Hand colored photograph from early 1900's. (Click on picture for larger image)

Before color film was invented people took black-and-white photographs and hand colored them so they would look like they were in color!  Now people do this because it gives a special effect to black and white photographs.

You can do this! You only need a few items: watercolor pencils (available at craft stores), a paintbrush (with a small brush), and a black-and-white photocopy of a picture to hand color. Scroll down to find pictures you can print and hand color.

Hand colored photograph with faces and background colored

How to do it:

1. Choose the parts of the picture you want to color. You don't need to color the whole picture, people often just pick out a few things to color, which is what makes these pictures look so cool.

2. Choose what color you want to paint each part.

3. Use your watercolor pencil and outline each part. You don't need to make the lines very dark, it only takes a little bit to work.

4. Wet your paintbrush with water; paint over the lines you colored, dragging the paintbrush from the edge of the outlined area into the center and blend. Rinse your brush before you go to another color. Do this to every part of the picture you want to color. You will be amazed how great your picture will look! 

You can also use watercolor paints, markers, and crayons to hand color photographs.

Photographs to Hand Color
Click on a photograph for a bigger photograph to print
Standard paper works fine to hand color.

Photographs from the Utah State Historical Society

Ways We Have Traveled in Utah

The Blue Flame driven by Gary Gabelich on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He set a world speed record of 622 miles per hour in 1970.	Ab Jenkin's Mormon Meteor III on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1950.	"Railton Special" driven by John Cobb on Bonneville Salt Flats in 1947. Notice his head in center of car.
Union Pacific Locomotive #9301 in Provo, Utah in 1991	Stuck in a stream, March 1935	1916 at the Scripp Booth Auto Company, 41 South State Street, Salt Lake City. Notice the cobblestone street.
Studebaker car at the Utah State Capitol in 1926 with Miss Utah (left) and Miss Australia.	Railway construction at 200 South and Main Street, Salt Lake City in 1928.	David Keith carriage in front of Keith Mansion, South Temple, Salt Lake City in 1904.
Early bicycle	Denver and Rio Grande Western train in 1892	1862 wagon train

Fashions Through the Ages in Utah

Utah prisoners in 1889	Family in 1902	1909 display window of Auerbach's Department Store, Salt Lake City
Lady in the early 1900's	Utahns in 1910 at the Eagle Gate in Salt Lake City	The "Roaring Twenties" or Utahns in 1928. Notice the "flapper" dresses.
5th graders at Washington Elementary in Park City in 1929	Ladies during World War II working in the Denver and Rio Grande Western train yards. Notice their jeans!	Kindergarten class at Madison Elementary School in 1957
	Adult fashions about 1945 in Utah.

Sports in Utah

1912 U.S. Smelter baseball team	Swimming in the 1920's	1905 Webster School football team
1909 L.D.S. University basketball team, the state champions	Karl Malone with the Utah Jazz in 1988

Recreation in Utah

Great Salt Lake boat harbor in 1950	Sailing on the Great Salt Lake	Fly fishing in 1907. Notice the suit he went fishing in!

Scenic Utah

Angel Arch, few people have seen as it is difficult to get to.	Delicate Arch	Lake in the Uinta Mountains

Fun and Entertainment in Utah

Soap box derby July 23, 1946	Circus act "Monya with snakes"	Horse and a friend
	Christmas parade about 1932 in Salt Lake City

People at Work

Kids in 1898 milking a cow. They lived in Huntington, Utah.	Salt Lake City Police in 1907 at 120 East 100 South	Salt Lake City Fire Department in 1909
Washing clothes in 1902. Notice the "wringer" on the side of the tub.	Farm wife with her canned goods in 1940	Making candy in 1965

Military Fashions Through the Ages

Spanish American War veterans	World War I soldier	Kids in 1918 during World War I. Boy's size uniform ordered through mail order catalog. Other boys in town wished they had one! Girls liked him!
World War II Navajo code talker in 1943 using "walky-talky"	1944 window display of ladies World War II uniforms

Would you like to hand color more photographs?  The Utah State Historical Society  has over 10,000 historic photographs with lots of people, places, events and things on our web site.

Hand colored photographs make great cards. If you would like to make a card check out  Make a Card.