How to Hand-Color Black & White Photographs
- 1). Develop the black and white prints you want to color on fiber-based paper with a matte finish.
- 2). Tape a piece of wax paper to your work surface to protect it.
- 3). Roll a piece or two of tape and use it to attach the back of your photo to the wax paper to keep it from slipping while you work.
- 4). Choose the colors you will use to paint the photo.
- 5). Squeeze a small amount of the photo oil you want to use onto the wax paper.
- 6). Dip a cotton swab into the photo oil and use it to lightly paint the area you want to color.
- 7). Using a cotton ball, blend color in well until you get the softness you desire.
- 8). Apply more paint if the color is lighter than you want and continue to blend until you get just the tint you want.
- 9). Before the oils dries, use the eraser to rub out any color that is outside the lines or, if you wish to start over, use a cotton ball with a little Marlene solution to erase all the color you have applied.
- 10
Twist a tiny amount of cotton on a toothpick and use it to paint the smaller areas of the picture and finer details such as cheeks and lips. - 11
Let the picture dry for 24 hours before removing from wax paper or framing.
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