Re: Hand Coloring Infra-Red Pictures

[kovenn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Neil Koven)]

"...what kind of materials and techniques
> one uses to hand color B&W infrared prints.  I have just started to hand color
> some of my images and am interested in learning from some of you with more exp
>erience.  I have used Marshall's Oil Paints and colored pencils and an RC paper
> from Kodak called Art-Max or something like that.

I think the combination of infra-red and hand colouring presents images
that are soft, subtle, and ethereal.  I love working with both.

Over the years, I've given seminars and workshops to amateurs and
professionals on hand colouring; right now, I'm the only person in Canada
accredited by the PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF CANADA  as a
SPECIALIST--HAND COLOURING.

I mention this to give you an idea of my credentials--please visit my site
(hopefully listed below) to see some of my work.

OK...I've never particularly liked fibre base paper--it's too unruly to
work with and takes forever in the wash.  The curl is legend!  I like
variable contrast papers because I use split filter printing.

So I use only RC papers.  Kodak Semi-Mat is great with Alphacolour chalks
and Prismacolor pencils.  Both will adhere to the surface without prepping
it.  A malleable eraser can get rid of unwanted chalk and pencil.  With
chalks, use McDonalds "Retouch" spray between coats since the chalk is so
easily rubbed off.

With the pencils, use a cotton swab--or your finger--to smoothen out the
colour.  This will give you a smoother finish in those areas, and you may
(!) have to use "Retouch" between coats again.

Marshall's oils can also be used on this paper without prepping it--it's
the very fine tooth on the surface that makes it so good.

Once you're finished colouring, you will probably want to put a protective
coat of McDonalds "High Gloss" on it.  Or equivalent.

On gloss surfaces, I use Kodak dry dyes or Kodak (lots of competitors here)
wet dyes.  These work well, but with the wet dyes, once they're
down...they're there forever.  You can't make a mistake or change your mind
with that stuff.

Because of the soft definition of images with HIE, my favourite colouring
medium is the chalks, because their softness complements the soft images,
the colours are very pastel, and it can easily be worked and blended and
diffused with my fingers.

If you have any specific questions, I would be glad to answer them.  Good
luck with it.

            ///\\\***///\\\***///\\\***///\\\***///\\\***///\\\
        NEIL KOVEN, ARPS, CPA                Eleventh Hour Images &
        31 Moncton Road N.E.                 Neil Koven Photography
        Calgary, Alberta, T2E 5P9            bus/res:(403) 276-6335
        email: kovenn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx          fax:    (403) 276-2152
             http://www.cadvision.com/Home_Pages/accounts/arps




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End of Infrared-Digest V0 #38
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