[Caitlin]

Flora, thanks so much for your detailed description. I haven't had another go as yet - you make it sound so easy, but I suspect it will be a bit more tricky for me! *lol*

Do I also detect a highlight added to create the shape of the hair, or is that in the brush strokes also?

I can see I will be learning a lot around here. I have several more quite tricky photos I'm itching to work on, but want to learn a bit more before I tackle the personally valuable ones.

[Flora]

Gary,

thanks again for your kindness!
...just yell if you need more details on the brushes...

limaze,

thank you so much for your great comment..

Glad I could help .... and thank you for teaching me a new word!!!! (like Roland, hadn't heard that one before!!!!)

Caitlin,

Originally Posted by Caitlin

Do I also detect a highlight added to create the shape of the hair....

Tha's all done with the brush .... sorry I didn't really specify it but that's what I meant by:

Originally Posted by Flora

Restoring the picture, I also used two colours sampled from dark and light areas of the image, and painted the hair trying to achieve a 3D 'feeling'

The 'highlights' are brush strokes of colour sampled from the lightest parts of the picture .... and you'll see that it's really not difficult ...

Glad I could be of help ... and don't hesitate to contact me should you have more questions ...

[Caitlin]

It took me a while to get stuck into this again. I think the hair problem was intimidating me a bit!

Anyway, after a bit of nagging from my mother who wanted to know when her friend would get her original photo back again , I started afresh, and tried to be a bit more careful with the skin texture, and particularly worked on highlighting the eyes.

I had a go with the hair brush Flora, and it is rather wonderful to work with, and has shown me yet another vast area of photoshop that is completely new to me. I haven't got anywhere near proficient with it yet though - I wonder what size brush you used? I'm going to keep working on this. I haven't got anywhere close to your wonderful version - It's better than my previous 'grey block' but still not completely realistic....

I have another little challenge too, which to be honest I'm not sure I will attempt. I got feedback when I delivered the first retouch I did, as well as a desire for darker eyes, the lady in question remembers that the shawl was over her hair - ie. more like the 'professionally restored' version. To me this looks unnatural, and the way I've done it seems more logical, but the customer is always right! (mind you I'm doing this for free!).

Any feedback most welcome!!

(Previous attempt is here)

Photoshop. oh - and I used your eyelashes brushes as well Flora - thanks!

pps. Curses!! I just realised I saved my psd file after resizing for the web!! *sigh* hours work down the tube. At least I have a save from yesterday...

[Flora]

Hi Caitlin,

that is just great ..... I can't remember right now the size of the brush .... but I'll try to go over it again and find out ....

I think 'your' hair is very realistic now, I'd just try to liven it up a bit by painting some highlights (very soft white brush 10% Opacity) on an empty 'overlay' layer on top ....

Originally Posted by Caitlin

Photoshop. oh - and I used your eyelashes brushes as well Flora - thanks!

Great!!! Glad they come in handy .... I'll post them in the 'resources' as well ...

[Flora]

me again....

...The brush size I started with is 21 px .... I increased or decreased the size (very slightly) depending on the hair part I was working on ...

In my attachment I applied the 'Overlay' enhancement to 'your hair ....

[Gary Richardson]

And it works wonderfully. It's that attention to detail that really makes the difference. I learn a little more from you each time, thanks.

[Caitlin]

I have finally handed over the finished product, and I believe the lady is happy with the results. I don't know that I am completely, but it's time to move on!

For some reason I couldn't get my head around your overlay technique Flora, so I ended out simply using the dodge tool instead to create some highlights on the hair. Variations of layers is something I really need to read up on as talk of overlay, darken, lighten etc still leave me baffled!

Thanks to everyone for your tremendous help!! This was my first post to the forum, and I feel I've learned so much in that time (I hope you can see some of that in my original attempt vs. this latest one!)

You will notice the lady in the rose shawl - is now wearing blue! I just got lazy - I thought this colour looked nicer and the lady hadn't asked for a colour version anyway

[Flora]

Thanks Gary!!!

Caitlin,

Simply terrific!!!!

Originally Posted by Caitlin

For some reason I couldn't get my head around your overlay technique Flora,

....It's only the method I use .... the result is what counts ... no matter how you get there!!!