Retouch
Definition
A second application of ink to a stroke by the forger, correcting a perceived error; produces double ink-layer detectable by oblique lighting and infrared reflectography.
- Field
- Questioned document examination
- Cause
- Forger correcting a perceived stroke error
- Detection
- Oblique lighting and infrared reflectography
- Signature
- Double ink-layer over the same stroke
Common questions
How does infrared reflectography reveal a retouched stroke?+
Different inks or ink batches can absorb or reflect infrared light differently even when they look identical in visible light, so overlapping strokes written in slightly different ink formulations show as distinguishable layers under IR imaging.
Does retouching always indicate forgery rather than natural correction?+
No, genuine writers occasionally retrace a faint or incomplete stroke, so an examiner evaluates retouch alongside line quality, pen lifts, and hesitation marks characteristic of simulation before concluding the writing is not genuine.
Can retouching be seen without specialised equipment?+
Fine retouching is often invisible or very subtle under normal room light. Oblique raking light and magnification are typically needed to reveal the raised or doubled ink deposit before instrumental confirmation.
Related terms
- Auto-Forgery
- A genuine signature executed by the legitimate signer on a document they later deny, undetectable by handwriting comparison alone; requires document-dating and...
- ESDA
- Electrostatic Detection Apparatus; detects latent indentations in paper by charging the surface and cascading toner particles, revealing tracing stylus pressure and writing...
- Exemplar Set
- The collection of known genuine signatures used as the comparison baseline; SWGDOC and ENFSI guidelines specify a minimum of 20-30 exemplars spanning...
- Freehand Simulation
- A forgery produced by visually studying the target signature and reproducing it from memory, without mechanical tracing; characterised by slow pen speed,...
- Indented Tracing
- A tracing method in which a stylus or pen presses the genuine signature outline through to a blank beneath, leaving physical indentations...
- Line Quality
- The overall fluency, rhythm and pressure variation of a stroke. Genuine writing has smooth, rhythmic, pressure-modulated lines; forgeries show tremor, blunt starts...
- Motor Programme
- The stored neuromuscular sequence that controls handwriting execution. Once stable in adulthood, it runs largely automatically, making handwriting consistent and individuating.
- Natural Variation
- The normal within-writer fluctuation in individual features across repetitions of the same letter or writing task; an examiner assesses whether questioned-writing variation...
- Video Spectral Comparator (VSC)
- A multispectral imaging instrument combining UV, visible, and near-infrared illumination with selectable emission filters and a calibrated digital camera; the primary bench...