How obsessive artists colorize old photos

Photo colorization artists use a combination of research, physics, and technology to digitally reconstruct history’s black and white record. Help us make more ambitious videos by joining the Vox Video Lab. It gets you exclusive perks, like livestream Q&As with all the Vox creators, a badge that levels up over time, and video extras bringing you closer to our work! Learn more at Artist links: Jordan Lloyd (@jordanjlloydhq): Mads Madsen (@Madsmadsench): Marina Amaral (@marinamaral2): Dana Keller (@HistoryInColor): Patty Allison (@imbuedwithhues): The Paper Time Machine: Photo colorization isn’t just coloring within the lines — it requires meticulous research to make sure that every detail is historically accurate. The color of military uniforms, signs, vehicles, and world fashion spanning decades needs to be accounted for before even opening digital software like Photoshop. That means digging through sources like diaries, government records, old advertisements, and even consulting historical experts to get the colors right. But even after the arduous research, restoration, and blending of color, the image still isn’t finished. In order to achieve true photorealism, the physics of how light works in the atmosphere needs to be taken into account. Colors look different depending on the lighting conditions when the photo was taken, so artists rely on shadows and the location of light to make an educated guess about the time of day in a black-and-white photo. Subscribe to our channel! is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what’s really driving the events in the headlines. Check out to get up to speed on everything from Kurdistan to the Kim Kardashian app. Check out our full video catalog: Follow Vox on Twitter: Or on Facebook: