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A lovely old homestead

Started by Jo Ann Snover, May 02, 2019, 10:04:44 PM

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Jo Ann Snover

I'm nowhere near done with my current restoration, but I'd appreciate opinions on what to treat as damage versus what was the original photo. Here's the original



This is the original with no restoration but just the layers that adjust color and tone



Here's my WIP



Removing the black, white and gray blotches is straightforward, if time consuming.

There are some areas on the side of the house, for example, where there's darkness on the lower parts of the wall and it could be mud splashed on the whitewash or it could be damage. I can certainly make the whole side wall of the house uniform, but if this rural home wasn't pristine, I'm removing some of the character if I clean up the darker lower areas.

I added some very light shading to better define the lower part of the chimney as best I can figure out its shape - does it look sort of correct?

I think the stripes on the grass are sunlight, not damage.

The shrub around the corner from the people has an impossibly thin stem - I can't see how it could hold up the top and there's no sign of a trellis or other structure. Any suggestions about that?

Behind the chimney there's an area of brightness that I think of damage. It could be some part of a flower bed - or even a storm cellar door, perhaps? If I can't figure out anything better I'll just make the grass blend in and remove whatever it is.

If there's anything else that jumps out at you, I'm all ears :)
Jo Ann

Candice

#1
Second set of eyes.
Chimney as I see it's shape.
Shrub... that is odd.  I see it as you do. 
Using one of your tricks, I've outlined the chimney area.
I do see a slight outline of a cellar door, but it's very faint.

As for the foundation: I see the heavy covering and then there is the foundation itself.  Part of it I believe was covered with a heavier cement overlay, with some that has chipped  away, at the very base, over time.

Gotta love the chair in the back right of house. I almost missed that till I dinked around with a few more settings.

Well, Jo Ann, those are my observations.   :hug:


Candice

Hannie

The bright area (storm cellar door) looks like damage to me, same as the round area next to it below the shrub.
I would approach the darker areas on the wall as partly damage and lighten them some/make dark to light more gradual.
The thin stemmed shrub is a thin stemmed shrub I think.:)  Perhaps it was a vine that was secured to the wall of the house somehow?  Chimney looks good.

With these old photographs that are so damaged it is always hard to decide how far to go but I can tell already that the owners are going tobe very happy when they see what you have done so far Jo Ann!

Hannie
Hannie Scheltema
Distribution Coordinator
[email protected]

Lynnya

Can't wait to see the final.. what a lovely old image.. :loveit:
never giving up......learning from others as I go...

Jo Ann Snover

Thanks for the suggestions. I agree with Hannie that a blend from dark to lighter is probably the right approach and Candy doing some outlines made me think it'd be worth doing a fuller set just to make sure I have the overall house shape correct.



The lines in red are parts you can't see but have to be where the walls are given how the roof line for that back extension juts out from the side wall of the house.

And looking at that area on the side, I can clearly see a dark area, possibly a basement window, in the lower part of the wall and it is partially covered with what I think is perhaps some overgrown greenery. I marked the possible window in green and as there are very straight lines top and right, I definitely think it's man made and part of that extension's wall.

Also, underneath the possible damage/possible storm cellar door you can see another straight line shape. Could be the edge of a small raised bed or could be a wooden cellar door. I do think the light blob on the wall above the mystery objects on the ground is damage

I did a little internet searching and here are some examples of window wells and storm cellar wooden doors



I'll see how the outlines do to guide me and after I've done some more I'll post again and also double check with Tess who may not have seen this (it's her image).
Jo Ann

Lynnya

Seems in an odd place for a storm cellar.. right next to the chimmney . .. I'm usually wrong about these things but it feels off..
never giving up......learning from others as I go...

Jo Ann Snover

I still can't make my mind up, but I think you're right about the storm cellar, but the basement window, if that's what the dark, partially visible rectangle at the bottom of the wall is, would be in the extension at the back.

I may have to just remove all those objects if I can't make my mind up!! I'm fixing shrubbery in the meantime :)
Jo Ann

Candice

I see the small window, too, Jo Ann. :up:  And I didn't earlier.  Don't you just love working with shadows?  lol

My grandparent's storm shelter was like the first example with the stairs.  I use to think it was haunted!!   :wow:


Candice

Jo Ann Snover

This is where I am now. I'm going to upload for Tess to give me right direction/wrong direction feedback, but any other thoughts about how it looks overall (I know there's still cleanup to do) would be excellent.


Jo Ann

Candice

I think you're just about at that point for upload, after the little bits you have left. Lovely, Jo.  The family will be very pleased.
Candice

Hannie

Beautiful job Jo Ann!
When I look at the people its seems like it was a sunny day, I wonder if the sky could us a little more brightness (left side and towards the horizon)?
Hannie Scheltema
Distribution Coordinator
[email protected]

coopmj

This is fabulous. You did a terrific job on this. :up:

Jo Ann Snover

Thanks - and I agree with Hannie about the brightness.

This is what I uploaded as a final - and I also made a hand colored version because I was curious and had a bit of time (I'm waiting for my next image).




Jo Ann

Candice

#13
They are both awesome, Jo.    :up2:
Candice

Shadow