On 9 September 2011 02:09, John Sessoms <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hand painted with tinting oils. > > http://www.google.com/search?q=hand+tinted+photographs&hl=en&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=XOVoTtrPL5DPgAe99YjdDA&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1415&bih=864 > > OR > > http://preview.tinyurl.com/445vyhd > > Probably Marshall's Retouching Oils. > > http://www.reuels.com/reuels/Marshalls_Photo_Retouch_Photo_Tinting_Sets.html > >
Were Marshall's already in business in 1912, the postmark date on Ann's postcard? I can't find any history of them at all. Also, you should look at the postcard at 200% or more and you'll see that the colouring is very sloppily applied and has bled or blotted into the print. Remember that this isn't fine art, it's a cheap postcard (or it was when it was new, anyway). The blotting and the cheapness makes me think oils are an unlikely colouring medium because it is "necessary to size the print first to prevent absorption of the colours into the paper", if Wikipedia is to be trusted: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-colouring_of_photographs On the other hand, I've never retouched with oils, only dyes and waxes. The waxes I used could leave a glossy finish because after retouching you would apply a little heat (hot breath was usually enough) to release the pigment into the emulsion, after which the residual wax could be buffed away. But the postcard looks like it was coloured with a wet medium (because of the bleeding), ruling out wax I think. I'm interested to learn if a high glaze can be maintained after colouring with oils, because Ann remarked that the postcard was "very glossy". Do the oils themselves dry glossy? Can they be buffed? It could have been varnished, but I think unmounted paper, even if double weight, varnished in 1912 would be showing cracks by now. Dye or ink wash is still my guess, because they would penetrate well into the emulsion and allow the print to be glazed after retouching. I'm not certain that would be possible with oil or watercolour retouching because they are surface treatments. I'm not married to these ideas, so I'm willing to be proven mistaken. regards, Anthony "Of what use is lens and light to those who lack in mind and sight" (Anon) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
