Calling all Photoshoppers...

[Chris333]

Can anyone clean up this image so I can print it out for a N scale sign?



I am an idiot with computer programs so I wouldn't have a clue how to do it.  I scanned it at 1200 dpi, then resized it to 1.7" wide. (Once I trim it it should be close to the 1.625" I need it to be) and saved it at 300 or 400 dpi.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Chris
I think you're going to have trouble cleaning that up.

However, it looks easy enough to recreate in Adobe Illustrator.

Shoot me the high res version, (ed@kapuscinski.net), and I'd be honored to help out.

[Craig Martyn]

Like Ed said, you will probably have a better time reproducing that using a vector program that will allow you to basically outline all of the lettering and borders...

Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw would work well for this.

[Chris333]

Ed,

Thanks. I sent you a few photos.   

[3rdrail]

Boy, does that sign bring back memories. When I was a Sales Rep for the PRR in Baltimore the freight forwarders were part of my assignment. You Baltimorons remember President Street Station? Well, in the 1960's Lifschultz leased it!

[TrainCat2]

[nscalesteve]

that does not look like the original at all... 
wrong fonts...

[Day One]

I'm decent w/ photoshop.
I'll fix it up for you when I get home to my desktop computer that has PS installed.
It may be a couple days tho. I'm only home for about 18 hrs before I fly out again on Tuesday.

Is the pic posted in this thread the original full size jpeg file? I'll get a better result if I've got the best (largest) file to work from.

[Lenny53]

However, it looks easy enough to recreate in Adobe Illustrator.

Why not import it into directly into Illustrator to convert it to vector? 

[Zox]

A quick pass through Corel PhotoPaint's "Remove Moire" filter produced this from the sample image:



If you want to keep the weathering, but get rid of the magazine halftoning artifacts, this might fill the bill.

[wcfn100]

You should re-scan with a descreen for halftone images.  It should be in your scanners settings.


Jason

[Chris333]

Bob's came out a little bit better than Ed's, but I thank you both for the help!

About the photo version. The weathering is cool, but that photo was taken in 1977. In 1975 all rail traffic ended and I would be modeling 1945-1950 and this is the 2nd sign on the building so it would be in a lot better shape.

On my first computer I had a version of photoshop that came with it. I took a large Erie billboard and fixed all the color to look more solid, then I was able to change the town names on the billboard. Later I had a real version of photoshop and it was so complicated I could figure out a damn thing and deleted it from my computer.

For editing photos I use XnView (free) and love it.

Now another question...  I have Adobe Illustrator CS2 now, but don't know how to use it. I literally can't figure out how to draw a level line. Just lines made using the mouse (what do I do hold a bubble level up to the screen?) Plus is does not have dynamic zoom like autoCAD does.

Is there any easy way to learn this program? Online?  I have a PDF file to teach me, but it is 196 pages! A little much to print out and read at work. I could use it to design decals and other things that CAD can't do.

Gregg,
Have you ever been to W28th. St. and 11th Ave in NYC?  Erie had a terminal there (what I'm modeling), but PRR had a warehouse across the street and used some of Erie's Warehouse for space as well. Guess they used enough to put PRR on a Erie building as you can see in this photo:
http://www.nyhrr.com/Erie.htm

[wcfn100]

Shift key


Jason

[keystonecrossings]

You should re-scan with a descreen for halftone images.  It should be in your scanners settings.


Jason

Jason, while I agree with your methodology, and have used it myself, not all scanners (software) support this. My expensive Microtek scanner does, my cheap (but quicker) Canon scanner does not.

[Sokramiketes]

You'll probably be better off tracing the photo than trying to reproduce it using available fonts.  The LIFSCHULTZ is close, but take a look at the S and Z on the original.

The FAST FREIGHT is a lot different.  The F's should have tails at the top. the R and G stand out. 

CHICAGO  MILWAUKEE on the bottom is close font wise, but needs to be bold and condensed a bit.

Sometimes you can get close by using a standard font and then tweaking it as a vector.  Othertimes it's easier to just trace and create a new font.

Fonts are one of the things the art department at MDC always seemed to have trouble with.  The 50' PS boxcars seemed to have regular computer fonts on them and not the true railroad fonts.  It's worth matching them exactly.