After trying different mediums on inkjet papers in “What Doesn’t Work” (part 1) I thought well maybe if we created a barrier to prevent the inks from coming up we might have a better surface to apply color. So in this section we’ll talk about applying different sealers to the paper.

Using Sealers:

I coated several inkjet prints with Glamour 2 a sealer made by Breathing Color to seal canvas prints. We also tried Eco Print Shield by Premier Art. We applied using a brush and a roller to see if there was a difference, the roller was a smoother application. Both of the sealers went on fairly clear but with a small amount of dulling to the paper surface. When we tried to apply color just about every thing we tried went on and when you tried to blend it it came right back off. The sealers all worked too well, they don’t allow for the color to be absorbed into the print. Which led us to try different clear gesso’s which are sealers with tooth.

Using Clear Gesso:

We had read about using Clear Gesso to create a barrier to protect the paper surface and yet still have a workable surface to apply color. We tried two different Clear Gesso’s, Windsor & Newton Clear Gesso and Liquitex Clear Gesso. Both claim to be completely clear transparent when dry. Nope, they definitely are not clear over photographs. We applied both gesso’s using a foam brush and also a roller to see which application went on the smoothest. They were about the same but the foam brush did leave some visible streaks. What was most disappointing was how much the clear gesso dulled the surface of the print. The nice bright black and white print was visibly dull and flat in appearance. This in itself made the surface not acceptable for hand coloring. But we continued to test anyway to see what happened. What we found was that gesso created such a toothy surface almost what you would call sand paper rough that nothing moved or blended. When we applied an oil with a Q-tip or cotton tip applicator the cotton just ripped apart and we had cotton fibers everywhere. We tried applying color with a brush but the color went on so strongly that it appeared almost opaque. Not Acceptable

Using Krylon Matte Finish Spray:

Last but not least we tried using the Krylon Matte Finish spray to prep the paper to accept color. Because it’s a spray on application we coated several prints outside with different layers of sealer. What we found was that the spray on sealer was never even enough to fully coat the surface without over coating or leaving open patches from under coating. So when we tried to apply color it was too toothy in some areas and open patches of print in other areas and the color did not go down evenly. Not Acceptable

What we did find was that the Krylon Matte Finish spray works well as a finish coat to protect the pastel chalks from smudging. We talk about it in the section “Finishing Your Print” in “What Works” (part 2).

What Doesn’t Work:

I know it seems like a lot of work to tell you what doesn’t work but when you keep getting asked the question “How do I hand color on my digital inkjet prints?” you want to be able to give an accurate and informed answer. Instead of saying well not much works I can now tell people through trial and error what does and what doesn’t work for us.

These tips are just that a set of tips to help you work on your hand coloring skills. I’m not the definitive answer on hand coloring so if you have any suggestions or techniques that you’d like to share with other photographers please feel free to send comments about this blog page.

If you would like to see the tips page in it’s entirety you can go to:
http://www.blackandwhitelab.com/tips_pages/handcolor_inkjet/handcolor_inkjet.html

Now that you’ve got your supplies in order, you’ve got your inkjet prints printed on matte paper and you’re workspace is ready, lets get started.  We’re going to talk about applying soft pastel chalks and pencils to matte finish inkjet paper.

Applying Chalks:

When working on small areas apply a thin even coat of chalk and then smooth the area by using your fingers, a cotton ball, a soft tissue or lint free cloth. For larger areas apply the pastel chalks using the side of the stick. You’ll see very quickly that you want to have a light hand, don’t press down heavy when applying the chalk. Also avoid hard chalks that can potentially scratch the paper surface. If you get color in areas that you want to remove use the magic eraser and dust off the residue before continuing with the chalks.

I suggest starting with the lightest color as your base and then apply thin layers of darker colors over the lighter. The nice part about applying thin layers of the chalk is that you can apply a second or third color over the first and blend them together. The blending technique works well and creates a more realistic color application. The thinner you can keep your layers the more translucent your work will be and allows the image to show through.

(TIP) Don’t try for dark saturated colors, stick with soft pastels and lighter colors and you’ll have the most success.

I suggest working from top to bottom so that you’re hand is not smudging over the finished area of your print. Working with chalks is a bit messy and dusty so patience and cleanliness are a virtue if you want to avoid smudging.

