Backgrounds to coin photos/scans

Sylvestius · October 3, 2005 3:16AM

Been thinking of doing this for a while... captures the whole essence of France no?

I had some three lions ones to try too.

Refrema · October 3, 2005 4:08AM

Please excuse my comments about the background, but I don’t like it. Just my opinion, but it is how I feel about it.

It seems to drew your eyes away from the coin.

A good background should complement the subject not compete with the main subject. Maybe if it was much lighter than the coin, and with softer colors your idea could work.

Bob

Lynch · October 3, 2005 4:09AM

Nice idea. I like it.

Is the background photoshopped in, or is it real?

tbirde56 · October 3, 2005 4:34AM

Appropriate background for the coin but the blue background and gray of the coin don't give enough contrast for the coin to stand out well. The fleur-de-lis pattern does outshine the coin.

Sylvestius · October 3, 2005 4:39AM

<< Please excuse my comments about the background, but I don’t like it. Just my opinion, but it is how I feel about it.

It seems to drew your eyes away from the coin.

A good background should complement the subject not compete with the main subject. Maybe if it was much lighter than the coin, and with softer colors your idea could work.

Bob >>

I agree with your sentiments. This is just me having a bit of fun with the collection...

I know a way of making the background look much better by messing about with the brightness and contrast.

In answer to Lynch what i actually did (which is not entirely advisable) was to get the fleurs from the internet and take them to Paintbrush picture and make sure there were lots of them, print it out and give it a good 12 hours to make sure the ink is dried and then scan the coin with the background behind it. I thought i might be nice for my 1780s Royals collection. Less to show off the coins on a design level but more to show the diversity of the monarchy in the 1780s and the symbols of the Ancien Regime.

Sylvestius · October 3, 2005 4:40AM

One way of making it look better is to cut the amount of background being shown, so the coin is bigger.

Man · October 3, 2005 4:42AM

Nice attempt but it looks like a plate on the wall in my grandparents house, that cloth wallpaper from the 1890's.

Sylvestius · October 3, 2005 4:49AM

<< Nice attempt but it looks like a plate on the wall in my grandparents house, that cloth wallpaper from the 1890's. >>

Excellent! I love Victorian decor... mind you i live in a Victorian house so it's to be expected.

Turning up the brightness and reducing the contrast gets this;

coinpictures · October 3, 2005 9:58AM

It can be done in photoshop, but it takes a bit of effort.

Have you thought about putting a plate of glass about 1-2 inches above the background, placing the coin on the glass? That will make the background just a bit out-of-focus and the coin edges sharp.

This is what I was able to do in Photoshop with an existing coin picture I had: