rights Reserved
For the background to this image (and acknowledgements), please see the NER red and cream version. This digitally-coloured view of 3170 retains the tones of the base image to depict the original NER crimson livery as far as can be determined. There are still some areas of doubt and an updated version will be published if the initial interpretation proves to be incorrect. This livery was short-lived, both vehicles being repainted into the attractive red and cream scheme after a short time (17-Feb-14).
See my complete set of Railbuses, Railcars and Multiple-Units here:
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/sets/72157629261403...
All rights reserved. Follow the link below for terms and conditions, additional information about my work; and to request work from me. I cannot undertake to respond to requests, or to queries of a general nature, which are posted as comments under individual images
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/6046035749/in/set-7...
Tags: digitally coloured North Eastern Railway Petrol-Electric Autocar
© All Rights Reserved
For the background to this image (and acknowledgements), please see the NER red and cream version. This digitally-coloured view of 3170 depicts the later LNER teak livery that was unique to this vehicle (3171 remaining red and cream until withdrawal).There are still some areas of doubt and an updated version will be published if the initial interpretation proves to be incorrect. 3171 was the first to be withdrawn in 1930, 3170 (the former 3170) lasting a further year in service (17-Feb-14).
See my complete set of Railbuses, Railcars and Multiple-Units here:
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/sets/72157629261403...
All rights reserved. Follow the link below for terms and conditions, additional information about my work; and to request work from me. I cannot undertake to respond to requests, or to queries of a general nature, which are posted as comments under individual images
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/6046035749/in/set-7...
Tags: digitally coloured North Eastern Railway Petrol-Electric Autocar LNER
© All Rights Reserved