Applying Pencil:

I found most colored pencils worked well on inkjet papers. There was no particular brand that stood out as being better than another. A soft pencil works best because the paper will accept the color smoothly. When applying pencil hold the tip on an angle to apply color evenly. You’ll notice that you can see the stroke of the pencil line. If you use a hard pencil or use the sharpened tip of the pencil you’ll find that it can indent or scratch the paper surface, so a soft handed approach works best.

Pencil is not really blendable so the use of pencil is mainly kept to detail and small areas. I like using pencils on the stems of flowers and leaves, to give color to pupils and bring out edge detail.

In this cute beach picture I used pencil on the edge of the hats, on the bathing suit and on the red bucket. I used pastel chalks for the larger areas of sky, water, surf and beach to give just a hint of color.

Finishing Your Print:

As I’ve mentioned before chalks are dusty and easily smeared. So when you’re done you’ll want to seal the print to prevent damage. I recommend using a clear matte sealer like Krylon Matte Finish Spray (#1311). If comes in an aerosol spray can and is available at most art supply stores as well as hardware stores.

Always apply aerosol sealers in a well ventilated open area preferably outside. Apply thin coats of sealer holding the can 10 to 12 inches away from the print. It’s important not to apply too much sealer because you don’t want the chalk to get wet. Once the print is sealed and dry you’re done.

This fiThe next section will talk about applying color with chalks and pencils. If you would like to see the tips page in it’s entirety you can go to:
http://www.blackandwhitelab.com/tips_pages/handcolor_inkjet/handcolor_inkjet.html

The first section will talk about getting started to work with hand coloring on inkjet papers using soft pastel chalks and pencils.

Before and After Pictures using Pastel Chalks and Pencils

Here is a Supplies List to get started:

Soft Pastel Chalks in stick form (soft chalks work better than hard chalks)

Colored Pencils (oil base, charcoal pencil most soft pencils will work)

100% cotton – cotton balls
tissue or soft lint free cloth

magic rub eraser or a gum eraser

black & white print on inkjet matte paper

Here are some links to purchasing supplies on line

Dick Blick Art Material
http://www.dickblick.com/categories/pastels/

http://www.dickblick.com/categories/coloredpencils/

Choosing an Inkjet Paper:

Choosing a good paper for your print is very important. I’ve tested gloss, pearl and matte finish papers. The only one that accepts medium is the matte finish paper. There are many different types of matte finish papers on the market so rather then give you a brand name I’ll give you attributes to look for in a workable matte finish paper. I mainly stuck with two types a smooth matte single weight paper that is approximately 280 gsm and also a double weight Fiber Base smooth matte paper that was approximately 360 gsm. Both work, but I found it much easier to work with the heavy weight Fiber Base paper, it held up to blending and erasing. Stay away from papers that have too much texture they don’t allow for blending.

Inkjet prints can be made in either a cold tone or a warm tone depending on your needs. When hand coloring portraits I prefer to begin with a warm tone fiber paper, the warm skin tone makes a nice base to work with.

Here is a link to our Digital Fiber Base page to order prints and check prices.
http://www.blackandwhitelab.com/digital-fiber.html

Preparing Your Work Space:

Choose a solid table with good lighting. Be sure to have a waste basket handy to discard used cotton balls or tissue. I also recommend a damp cloth to wipe your hands because pastel chalks are messy and get all over your fingers.

You can tape your print to a cardboard backer if you like but it’s not necessary. Personally, I like to tape the prints to a piece of cardboard, it makes them easier to handle. If you’re going to use a backer hold the print in place with a light adhesive tape something that will peel off easily with out leaving tape residue. I’ve used blue painters tape and also Post-it Correction & Cover-up Tape made by 3M. The tape sticks but then peels right off without damaging the print. Blue painters tape is available at most hardware stores. Post-it Correction tape used to be easy to find in most office supply stores but it’s getting tougher to find. I’ve used 1″ wide Post-it (item #658) DO NOT USE REGULAR TAPE. IT WILL DAMAGE THE PRINT.

The next section will talk about applying color with chalks and pencils. If you would like to see the tips page in it’s entirety you can go to:
http://www.blackandwhitelab.com/tips_pages/handcolor_inkjet/handcolor_inkjet.html