Help with comic book restoration

[Tom Mann]

Thanks for the kind words, Tony. One comment -- although I used quite a few plugins on your image, most of what I did could have been done using only Photoshop's native filters, albeit much more slowly and tediously. So, whenever I post an example like this (ie, not a tutorial), to save myself precious time, I use the quickest methods available to me.

With respect to fee-for-service work here on PSG, I completely understand that you need to consider this carefully, but I would point out that the fees here are hugely less than what you would pay in the real world, and can be negotiated. Another advantage is that you can ask to see an example of people's work on a single frame from the comic book page before you select someone. Another commonly used procedure here is that the responders will always watermark their submissions to you. This protects you because it allows you to see if their work is acceptable to you before you pay, but to protect the artists, you wouldn't be able to use what they send you because of the watermark. So there are lots of benefits to checking out some of our freelancers.

All the best,

Tom M

PS - FYI, I have essentially permanently recused myself from doing fee-for-service work here because it might appear to be a conflict of interest with my position as a moderator -- It's good to keep everything neat and tidy, you know.

 

[Tom Mann]

With respect to your question about the possibility of enhancing that other comic page, I had a bit of time this evening. The archivist / preservationist in me kept yelling at me to only make minimal changes, but like the previous page, as an example, I tried to give to also give this one the very bold and vibrant look that you seem to enjoy -- kinda like re-coloring old movies. So, to give you another example of what can be done, the attached took me about an hour to do, and there is still much that could be improved. This is much more than I usually devote to examples like this, but I was having fun.



Tom M

PS - BTW, I remember reading this series as a kid during the summers I spent with my family in a cottage on a mountain above the Hudson River, much like Carter, when he was unable to return to Mars, LOL.

 

[Tony42]

Hi Tom, man... You impress me more and more. Not bad this version too, once more you make something varied because there still the white color of the paper and it is very present but for the cases you keep an old books style!

It's really beautiful what you are doing, thank you.

 

[Tony42]

Hi everybody, so since last time, I learned a bit to use Photoshop and I tried some easy way to enhance a bit the pages.

The results isn't awesome but it's better than the original quality, and finally I began to love the "old" style of the comic's panel so I tried to keep a bit this old style
but I still love the modern and vibrant look that I find when I read a digital comic on a tablet, then I tried to find an "balance" between them.

But, I'm sorry to up my topic again, I still can't get rid of the old yellow paper like Tom Mann did...
and my free trial of Photoshop is already over

Moreover, it's also difficult to keep the writing clearly visible, but again Tom managed to do it.
In his enhanced page, the text in the bubbles and the others are clearly visible

View attachment 58352

so again and I'm sorry, I need help

 

[Tom Mann]

Thank you for the very kind words, Tony. I am super busy right now, but let me try to get back to you either much later today or tomorrow.

I don't understand one thing, though ... are you still looking for someone to do the work for you, or, if you are looking for a tutorial on how I cleaned up the pix, what are you going to do with it if you don't have a working copy of PS?

Best regards,

Tom M

 

[Tony42]

Oh Hi Tom! nice to see again.

Man, I don't know what to do either... I tried so many times that I don't know what to do anymore...
Like I said in my previous post, I can't use Photoshop anymore because my free trial is over.

I'm going to search another software again maybe x/ My project endless...

If you have a tutorial, please show it to me. Although I can't use it and I understand that it isn't logical but that obsesses me so much that I prefer to know how you did, nevertheless...

 

[Tony42]

Ok, so Tom is occuped, if someone is generous, would you like to help me to rip this old yellow paper texture?
I know that it's rude to ask but I just need help for this and only for this, it doesn't need to do others edit (I will do it, I don't know how for the moment but I'll see later) so please if someone can, tell me.

If you're shy or don't want to talk here, we can discuss in pm if it's necessary

 

[Tom Mann]

Sorry, Tony ... I am just swamped at the moment. It is not rude at all to ask others to chime in and I encourage them to do so, as well.

I certainly don't have a tutorial available. The process I used involved quite a few steps. Also, I used some old Photoshop plugins that most people would not likely have, and considerable judgement based on experience was needed at many of the steps.

It now looks like the earliest I I'll be able to put together a description of my method for you will be next week or the week after, after the US Thanksgiving holiday weekend and everything else has calmed down.

All the best,

Tom M

 

[Tony42]

Yeah Tom, I understand, we all that feast period and now with christmas who approach, people don't have a lot of time to be on forum.
Me too I'm overwhelmed by the work and my occupations... I can't wait for my holidays....

Brief, all that to say that I didn't find a solution for this yellow paper.
Worst is that I'm near the end of this project...