DIGITAL CONSERVATION

If you have an old document (such as an architectural drawing, map or plan) or an old photograph (perhaps of an early family group), I can digitally restore it and provide you with a high quality image file suitable for printing or for reproduction in a publication.

I will photograph your original* under controlled lighting (I use LED light panels that do not emit heat, and a colour-controlled workflow) to produce a high resolution image. Using a range of software tools, I will carefully remove stains, creases, marks and dust spots. If the original has been torn or otherwise physically damaged, I can restore the image to a condition that meets your needs. If it has faded, I can restore the colour - monochrome or full colour.

This is a process requiring care and patience. Having examined the original, I will estimate how long the restoration will take and quote you a firm price. The final output can be tailored to your requirements: a high resolution tiff or jpeg for publication or printing, or a smaller file for the web. A good quality inkjet print is also a possibility.

Your original document or photograph will be treated with great care and returned to you exactly as it was. I do not carry out physical document conservation.

For a document such as a drawing or painting that does not require repair or restoration, I can make a high-resolution copy and provide you with a high quality image file for reproduction.

*The quality of the original document will ultimately determine the quality of the final image. Colour balance, contrast and sharpness can all be varied; a small, poor quality negative can be enhanced but there are limits.

Get in touch for an informal chat about your requirements: 07980 750301 or colinmclean100@icloud.com

before

This is a section from the original print, which was badly faded, stained and dust-spotted.

This was a scan of a Victorian glass plate from the Cavaye Collection of glass negatives by Thomas Begbie, held in Edinburgh City Art Centre, and was purchased for a book I was illustrating. The scan was in very poor condition, with multiple marks and blemishes.

after

All the marks, creases and stains have been removed, the contrast adjusted and the image restored to black and white.

This is the scan restored, with all the marks and blemishes carefully removed and the contrast adjusted. The building is the Life Association of Scotland, designed by David Rhind and built in 1855-58. It was demolished in the 1960s.