So what my level now??

[marek]

ok, its been months ago that im practicing retouching... anyone would like to tell me what is my level now in retouching?? ^____


Unretouch
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r/URetouch.jpg

Retouch
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r/NRetouch.jpg

Another sepia try
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...r/SRetouch.jpg

Credit to lipstick for the original image....

[marek]

so nobody gonna rate me with my work.. ok

im just asking whats my Rank/Level is it

Crap
Beginner,
Advance,
Pro

[lurch]

beginner . .

[TommyO]

Marek,
I don't think anyone likes to rank someone. If they do, they're either being real honest or real unfair. Ranking is just too subjective. We can offer constructive criticism of your work though. But, we need to know a few things about the image first, i.e. ...
- what is your experience level (<1 yr, > 1 yr, >5 yrs, etc)
- what were your goals (portrait, glamour, artistic, composite)
- what did you work on (don't make us hunt it down)
- what should we not look at (hair, below the shoulders)

For example, some people post images where they did not use d&b, but chose to simply color correct an image using various methods. If we are not told this, we might critique it based on advanced d&b etc, which would not be fair.

So, we need something to go by. Then we can offer some more critiques.

[byRo]

Maybe it's because my mother is a Red-head, but erasing the freckles just so you can get a perfectly smooth skin drops you to the "Beginner" category.

I will always save a freckles layer (blue channel, high-passed) just in case I lose some along the way.

Rô

[chloe625]

Originally Posted by byRo

Maybe it's because my mother is a Red-head, but erasing the freckles just so you can get a perfectly smooth skin drops you to the "Beginner" category.

I will always save a freckles layer (blue channel, high-passed) just in case I lose some along the way.

Rô

I understand what you mean, but I'm curious why you darkened the freckles in your retouch - at least that is how it looks on my monitor - was this intentional? I liked her freckles in the original but I think they stand out a little too much in your retouch.

To the OP, I am too much of a beginner to give you any useful feedback, but I like the color adjustment you did, much warmer and prettier.

[byRo]

Originally Posted by chloe625

... but I'm curious why you darkened the freckles in your retouch

I think I just wanted to make a point.

Rô

[mikedimples]

Even though it's totally subjective, my impression of you based on the retouches provided is this:

You probably don't do it professionally -- the hair is a dead giveaway. A pro would have at least done something, anything to clean it up. You not even trying it (or telling us why you only retouched part of the image in your first post) suggests you retouch a picture based on what you like doing, and not what it needs.

Aside from that, her skin does look much healthier, but losing the freckles is something an amateur would do (or explain in your first post that she asked to have her freckles removed).

Be careful with losing too much detail and creating a waxy look, like you almost do in the forehead of your image. You've taken close to the maximum amount of detail you can while keeping it realistic. Careful with that, you're walking a thin line.

Beautiful job on the eyes, I wouldn't change a thing about them. Nice, subtle and aesthetically pleasing enhancement. Kudos!

Finally, that bright light source to the right of the top of her forehead draws too much attention. I'd mute it down a bit. We want: eyes, lips, nose, hair, shape of face. Try to lead the eye a bit more through clever use of selective blurring, sharpening, dodging, and burning.

On a 1-10 scale, 10-master, 5-average working portrait retoucher, 1-complete beginner you are

4/10 - SKILLED DABBLER

[MarkHill]

Its not fare to rate someone. You should work for it result is whatever depends on your skill.

[Atom Kat]

If you are looking for a way to market yourself, then call yourself an intermediate retoucher. You obviously have some skill, but are not yet a pro. And you are obviously more skilled then someone who can crop, lighten and blur a little. Intermediate is a non precise description of someone in between. Even the term Pro can be very subjective and covers some brilliant retouchers, and some shockers that get paid well anyway.
The only real way to show someone what you can do though, is through your portfolio.
Learning an instrument doesn't mean that you have any real talent. Just like saying that anyone can do a graphic course or spend time teaching themselves to use photoshop, but the proof is in the pictures.

[biskit27]

Agreed on the freckles part, I would have kept them and maybe even added some around her cheek bones to make it slightly more interesting, but that's just me.

