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Spot the restoraton

Hi all thought I'd share one of the techniques I used to spot restoration through modifying images mid tones. It probably won't pick up restoration done exceedingly well , but worth a play around. It's come in handy to spot border touch ups and in painting touch ups. Have a play and let me know any other tips!

1) Save the hi res image to your local drive e.g.

http://movieposters.ha.com/itm/drama/casablanca-warner-brothers-1942-australian-daybill-135-x-30-/a/665-28898.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

2) Right Click on image and select "Open With" "Microsoft Office Picture Manager"

3) Click on "Picture" menu and select "Brightness and Contrast" - this opens a pane to the right

4) To view restoration of white areas slide "Midtones: adjust midtones only" to the far left.

You should be able to see the white area airbrushed in contrast to the natural paper

5) To view restoration of darker coloured areas slide "Midtones: adjust midtones only to the far right.

Not the best example, but in several pictures I've tried you can spot the paint touch up of coloured areas much easily

Sometimes I jiggle with contrast and brightness also to bring out touch ups , stains etc..

Let me know how you go!

  

Comments

  • Cool tip but I don't have MS Picture Manage - take a screen shot of before and after and show us.
  • Sure David here is an example..just look for the Midtones controller on your software

    Before

    After

  • btw I might be wrong, so will give more examples a go..
  • Try on something you have had restored and have the before pics of.

    I have a try with my Photoshop 
  • Are you sure Heritage didnt just boost the overall contrast on the "before" image? Im only asking because I dont see any real indication of added paint. Ive tried this contrast test before and the painted areas tend to stand out like 'sore thumbs.'

    For example, I see a vertical mark of some kind that runs down through Greenstreet's last name and down past the R of Warner. It's visible in both images, but just more washed out on the HA image.

    Wouldnt that mark also have been retouched if they were going to airbrush the left side that looks more yellowed? Just tossing out the question.
  • Are you sure Heritage didnt just boost the overall contrast on the "before" image? Im only asking because I dont see any real indication of added paint. Ive tried this contrast test before and the painted areas tend to stand out like 'sore thumbs.'

    For example, I see a vertical mark of some kind that runs down through Greenstreet's last name and down past the R of Warner. It's visible in both images, but just more washed out on the HA image.

    Wouldnt that mark also have been retouched if they were going to airbrush the left side that looks more yellowed? Just tossing out the question.

    Agree, HA is probably a poor example of showing restorations in this way Sven, their posted image is a long way different from the actual product which will just leave the question is it an image boost or is it restoration marks.

    I can see how it would work but one would need to experiment on a poster one had a before and after image on.
  • Cheers guys. Agree , needs more experimentation 
  • edited June 2016
    I experimented on my Bus Stop

    It basically had a wash and acid bath at this point so in terms of paint and other heavier restoration I am not sure this is a perfect example to show what you are suggesting Sven.

    Using Photoshop I played with the Exposure by adjusting the Gamma Correction and Offset. It produced a result and shows the burn lines from the folds but that said, neither image was taken by me and having seen the poster in person the final image was definitely a little boosted anyway. Up close one can just make out the burn lines, but for Joe-Average, if you don't know they are there you would be unlikely to see (most of) them.

     
  • edited June 2016
    I gotta ask: What do you mean by an "acid bath?" That sounds a bit scary to me...LOL

    Are you meaning a de-acidification or "buffering" bath? ;)

    Nice Bus Stop, BTW.

    It looks like your images are showing adjustments in contrast (boosting) levels, rather than retouched airbrushing?













  • Yes, de-acidification...acid bath is more fun.

    The image is pre any retouching which was minimal, just a couple of fill-ins from memory.

    Gamma correction is not contrast adjustment, effectively all it does is improve the way you can see a (digital) image on a monitor
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