Tweet Color from Black-and-White: colorized photos

Stephan,

I like it. I would have used a very different approach, but this is quite good really.

Yes, all the magazine covers show Mary Brian with big blue eyes. So I have always used Blue. However, at least one old magazine profile I have seen states that she had Brown eyes. Maybe that early source from 1925 was incorrect? Most likely.

Here is another portrait of Marion from 1920.

The task...
*deep exhale*
...is complete.
Trust me, this was not easy to work on by any means.
Below, Clara in all her Orient-ified (politically correct police ain't gonna like that) splendor:



Martie

Very nice indeed! My contribution - I added a touch of ambiant brown to the entire image, toned down the color intensity and slightly changed the hues to bring out a bit of a rose tone. What do you think?

The task...
*deep exhale*
...is complete.
Trust me, this was not easy to work on by any means.
Below, Clara in all her Orient-ified (politically correct police ain't gonna like that) splendor:



Martie

Very nice indeed! My contribution - I added a touch of ambiant brown to the entire image, toned down the color intensity and slightly changed the hues to bring out a bit of a rose tone. What do you think?

The ambient brown improves it, in my opinion. I'll post a colorization of a Rough House Rosie landscape cheesecake shot later.
Also, am I the only one who's relieved that we're finally on the next page?

Martie

Gagman,
I really like the Marion one. The dress and white berries give off a bit of a renaissance feel, in my opinion.
That was what I needed - a relaxing image after nearly two hours(!) straight colorizing.

Martie

SteppenBow 59,

Bob,

Looks nice. Lo another page already. Zipping through them babies here!

OK, are you Stephan or Martie? I'm confused? I guess you are Martie? Is that a Fan in Clara's hand?

How about this one from 1922.



"Marie Prevost as Princess Salome- "Be careful Jachonan not to lose your head!"

SteppenBow59,

Thanks glad you like the Marion. Err, Maybe someone can tell me how to spell Jackonan?



Colleen Moore-December 1922 issue of Screenplay Magazine from THE BITTERNESS OF SWEETS




Clara Bow with Alan Forrest in TWO CAN PLAY (1926)

SteppenBow 59,

Bob,

Looks nice. Lo another page already. Zipping through them babies here!

OK, are you Stephan or Martie? I'm confused? I guess you are Martie? Is that a Fan in Clara's hand?

How about this one from 1922.



"Marie Prevost as Princess Salome- "Be careful Jachonan not to lose your head!"

My username, SteppenBow59, is taken from my favorite band, Steppenwolf and my favorite photoplayer, Clara Bow.Actually, my real name isn't Martie. It's my Internet nom-de-plume, which, in its entirety, is Martie Opelle. I sign off as Martie to avoid any gender confusions (yes, that means I'm female). Sorry for the confusion!

Yes, that is indeed a fan in Clara's hand. Hey, at least the fan wasn't actually flying knives in disguise!

I really like that Marie Prevost one. Once again, I'm reminded of the Rennaisance style.

Here's that Rough House Rosie fit-for-a-calender shot I promised:

I love how they left the one on the far left outside the umbrella! Poor gal!


Martie

Clara Bow with Alan Forrest in TWO CAN PLAY (1926)

But only one can win!
Hey, just trying to add some humor!

Martie

Martie,

Wow! The Rough Hose Rosie still is by far your best work! Excellent! I'm lovin it! Superb! Though I think I would have the Brolly a different color than the lawn. Don't think I had seen that photo before anyplace. Hope allot more of this movie is discovered in June.

I may not be correct about TWO CAN PLAY? Saved that a long time ago, and I'm not sure if that is the movie the still was from or not anymore? I'm working on one now that will unveil the mystery of "Riddle Cat" Although I won't reveal her name. So once I put the picture up will see if people know who she is or not?

Did I post this one already.



Clara with Kenneth Harlan In POISONED PARADISE (1924)

Stephan,

I like it. I would have used a very different approach, but this is quite good really.

Yes, all the magazine covers show Mary Brian with big blue eyes. So I have always used Blue. However, at least one old magazine profile I have seen states that she had Brown eyes. Maybe that early source from 1925 was incorrect? Most likely.

Heh, negotiable as she said. I don't think that had her eyes been brown they would have photographed so light on film unless perhaps she had a color like a pal of mine from work years ago. His eyes were so light brown they were a shade of gold. No green at all. Strange, and it creeped me out when I first saw it. Never saw that color in anyone before or since. Seen violet, but never that gold.

Colorization of the day, yet another Rough House Rosie still.

The original monochrome:


My colorization:


This took me about two hours.
Lemme know whatcha think!

Hey, I just realized! This is my one-hundredth post! Finally reached that milestone!

Martie

Martie,

Excellent job but the photo is a bit blurry so I sharpened it. I added a little ambiant brown but I'm not sure I like it here. What do you think?

Bob,
I consider it a work of true Martsmanship. The ambient brown gives quite a feel to it.
Also, am I the only one who was kinda confused as to which leg belonged to whom on the left side?

Martie

Bob,
I consider it a work of true Martsmanship. The ambient brown gives quite a feel to it.
Also, am I the only one who was kinda confused as to which leg belonged to whom on the left side?

Martie

I checked and I can confirm that all the ladies have two legs each. OK, I see what you mean but all the legs are in strict chronological order under their owners' bodies.

Bob,
I consider it a work of true Martsmanship. The ambient brown gives quite a feel to it.
Also, am I the only one who was kinda confused as to which leg belonged to whom on the left side?

Martie

I checked and I can confirm that all the ladies have two legs each. OK, I see what you mean but all the legs are in strict chronological order under their owners' bodies.

Does that mean the girl in the green plaid dress is bow-legged?
It looks to be a rather unnatural position for her legs to be in.

Martie

Bob, Martie,

Here's another still from ROUGH HOUSE ROSIE. Wish I knew what was going on in it?



"Beware, The Mystic Conjurer!"

Bob,
I consider it a work of true Martsmanship. The ambient brown gives quite a feel to it.
Also, am I the only one who was kinda confused as to which leg belonged to whom on the left side?

Martie

I checked and I can confirm that all the ladies have two legs each. OK, I see what you mean but all the legs are in strict chronological order under their owners' bodies.

Does that mean the girl in the green plaid dress is bow-legged?
It looks to be a rather unnatural position for her legs to be in.

Martie

Her shoes indicate that she has a right and left foot. She is bending one leg so that can give the impression of being bow-legged. Besides, I thought only Clara Bow can be, uh, Bow-legged!

Bob,
Clara's Bow-leggedness will never be equaled.

Martie

Bob, Martie,

Here's another still from ROUGH HOUSE ROSIE. Wish I knew what was going on in it?



"Beware, The Mystic Conjurer!"

I believe they're in a fortune telling tent at Coney Island.
I'm still a wee bit obsessed with the film.
Must - locate - copy!

Martie

Bob, Martie, MN Dean,

If you can determine who this lady is, you will know the identity of The Riddle Cat?




Another portrait of Clara I did a long time ago. Ran accross it and decided to post here.



"Light Up Like A Redhead!"

Since Rough House Rosie has been mentioned a few times, I thought that I'd post this still from my personal collection. When I have some more time (blasted graduate degree), I'll attempt a color transfer. All of you are free to do your own in the mean time if you so wish. I also posted another Rough House Rosie still in its original monochrome state a few pages back you can look up.

Martie,

I did some minor alterations on both your Rosie stills. See what you think?



Clara With Brolly Babes



"Rosie And Her Rough Necks"

Caesar,

I'll give it a crack. Thanks.

Thanks Caesar. I don't know when I'd get to it but to help the cause I freshen up your still and airbrushed out some of the more obvious blemishes:


And because the still is one of the more complex ones, I cropped it to help make it an easier color transfer:


Two things I noticed on the uncropped photo: on the far left there's a woman facing the camera but mostly obscured by the gal standing in front of her. They must have been moving because her left leg is blurred. Also notice the low shadows behind Clara and the office boy, and the outline of a window and curtain on the wall. Very delicate effect to suggest daylight or even sunshine coming from a window.

Not exactly new stuff, but Haven't posted these before in this section.


Dolores Del Rio and Edmund Lowe- "The Return"



Lupe Velez and Gary Cooper in Victor Fleming's WOLF SONG (1929)



Lupe-"Senora"



Lupe-"Give 'Em The Slip!"

Er, is it Claire Windsor?

Martie

Yes, it's Clarie Windsor. Sorry i couldn't find a better photo. The film is DANCE MADNESS from MGM in 1926.


Nita Naldi-"Stunning Profile"


Rudy and Vilma"What One Finds In The Desert!"

Gagman,

I really like this one but you either didn't have time to finish it or you're going for that alabaster look:


I couldn't resist adding a touch of bobfells color. Hope you don't mind:

Bob,

Well. the Valentino-Banky was done at least 6 months ago. I'm surprised that I never posted it here. I remember being unhappy with the Peacock, and thought that some of the rest of it was washed out. But I prefer Vilma's headdress the shade I had it, rather than the bright green. It does need more intensity though.

Another cropped image from FOUR WALLS? Maybe you know where I can find the complete photo?


John Gilbert And Joan Crawford- "The Nights Embrace"


And this is brand new. Wonderful still from STREET ANGEL!


Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor-"My Angelia Mia!"

Gagman,
So it is Claire Windsor? Did not expect to get that right at all!

Martie

A question for our still colorists - one reason I have been looking at a lot of Mary Brian stills is that I'd love to find a still of her as the cabin boy in Captain Applejack, tattoos and all, but currently have come up dry. Nor have I found a lobby card, post card, or tobacco card of any of the pirate scenes. Anyone here see such stills? They might be as amusing as those Otto Dyar stills of her floating about in what I can only term "French streetwalker chic". Those are about as "out there" as Clara in yellowface.