Removing Stains from old prints

I have an old diploma, which was probably printed on parchment or something similar, and over the years the paper has developed a number of large brown blotches. I would like to scan it, and using Photoshop Elements 4, remove the brown tint and recreate a like-new diploma, which I hope to have (re) signed by the original signer.

Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

I'm no expert, but you might try using the clone stamp tool. "JimR" wrote in message

I have an old diploma, which was probably printed on parchment or something similar, and over the years the paper has developed a number of large brown blotches. I would like to scan it, and using Photoshop Elements 4, remove the brown tint and recreate a like-new diploma, which I hope to have (re) signed by the original signer.

Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

"JimR" wrote in message

I have an old diploma, which was probably printed on parchment or something similar, and over the years the paper has developed a number of large brown blotches. I would like to scan it, and using Photoshop Elements 4, remove the brown tint and recreate a like-new diploma, which I hope to have (re) signed by the original signer.

Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

Try duping the image, converting to lab mode, and using levels on the a channel to generate a mask. Then use this as the layer mask for a curved layer on your original. Put an example up somewhere and I'll give it a try. --
Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com

"JimR" wrote in message news:7SUCf.5399

Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

Does elements have a colour replacement tool?

You might try scanning the diploma in color and using the channel mixer find a combination of channels that minimizes the stain. Make it into a monochrome through this and then use the threshold adjustment to eliminate the rest of the stain. (I'm assuming that there is little or no grayscale to the document.)

"John Forest" wrote in message

You might try scanning the diploma in color and using the channel mixer find a combination of channels that minimizes the stain. Make it into a monochrome through this and then use the threshold adjustment to eliminate the rest of the stain. (I'm assuming that there is little or no grayscale to the document.)

there is a tutorial how to remove a wine stain on an older version of PS, it was possibly a Russell Brown one. It uses this technique you describe, adjusting the channel and adding a channel somehow.
can't find it online tho..sorry

Thanks to everyone for the ideas -- I'll pursue them. I've suddenly and unexpectedly been snowed under with other work, so I'll have to pursue this over the next few weeks. Regards --

"KatWoman" wrote in message

"John Forest" wrote in message

You might try scanning the diploma in color and using the channel mixer find a combination of channels that minimizes the stain. Make it into a monochrome through this and then use the threshold adjustment to eliminate the rest of the stain. (I'm assuming that there is little or no grayscale to the document.)

there is a tutorial how to remove a wine stain on an older version of PS, it was possibly a Russell Brown one. It uses this technique you describe, adjusting the channel and adding a channel somehow.
can't find it online tho..sorry

"Mike Russell" wrote in message

"JimR" wrote in message

I have an old diploma, which was probably printed on parchment or something similar, and over the years the paper has developed a number of large brown blotches. I would like to scan it, and using Photoshop Elements 4, remove the brown tint and recreate a like-new diploma, which I hope to have (re) signed by the original signer.

Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

Try duping the image, converting to lab mode, and using levels on the a channel to generate a mask. Then use this as the layer mask for a curved layer on your original. Put an example up somewhere and I'll give it a try.
--
Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to ease it out of its frame and then get a good scan, and then I'll try to take you up on your generous offer. Regards --

I haven't encountered that particular problem, but if the print is distinguishable from the stain, I would try scanning it in whatever the name of the mode is that is b&w and has no gray (my scanner is not hooked up right now). Try different scan setting until you can separate (or at least minimize) that staining. Then touch up afterwards.

A real low-tech technique would be to try the same thing on a photocopier (changing contrast and darkness) and see if you can separate them. If so, copy onto the new paper and you'll be done.

Interesting idea -- convert to B&W, then recolor the non-B&W portions (military crest, etc.) I'll try that as one of the options. I'm afraid there's too much color and detail for your second suggestion -- photocopier -- to make a quality new diploma.
Thanks for the effort. --
"Pat" wrote in message

I haven't encountered that particular problem, but if the print is distinguishable from the stain, I would try scanning it in whatever the name of the mode is that is b&w and has no gray (my scanner is not hooked up right now). Try different scan setting until you can separate (or at least minimize) that staining. Then touch up afterwards.

A real low-tech technique would be to try the same thing on a photocopier (changing contrast and darkness) and see if you can separate them. If so, copy onto the new paper and you'll be done.

On 2006-01-28 21:27:31 -0400, "JimR" said:

I have an old diploma, which was probably printed on parchment or something similar, and over the years the paper has developed a number of large brown blotches. I would like to scan it, and using Photoshop Elements 4, remove the brown tint and recreate a like-new diploma, which I hope to have (re) signed by the original signer.
Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

If you have color range as an option like photoshop 7+ CS+ CS2 do then it should do the trick.

Open the image>
select / color range in the menu>
click black matte then invert it to show only the areas selected> click on the spots you want to remove, keep clicking to add color removal> set the fuzziness slider to the desired effect>
Unclick the invert button.
Click oK>

Save the selection it created as a new channel or save selection in the menu> expand the selection by 1 pixel>
go to the patch tool and select an area of color that you want to fill in. I usually use white if the spots are covering the full image but... you'll have to make a white border aorund the image so the patch tool can select it.
The patch tool will do a good job of blurring the edges with the new color and the photo. It like a healing tool process but you can to it on all the spots in one move.

Ive done this to correct photos with thousands of tiny spots on them. It's not 100% but it's very close.

--
Cheers
PacMan

http://homepage.mac.com/brown.joey/portfolio/

Thanks -- I'll try it -- JimR
"PacMan" wrote in message

On 2006-01-28 21:27:31 -0400, "JimR" said:

I have an old diploma, which was probably printed on parchment or something similar, and over the years the paper has developed a number of large brown blotches. I would like to scan it, and using Photoshop Elements 4, remove the brown tint and recreate a like-new diploma, which I hope to have (re) signed by the original signer.

Is there an easy way to "filter out" the brown blotches or do I have to go in pixel by pixel and either mask or erase the brown? I haven't found any help in the references I've looked at so far. Regards --

If you have color range as an option like photoshop 7+ CS+ CS2 do then it should do the trick.

Open the image>
select / color range in the menu>
click black matte then invert it to show only the areas selected> click on the spots you want to remove, keep clicking to add color removal> set the fuzziness slider to the desired effect>
Unclick the invert button.
Click oK>

Save the selection it created as a new channel or save selection in the menu>
expand the selection by 1 pixel>
go to the patch tool and select an area of color that you want to fill in. I usually use white if the spots are covering the full image but... you'll have to make a white border aorund the image so the patch tool can select it.
The patch tool will do a good job of blurring the edges with the new color and the photo. It like a healing tool process but you can to it on all the spots in one move.

Ive done this to correct photos with thousands of tiny spots on them. It's not 100% but it's very close.

--
Cheers
PacMan

http://homepage.mac.com/brown.joey/portfolio/

Harry wrote:

<snip>

Does elements have a colour
replacement tool?

Harry, Elements 2 has a Replace Color command. Choose "Enhance" > "Adjust Color" > "Replace Color" .

I have not used this function, so I can't tell you anything about it. Pages 69-70 in the User Guide.

Cheers Lee O.