This cover for the Minnesota Historical Society Press began with this original photo. Note the scratches and crease marks on the surface of the original photo.

Click the video to watch the photo come to life with the colorizing process.

AFTER COLORIZING

I chose the colors using color photos of each historical item in the photo. With advanced Photoshop skills, color is placed on each item individually.

For the cover, charcoal borders above and below frame the photo and give prominence to its subtle colors. The two typeface styles align with the historical era. The outsized emphasis on one word is a typical design device of the posters in the 1940s.