How can I uncover inked over writing?

D

Dee in FL

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I have a vintage WWII photo with writing using green ink on the back ( it could have startedd out as blue ink and just changed with time). Someone scribbled across part of the writing with black ink. Does anyone know how I might be able to find out what the original writing said?

Thanks,
 
My science education was a very long time ago, but I seem to remember something about coloured filters. Otherwise, you might try photographing the writing and tweaking the colour channels to boost the green.
Andy.
 
Yes - there are a variety of alternative light sources that can be tried. I had an 18th century document with a heavily inked out passage and the forensic team at our college tried to read it - but with only partial success.
 
OutLore said:
Agreed, I have a black light in one of my PC cases and it will show up all kinds of stuff that you think is long gone!!
Click to expand...

Hmm...that's sure sounds interesting. Would it be as simple as purchasing a "black lite" light bulb at my local Wal-Mart and then looking at the picture with it shining on it or are y'all talking something more sophisticated than that?
 
scan it and look at the channel information. If the ink is green it should appear clearer in the Red or blue channels.
 
When I was doing scenes of crime work, we put documents and cloth into a sealed case with Cryoanylate (Superglue) dropped onto a piece of waste china or glass so that it wouldn't be absorbed. It was left in the case overnight (we actually used an old glass aquarium, with a glass sheet for a lid!)

The vapour will adhere to anything that is grease or oil based, and make it readable. It's the way we used to develop fingerprints from paper and cloth. It's amazing what it picks up. The result is permanent. It may work for you.
 
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