To keep things in one place I decided to post the document I've been working on here.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c304/tribemom/before%20and%20after%20OPR/mini_personalausweiss.jpg)
I decided to restart complety because I suffered some Photoshopflue in december.
Today I started to recreate the printed font and dotted lines in separate layers & groups. After comparing to my fontcollection I decided that Modern no. 20 would be the best match. All I need to find is the German "ringeless" that is hidden somewhere :D
One of the problems is the original colour of the document. The photo itself does not have the blue & magenta blur, only some sepia probably from aging and a little damage.
I assumed that the paper of the document is made of a more absorbing kind than that of the photo and that would cause the blue and magenta colouring of a probably originally off-white paper. So I made a new textured off-white background.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c304/tribemom/before%20and%20after%20OPR/print_on_document.jpg)
I also assumed that would be the cause of the slight distortion of the paper and printed text.
So I put the photo on a separate layer and slightly distorted the document back.
The next step will be to restore the photo.
Followed by the biggest challenge : to get the handwriting and stamps right.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c304/tribemom/before%20and%20after%20OPR/print_on_original.jpg)
Looking good so far, Atlantis!
Hannie
By German "ringeless" you mean ß ?
Try holding down the > Alt (or Option? for mac)< key and typing the numbers 0223.
I believe the header of the document should read: Personalausweis als Paßersatz. Can't help you with the handwriting. Maybe if I could look at the higher resolution image.
Gerlinde :)
Ah, Gerlinde, you've just opened yourself up for translations. How did you come by that font? Inquiring minds want to know.
Candice
Candice,
I'm not sure I understand your question about the font. Do you mean how did I find the ascii code for the German special characters? They are taped on a little note to my keyboard. Since I'm German, living in America, they come in handy at times.
Gerlinde ^-^
That's what I thought. lol I sure wouldn't know where to find them. And having a sister-n-law that came from Germany doesn't count. :o) I knew you'd have an answer.
What is the meaning of a recreated document? Maybe I am in the minority opinion here. I would not want a piece of recreated document.
(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z298/schen_album/mini_personalausweisscopy.jpg)
Here's the keyboard shortcuts for german letters. http://german.about.com/library/blcharcodes.htm
Schen, I know what you mean, but the question remains, why would the owners have submitted the document or any photo if the did not want it restored? They already have the damaged document as a memento, so we would have to assume they wish to have a copy that they can read, and perhaps display.
We are kidding ourselves if we think any restoration we do is anything but a "re-creation", the memories and psychic value always remain with the damaged item, all we ever provide is a re-creation of what the original looked like.
I just don't know what you could do to a document like that to improve it, other than re-create it and the try and age it.
I have restored several damaged documents, and the background is always the problem as there is so much damage, distortion and colour change, I try and find the original colour and texture of the paper and create a new background.
I then place that layer under the document, place a mask over the document and paint on that to mask out the damaged background.
I try to avoid using replacement fonts, unless there is absolutely no alternative, preferring to repair the text, if the original background is distorted the lines of text have to be realigned to fit the rest of the document, even with the best of efforts the result is usually a pristine looking document.
Then isn't that the purpose of "restoring" anything?
Max
Max, I agree with you when you say why else would the owner have submitted the document if they did not want it restored. I think the restoration will be kept with the original as a reference.
Margie
Thanks for your responses.
Quotewhy would the owners have submitted the document or any photo if the did not want it restored?
That is exactly the question I have. Yes, they wanted their document restored. Were they expecting to receive a copy that looks exactly like before it was damaged? What were their expectations? Or what were the expectations we gave them?
Every time I saw a faceless photo, I wondered. This document without words is in the same category as a faceless photo to me.
QuoteEvery time I saw a faceless photo, I wondered. This document without words is in the same category as a faceless photo to me.
Schen, point well taken. I wonder if people come in with the expectation that we can work magic and bring the wording back; if so they are going to be really disappointed. Maybe this is a case where an email to the owners explaining that the damaged document can be cleaned up, but the missing writing cannot be brought back.
Margie
Atlantis, to help find the writing, on a copy of the original dupe the layer and set the dupe to "Multiply" blending mode, you may have to repeat this several times (I did it 4 times on the small copy you posted) then flatten the image and run Brightness/Contrast on it.
I have found in the past that pushing the contrast sometimes helps, you may have to try a variety of torture methods to get the info out of it, use another layer and copy any letters you get from each method, the problem being on this one is it being written in German, unless you can read German it will make guesstimating what the missing letters may be difficult.
Lots of luck, I saw that one in the gallery and ran for my life. :funny:
Max
Thanks Gerlinde for the ß code :wnw: And "als paßersatz" makes perfect sense. Maybe he lost his original passport.