Also the right eye's dark circle/contour seems a bit too removed. I also would have maybe filled her bottom lip up a bit more, only because the creases under her lips where the color doesn't fill out is a bit distracting. It also might have slightly removed her look of a scowl(Her lips seem to slightly convey disgust).

I would have also kept the saturation of her lower liner, I don't know why you lightened it. The color of her eyes seems a bit bland as well.....

But if you're looking for brutal honesty I feel your level is still beginner.

[henkeman70]

It's kind of hard to judge you on one picture really. But if I have to do it any way, then I'd rank you as a beginner. Skins ARE hard to get perfect.

Maybe you should put faces/skins away for a little while and practise on other surfaces. Any surface really. Try a bit of animal fur, a concrete wall, floorboards in perspective etc..

Keep practising and upload more work Marek. // Henk

[LQQKER]

I agree with the freckle controversy. I think freckles are a part of who she is. It seems the cheeks have lost their form on your retouch due to lack of shadowing / color variance. On my monitor the overall coloration is a bit on the warm side, More yellow than necessary, however that may have been your intent. As already mentioned, the hair could have been cleaned up slightly considering the original.

Now to make a point. Why, might I ask, do most people feel skin has to be complete perfection? People simply don't have perfect skin. So what's the point in creating a retouch that isn't that person (unless you're selling a product that probably doesn't work anyway)? If this was someone I cared about, I would probably lean toward the original photograph complete with the freckle imperfection.

As far as what your level is . . . who am I to say? All I can tell you is what I see.

[Algarve Images]

If you are not doing this for a living then time, patience, experience and constructive critisism from here will help mold your ability, if you want to do this for a living then it's your client that assess your skill level before spending money...
I have been very guilty of overprocessing and just realising that as somebody else has said, there is a fine line, it's not like polishing a car until until you can see your reflection a mile away, people are organic and have flaws, i took a photo of my stepfather and offered to remove his nostril hairs, he refused because he is proud and likes to be presented as an old man which he is....
Less is sometimes more
On the plus side her eyes look ok, but they looked pretty good on the original, on the downside, the hair obviously, the warpaint under her eyes, the irritating bit to the right of her dress shoulder strap and why change a pefectly white balanced image to yellow, unless thats the way you wanted it, the sepia one is for my taste, washed out, but with some curves, levels etc could be better than the colour rendition.
It's also very important to know how the image will stand up to print, compressed 100kb shots will look entirely different at their native resolution, the 100% crop below was shot over the weekend with a less than average walkaround lens, a pro lens will give a much sharper image in fact looking at this again here i need to turn down the in camera sharpening a notch as i can see some halo's... rats!
It's all a learning curve and you'll get there and so will i eventually and many others and when you do arrive, you'll discover that it's the raw talent that was there from the very beginning that shapes and defines you...
Keep it up, i see no difference between your level or mine or if it even matters, i'm diagnosed as bipolar so sometimes what i see is a world away from others, sometimes i wish i could take my brain out, put it in a box and hide it under the bed when i sleep, just keep posting and if you listen to the wealth of talent here you will improve your skills tremendously.
Wishing you well, regards,
Gary

[Aleksman71]

Easy as polishing a car?Real polishing(washing,foaming,claying,wet sanding,polishing ,sealing,waxing ...)can take few days.http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ll-detail.html

You need a loot of practice to achieve good results,same is with retoushing.You have to practice ,practice, practice.

[Algarve Images]

Originally Posted by Aleksman71

Easy as polishing a car?Real polishing(washing,foaming,claying,wet sanding,polishing ,sealing,waxing ...)can take few days.http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ll-detail.html

You need a loot of practice to achieve good results,same is with retoushing.You have to practice ,practice, practice.

..................................................................................

I did not say "easy as polishing a car" ??? you are wrongly quoting me.
The phrase was an analogy and made no mention that it was easy to polish a car....
I have done my share of car valeting years ago and the thought of Pinnacle Ultra fine detailing Poly-Clay leaves me rather cold nowadays, as for "autogeek", i'm sure there is a highly technical and in-depth forum on how to greet customers at Wal-Mart, and i don't subscribe to that one either (substitute smiley for tongue in cheek which i can't locate anywhere), oh well i'd better get back to polishing my car it's taken me two days so far...
regards,
Gary