Hi Guys,
I'm new around here, and so far have found some incredibly useful tips on retouching on the forum, so I thought I'd put my own question out there.

Below is a link for the site of photographer David Stuart.

David Stuart (http://www.davidstuart.net/#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=7&p=0&a=0&at=0)

You'll notice that the girl in the shot on the right has amazing skin to the effect of making it look like plastic.
I was wondering if anyone knows how to create this effect either in camera or in post with Photoshop.
I know there has been a thread similar to this about creating plastic skin but its really old and I thought there might be some fresh ideas out there.

Thanks!
Chloe

It's pretty hard to see anything in such a small image. Have you found a bigger one? Obviously, there are a million ways to do everything, but if I were trying to get that look, I'd start out with some pretty severe healing and blurring, add a few highpass layers of different radii, and finish off with some manual blurred curves masks to clip the shadows and emphasise the highlights. Upping the contrast or adding a bit of HDR would also work, depending on your particular shot and how severe an effect you want. Of course, if you happen to have access to professional lighting, you can pretty much point, shoot, and print.

Of course, if you happen to have access to professional lighting, you can pretty much point, shoot, and print.


lol just that easy huh?

It's pretty hard to see anything in such a small image. Have you found a bigger one? Obviously, there are a million ways to do everything, but if I were trying to get that look, I'd start out with some pretty severe healing and blurring, add a few highpass layers of different radii, and finish off with some manual blurred curves masks to clip the shadows and emphasise the highlights. Upping the contrast or adding a bit of HDR would also work, depending on your particular shot and how severe an effect you want. Of course, if you happen to have access to professional lighting, you can pretty much point, shoot, and print.

never blur skin..

I posted this tutorial for a method I created by accident while trying to do something else. It works best for creating a smooth base for further retouching of skin but in cases where the model has really good skin it is often all you need to do. It differs from most other techniques in that it uses the High Pass filter to target and remove blemishes.

http://www.mediafire.com/?cbjuonbj1vu

I have been refining it for a while and now find it works incredibly well once you learn how to manipulate it.

Thanks for all the quick responses!!

Maroon - this should be a bigger pic 54097(again, Picture is taken by David Stuart) I had thought about HDR, it just seems to be a bit more than just that...but I suppose he might just be really good at it!

Ruud - Thanks for the tip and please excuse my ignorance, but why should you never blur skin?

Panascape - Awesome tutorial, very detailed. I'll give it a go!

Again, thanks for the helpful suggestions...Keep 'Em Coming! :)

Hi Maroon
please excuse my ignorance, but what is HDR?
also, I am not sure I follow re the manual blurred curves masks. what does this mean? it it a curve masked to a particular ares that emphasises contrast?
is it the mask that is then blurred for blending purposes?
please explain.
karin

Hi Karin l,

HDR means High Dinamic Range image, it's a picture created from several pictures of the same scene in different exposures, if U are interested in U can check our forum about it:http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/hdr-hdri-tone-mapping/

oh, ok, sabi, thanks
k

never blur skin cause you loose skin texture/detail...the skin looks retouched with dodge and burn!

the same as Gerry is saying, because when you blur skin the texture of the skin, and it look fake, as really fake. when you use the Dodge and burn technique, you have still the texture but a very nice skin. that picture you let see was definitely used D&B

some of David Stuart's photos have a sort of metallic look, just as skin and also objects were made by bronze.
This kind of effect is also here (but in an stronger manner...) http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/pcat/307918/display/7886820
I would really like to know how it is achieved.... any clue???

Awesome! Thanks Ruud and Gerry! Very helpful, I would never have thought to use dodge and burn.
Myfairies - I know what you are talking about with the bronze look, that's the next thing I want to try and achieve...someone I know seems to think that look is achieved by mainly using HDR...would that be right?

My guess would be that they've used alot of d&b on the image, as well as maybe blurring, but I'm not really that sure about blurring there images, cause from what I know, a good retoucher never blurs they're images.

some of David Stuart's photos have a sort of metallic look, just as skin and also objects were made by bronze.
This kind of effect is also here (but in an stronger manner...) http://www.fotocommunity.com/pc/pc/pcat/307918/display/7886820
I would really like to know how it is achieved.... any clue???

that effect made the picture look really bad! the teeth looks dirty! the skin color is not balanced and the overall feel looks a bit weird to me! imo...

My guess would be that they've used alot of d&b on the image, as well as maybe blurring, but I'm not really that sure about blurring there images, a good retoucher never blurs they're images.


NO BLUR! I've learned that a while back! NEVER BLUR! YOU BLUR, YOU LOOSE!

that effect made the picture look really bad! the teeth looks dirty! the skin color is not balanced and the overall feel looks a bit weird to me! imo...

Well, I usually make fantasy portraits so the weird look is what I'm actually after..... :D

Why not blur? Depends on the effect you want.

Found this site, lot of blur in skin and i like it a lot:

www.lookit.be

Hello!
I didn't know HDR was useful for fashion and beauties/portraits...could tell me something more...there's a tutorial to read about? thanks

Hi Guys,
I'm new around here, and so far have found some incredibly useful tips on retouching on the forum, so I thought I'd put my own question out there.

Below is a link for the site of photographer David Stuart.

David Stuart (http://www.davidstuart.net/#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=7&p=0&a=0&at=0)

You'll notice that the girl in the shot on the right has amazing skin to the effect of making it look like plastic.
I was wondering if anyone knows how to create this effect either in camera or in post with Photoshop.
I know there has been a thread similar to this about creating plastic skin but its really old and I thought there might be some fresh ideas out there.

Thanks!
Chloe
That photo of a girl with puppets or what is absolutely one of the best I have ever seen. Word! That is so sad yet so powerfull.

"never blur skin.." False, even Masters like the guy from http://www.iwanexstudio.com/ make blurs; just some very sutil one; i found out that because i recreate one of his works; but is not just select the blur and is done, you have to play with channels and masks mainly... but not only; and remove blur from the edges and the main parts that give expression to someone: Eyes and mouth mainly (and even make more sharpen those)

"never blur skin.." False, even Masters like the guy from http://www.iwanexstudio.com/ make blurs; just some very sutil one;

Not to be rude, but that website is terrible. The retouching on it is heavy handed and generally really bad.

However if that is the look you want to achieve, blur the skin by all means!

The image of the girl...you can really create that re-touch with creating seamless highlights and shadows...making it very intense but seamless. Like Amy Dresser's work..

...add a few highpass layers of different radii...

Hi, can I ask you for what do you use highpass on the skin?
I use it to sharpen the edges putting it on vidid light mode...how use it for soft skin retouch?

That Plastic girl that show off first in the David Stuart webpage had some blur, there is some procces after to "create" skin detail blended over the blured parts.

Also in the image "12", on the cirragete man; there is some blur, not that hard to see it.