Colorizing Old Photographs

• You will need to download this image for this tutorial

1. Open up your image of the old bank. Insert a layer called color. Set this layer color to mode = color.

2. BRICK: Select the color brick red, hex #663333. Select the hard 19 pixel brush and paint the brick of the bank in this color on the color layer. As you paint over this building, switch to a smaller brush to get in the small areas.

3.  DIRT ROAD:  Select the color dark brown , hex #5A4F3D. Select the 100 pixel brush and paint the road in this color on the color layer. As you paint over the road, switch to a smaller brush to get in the small areas.

4. SKY: Paint the sky on the color layer with a broad brush with the color light blue, hex value #D8EEFC. Use a 45 soft brush set at 40% opacity to do horizontal strokes across the top of the sky.

5. TRIM: The white trim needs to be cleaned up. Insert a layer and set the layer at 30% opacity. Paint white over the trim and sidewalks for the bank. There are darker highlights on the roof line. Use a Dark red Hex #990000 on a new layer set to 40% opacity and paint over these dark lines.

6. PEOPLE: Click back on the color layer. Set your brush color to hex #EBD5A6 size 5 hard. Paint the faces of the men.

Set the foreground color to hex #533A04. Paint the men's suits on the color layer. Change the color to hex #504978 and color their vests and ties (brush size 1). Color the one man's hat hex #3A3523.

7. TREES: at the end of the street are some trees. Select the 14 pixel spatter brush and foreground color hex #385437 and gently stipple the leaves in.

8. HOUSES:  The roof of the houses should be painted a hex color of #271B01 on the color layer. Paint the house on the left a golden color, Hex #533A04 on the color layer. Also paint the houses on the far right this color. I painted one house a light blue Hex #5C778C.