And thank you all for thinking along with me.
I think the goal here is to restore the waterdamage and the memory.
Therefore I focused on the photo and the handwriting. The photo seems to be done now, the handwriting and the stamps are my challenge for the next days.
Maybe I can get my old tablet back in action when I recover the lost pen ;) tracing with the mouse turned out to be a pain.
I did manage to mask back some simple handwriting but some words have to many subtle lines. Some words are also hard to read because people used another writing technique than we do these days. It's almost calligraphy.
Most of the handwriting, like the familyname, is completely gone due to the damage on the paper. I'll try cloning some visible letters on to the ones that are the same but have faded like in the police stamp.
I think the waterdamage is responsible for the loss of paper and it's distortion, the bright colours and the fading of the ink used for the handwriting.
I assumed that recreating the paper and the printed font would not affect the emotional value of the document as I also think that it did not have the bright faded colours before the flooding.
A low-res next step
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c304/tribemom/before%20and%20after%20OPR/tussenstap_klattdocument.jpg)
Do I ever hear your pain when tracing with a mouse!!! It's really moving along very well. I don't envy you!! ;)
Looking good Atlantis!
Well, when in doubt, go to the source!
I spoke with Mr. Klatt. He was absolutely delighted to hear from us, and to know that his documents are being worked on. He said that all of his documents are very special to him, and irreplaceable. He'd had them in a safety deposit box at the bank, which of course, was flooded with everything else. He said the box sat in water for about a month before he was allowed access into the bank to retrieve his belongings. Even when he got to his box, there was about a quart of water still inside of it.
Anyway, his father's name was Gustov Richard Klatt, but he always went by Richard Klatt, never using his first name. In fact, his son, whom I spoke with, never learned until years later that Gustov was his father's real first name. His father was born in January 8, 1899 in Germany, but with World War, the area became part of Poland. The area was called Donzieg, a Polish Cooridor, and it was a separate city/state run by the League of Nations after the War. His father became a merchant seamen and was given this document that we are discussing as his ID and passport. The document was created for him in 1920.
Mr. Klatt said he didn't know how he could possibly thank us enough for what we are doing, as these documents mean so much to him, and this will be wonderful gift when he receives them back again.
So, there ya have it! You are all a special group of people in helping Atlantis, and Mr. Klatt, to get back something so special! :loveit:
Christine
Christine, you're right about him being the nicest man. I did two restorations for him in the very beginning. I didn't know the history of his documents, so thank you very much for sharing that will us all. You know it really puts merit to what we do and that is the heart and soul of Operation Photo rescue. We are the blood that makes things come alive.
Again thank you for sharing.
Candice
Thanks for the backstory, Chris - it makes the restoration a little less tedious. I've been working on Mr. Klatt's citizenship papers for a few weeks now. I ran into a problem when I couldn't read the court clerk's signature. I called the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. I didn't expect to get an answer. The document is dated 1939 and I'm sure no one working now would know. I had the man's initials and the first two letters of the last name. The rest of it was gone. As soon as said "Operation Photo Rescue volunteer" they couldn't do enough to help. I had an entire office of people hunting through old records. It was amazing!! Within five minutes I had the name of the clerk who signed the document. The ladies of the court wanted me to convey to all the volunteers how much their work is appreciated. I intended to pass that along when I finished the work but now seemed a better time :)
MJ
@Christine:
Thank you so much for the extra information. The vague handwriting starts to make sense now. Like the nationality. Because I know Germany was not always the same state as it is today. I was going to look in prewar maps to figure out what states started with a D and now I know.
Could he tell you more about the colour of the document before the waterdamage as well?
You say the document was created in 1920 but I really thought I could see a 6 which would mean 1926.
I will have another good look at it today after the weekendshoppingceremony.
This truly motivates me to push on with extra power on getting it done as good as possible. *looks around ... where did that pen go*
@Charlene5 : do you have Mr. G.K. Klatts authograph as well? And maybe in a better condition? Maybe we could exchange that?
I guess that all the other handwriting on my document is done by a unknown clerk.
During and after the 1930 - 1945 period a lot of administration has gone in (eastern) Europe. And in postwar Poland we had many years of Russian influence so I don't think there will be al lot to find there. Besides, my polish isn't that fluent anymore, ehm never has been ;) By the way I think his Donzieg is what we call Danzig around here.
Some parts are completely destroyed, e.g. the familyname, but I know it is Klatt. What if I'm able to imitate the handwriting and put that back in place???
Atlantis, I have a fairly good copy of his signature, if you need it I will PM you a copy.
The document would have to be dated no later than1920, because I did one that said he arrived in the US on the 5th of October 1920.
