Joanne Domka

Joanne Domka: Hand-colored Photos

©Joanne Domka, 1999.

Joanne Domka isn't merely a photographer. She isn't just an artist either. Rather, she is both. Thanks to a college class in experimental processes in photography, Domka is most renowned for her ability to combine skills in both fields to create her own unique style of documenting vintage signage: the hand-colored photograph.

Born and raised in Warren, MI, a town just north of Detroit, Domka first discovered her talent for the technique at Wayne State University, where she received a degree in fine arts. She started out coloring 8 x 10 prints, and then moved onto larger ones. Today, the average print she works with is 20 X 24, a size which she told Photographic magazine, allows her to "really dig into details" (Photographic magazine, March, 1999 issue).

Her technique is fairly simple: Domka begins by shooting the subject in black and white film, usually with a 35mm Nikon SLR camera. The photo is printed on a matte-finish, fiber-basted paper and then dry-mounted on archival museum board. The edges are next masked-off with artist's Frisket in order to keep the borders clean. Then comes the fun part: adding the color.

Domka primarily uses Prismacolor art pencils, which allow her more control over the image. However, she also uses oil paints for more subtle color transitions, such as in cloud scenes. When adding color, Domka often uses a color print of the subject as a frame of reference. Her true talent however, is in the way she envisions color where it previously did not exist, and she uses much freedom in achieving the vibrancy and richness of color that her prints are most known for. Finally, the prints are sprayed with a fix, which both protects the piece, and intensifies the color.

Domka, who is currently employed full-time as a photo research archivist at General Motors, comes from a long line of GM employees. So it is not surprising that one of her favorite subjects is old cars. Many of her prints include images of white or light-colored vintage cars from the 1950s, which she has re-colored in the magentas, greens, electric yellows and aquamarines the decade is most known for. However, Domka also enjoys shooting vintage neon signage, some of the results of which are shown below.

Domka's work has been displayed in galleries, featured in magazines and newspapers, and appeared on the cover of the Light Impressions catalog, as well as shown in the private collections of sign enthusiasts and corporations alike. For more information on Domka's work, please contact her via email at [email protected].
Website : www.joannedomka.com

See more examples of Domka's work