The Seniors Centre for Excellence recently hosted Clifford Congregate Dining at Knox United Church in the village.
Helen Edwards, program co-ordinator and Jenni Spies, administrative assistant, prepared and enjoyed a luncheon of salad, sandwiches and ice cream sandwiches, along with nine ladies.
With an hour set aside for creativity, the ladies learned the art of hand tinting black and white photographs. Original black and whites or new ones printed on matte paper can all be tinted with a simple technique. Ordinary oil paints will not work, it is important to use Marshall’s Photo Oil Colors, which include paints and pencils. Some photos may need to be pre-treated with Marshall’s P M Solution, but it could also be used as a touch up for any mistakes
Spies, who holds a fine art degree, accompanied a friend one evening to a session on tinting. The paints are used sparingly.
Only a slight dab of colour is needed to apply to the photo.By breaking a cotton swab in two, you dip the stick end in the dob of paint and dot your photo where you want the chosen colour. In a circular motion with the swab end, you gently spread the paint colour to suit your taste. With the photos chosen, butterflies, stained glass windows, antique cars, leaves, flowers, and family members came to life on the paper. The photo will take 24 hours to dry properly.
Spies shared a story about the photos she printed of the stained glass windows in the mansion of her ancestor who was a railway tycoon back in the 1800s. In black and white, the subtle colours of the glass are indistinguishable, but can be transformed into any hue.
There seems to be only one hitch to this art form: the paints needed seemingly are only available in the United States. The collection has several colours and comes in a kit of 25 tiny tubes, but a little dab does go a long way.
There was no cost for the event, but donations were accepted.
