recovering door lettering???

[riz]

What is the best way to reveal what lettering used to be on a truck door from many years ago? If you look at the door at an angle, you can kind of see the old lettering but was wondering if there are any techniques to help see/recover the lettering so it can be duplicated after new paint is applied. Any help would be appreciated.

RIZ

[frankenglide]

Possibly night time photography with remote flash, we used this method to recover hidden or obscure skid marks at accident scenes. Stan.

[riz]

Good idea, I'll try that. Thanks.

RIZ

[frankenglide]

RIZ, I once was able to photograph a set of truck skidmarks that seemed to be completely gone. Pre digital days so all of this was 35mm SLR. Positioned the camera looking straight down the line where I thought the marks would be. Positioned the flash looking across the marks, about 20 ft ahead and to the right. 2 exposures and move 2ft. closer and repeat all the way to the center. Skids showed up on film at the 8ft. mark. Same thing from the left side and the skids showed up at 12ft. Bear with me please, if you're going to try this, do it from many angles and ranges. The flash angle can be varied as well. Hope you can get an image, please keep us posted. Stan.

[cadillac_al]

If the camera tricks won't work, you should be able to reveal it with some hand block sanding.

[83swb]

Try some paint thinner on a rag or paper towel? Should reveal the lettering a little darker than the paintwork.

[frankenglide]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

If the camera tricks won't work, you should be able to reveal it with some hand block sanding.

Yeah I was going to start off with that and spaced it. Stan.