Here is a tutorial that will show you how to add some colors to your old photographs. This is a very useful technique that I actually used for a client of mine.

Step 1

First you need your image. Here is mine: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/254796

Step 2

You start by organizing and thinking what colors to use. Before you start coloring you need to set your brush to a 0% Hardness.

Now I will start with the background. Select the color (I used #5b4219) and create a new layer on top of the original photo layer. Name it Background Color and fill the layer with the color you selected.

Step 3

Now set the Background Color Layer Mode to Color

Step 4

Now I will first start with the little girl. And that is her hair. Select your color, make a new layer and name it Girl Hair. Now all you need to do is to brush over her hair.

Don’t worry if you get the color over her face because you will come back to that later.

Step 5

Set the hair layer to Color.

Step 6

Now work on her face. But before that, you need to mask the Background Color layer that is over the kids.

Step 7

Do the same as before. Make a new layer and name it Girl Face.

Select you color and start painting.

Step 8

Now set the layer to Color.

Step 9

Make a new layer and name it Girl Eyes1. This will be the layer where we will show how to make the white part of the eye.

Using the Pen Tool make a path and cover the white part of the eyes.

Step 10

Now press Ctrl + Enter (Command + Return on a Mac) to make a selection. Go to Select – Modify – Feather. Select a radius of 2 and press Enter. Then fill the selection with white.

Step 11

Set the layer to Color.

Step 12

Next make another new layer and name it Girl Eyes2. Select a color for the eyes and than paint over her eyes.

Step 13

Set the layer to Color.

Step 14

Lower the Opacity to 40% or so.

Step 15

Make a new layer and name it Girl Lips. Select a red color and paint over the girl lips.

Step 16

Set it to Soft Light this time.

Step 17

Next make her hand and the boy’s hand also. Use the same color as you used for the face. Make a new layer and name it Hands. Also when you are done set it to Color.

Step 18

Next are the sweater and the buttons. Actually only the sweater will be changed because the buttons will remain as they are. Make a new layer and name it Girl Sweater. Select your color and start painting.

Step 19

Set the layer to Color and maybe nudge the Opacity a little.

Step 20

Next is the boy. Same as we did with the girl, start with the hair.

Step 21

Make a new layer and name it Boy Face. Select the same color as you used for the girl face or maybe something close to that and start painting.

Step 22

Now make the eyes just as you made the girl’s eyes but this time use a blue for the color of the eyes.

Step 23

Make a new layer and name it Boy Lips. Same as you have done with the girl. Again you can use a different color.

Step 24

And the finally make the Boy Sweater layer. Chose the color you want and paint it. Leave the skirt white. This time set it to Soft Light.

Final

Last add some Levels to the image and we are done.

How did you colorize your own photos?