Hand Colouring

I have been looking forward to this assignment while kinda dreading it at the same time because I had no idea what to do with it. Especially after Di showed us such amazing examples! such as Kate Breakey, Holy Roberts and Nici Cumpston. I hadn't really seen much hand colouring examples before and was kind of left feeling intimidated, but was looking forward to giving it a go and seeing what everyone in the group came up with.

From: "small deaths' by Kate Breakey

Kate Breakey's work blew me away. I didn't appreciate it properly until I saw the one that Di owns. I was surprised it was so big! The time and effort that goes into these works would be insane and i'm not surprised she has a waiting list of people she needs to do them for. It's hard to believe that these animals are dead. She practically brings them back to life in the way that she colours them. Very beautiful stuff.

'Two Birds' and 'Young Girl Waking' - Holy Roberts

Holy Robert's work I was particularly interested in as they weren't what I would expect to see as an example of hand colouring. I like how she uses images which have been taken or developed badly (out of focus, under or over exposed) and makes use of them to create something fantastic and often quite strange. I thought 'Two birds' (above) was an interesting comparison to Kate Breakey. It looks like a child has done it, but think it's quite lovely! 'Young girl waking' shows the way in which Holy Roberts cuts up images and sticks different elements together along with paintings and drawing to create something completely new. I think they're really interesting and when I look at them, I just feel like they should be on posters and gift cards for some reason!

Communicating a Unique Vision:
Hand Coloring Photographs

by Judith Monroe

I did a bit of research on the history of hand colouring and was surprised to find out that photographs have been hand coloured basically since photography was invented. Colour film didn't exist and it was the way they wouldn't make photographs look as close to the initial scene as possible. When colour film was invented, hand colouring practically stopped and people who coloured photos as a job were put out of work as they were no longer needed. Hand coloured photographs came back with a new intention - to not just take another colour photo but to communicate emotions that your average colour photo could not.

General 'rules' for printing and colouring photographs (although I believe it should be personal and experimental):

• Print photographs lighter than normal and with less contrast (lower number filter perhaps)
• Paper - use a pearl or matte finish. It will take the colour better and last longer

I'd like to try a few different mediums for my hand coloured photographs such as crayons, pencils, paints (watercolour, acrylic or oil) or even texta. We'll see.