Max
Yes please Max and thank you.
Hubby found the pen ... now we need to find the software that came with it, I stopped trying to use this set almost 3 years ago. We had some changes of rooms since so it was in some of the boxes in the attick. Meanwhile we got me a new computer. I also think the pen itself will need a new battery but then I'm all set up for tracing :yay:
Now this is what I call team work!! :up:
Christine
This has been a really great post! It is wonderful to see all the different solutions for the restoration. I especially enjoy the history that you guys are uncovering. Plus, the reaction of Mr Klatt is the icing on the cake. :up:
Margie
Update: it works BUT I do need some more practice in controlling the tablet ;) the lines are stll a little wiggly.
I also thought to make a smart move and trace a print but that was a lot harder. The practice coninue tomorrow...
I'm still plugging away on the naturalization papers but took a break to go check Ancestry.com. In 1930 Mr. Klatt was working as a butcher in a private market. His wife's name was Ella. She was born in Louisiana but her parents were German. They spoke German in their home - which they owned, btw - and the home was valued at $14,000. He arrived in the US in 1921. Knowing all that makes him much more real for me and I thought I'd share it with my fellow documneteers.
MJ
Knowing all this history just brings the work to life, doesn't it?
I did a resto for a family friend a while back, an army photo from WW2, the photo had no identification as to company etc, only the name for the photographer and the year. I started searching to see if I could find out some other names of the men in the photo and stumbled upon all the military records of my friends grandfather! He was so excited to have all the information, including copies of all his documents! It was really exciting to do the restoration, thinking about where this man had been and how young he was at that time.
This will mean so much to Mr Klatt.Great job :up:
Absolutely amazing what one can find. ;)
I received a sig in perfect condition from Max and guess what: I compared both sigs and "our" Richard used to be Rishard. He also evolved his handwriting, the R differs in size.
At this moment I'm planning on tracing everthing I can recover on a separate layer, put that on multiply or overlay (don't know what will work best yet) and use it as a mask as well to mask out the discoloured paper background. So the original handwriting will still be in the restoration, enhanced by the traced layer.
Does this idea make sense?
To feed your historic needs I found some interesting links :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danzig
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dow%C3%B3d_osobisty
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gdansk
It does indeed make sense. Keep going you're getting closer. :o)
While waiting for a return-email from Mr.Klatt with hopefully some extra information, I'll give you an update on my progress.
Yesterday I decided to retrace everything again. with a different brush. I realized that a flat, calligraphic brush would be a better choice when tracing handwriting. And it did. Also the extra exercise did me no harm because the first two days felt like learning to write all over again. Even my own handwriting looked squarish :-(
Today I received a link from Max to his awesome restoration of another document from the same flooded safe. I really think Max should write a tutorial on how to restore documents :hug:
Some boardsurfing led me to a tut on using LAB-channels and I thought "why not" and gave it a try. I did manage to see some extra information!
(inverted, levelled and copy/pasted the a channel on top of the original scan)
I decided to create a mask (by tracing) of all the writing and trace again on separate layers.
This time divided into a layer with stamps and blue ink and another layer for the darker fountainpenwriting.
Duplications and different blendmodes got me to this :
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c304/tribemom/before%20and%20after%20OPR/tussenstap2_klattdocument.jpg)
I'm still a bit bothered by shaky lines but I'm proud to say that some curves came out real nice.
Also the big round stamp: blue on blue coloured background and so hard to see what to trace ...
Today I asked for some "normal" photo's to balance my efforts and I got to download them just now. Thanks Christine.
Once I hear from Mr. Klatt I will get back to his document.
Oh yeah, and there's Real Life as well with some work to be done ;)
Impressive! :wnw:
Atlantis,
What you've done looks fantastic. It's wonderful to see a restoration like this become a team effort. I never cease to be amazed at this caring bunch of pixel-pushers. I suspect this gentleman will be overjoyed once you've finished.
Bless
Glenna
Atlantis,
You are really doing an amazing job!
As an FYI, I gave Atlantis permission to contact the owner by email, as it was really the best way to determine what the pertinent information was on this document. As an OPR guideline, we ask that you do not contact the onwer's of these photos or documents directly without prior approval of OPR. I know that a lot of the owner information is viewable, but in order to prevent multiple emails/phone calls from multiple people, and to respect the privacy of the owners, we like to limit these communications to the OPR "staff".
Thanks!
Christine
Glenna, there is no doubt that Mr. Klatt will be thrilled. ATlantis, you're willingness to research this is paying off. I love it!
Atlantis you are doing a marvellous job on this document, particularly being able to recover so much of the hand-written material.
I think you had better write the document restoration tutorial, great work! :up:
Max