My first, high-end attempt. I need critiques

[Quantum3Studio]

Okay, it may be high or not, but I almost completely changed the whole thing. I consider it high end because the technique. If you think about criticizing the artless part, feel free to do a suggestion.
I'm here because I would like what do you think about the technics I applyed to this picture

btw, it took me 8-10 hours.

here is the link: http://mart1980.deviantart.com/art/M...h-BA-112259113

Thanks in advance!

Leo

[igot2pman]

If you were going for "doll" I think you hit the mark.

The things that bother me are the red bra strap and the massive amounts of fly away hairs. This is not a must but the eye lashes are a little all over the place, not horible, but could be better.

But other then that I like what you have done, the color fix and pink cheeks. Skin is clean an pollished.

Good job,
-Keven

[Quantum3Studio]

Originally Posted by igot2pman

If you were going for "doll" I think you hit the mark.

The things that bother me are the red bra strap and the massive amounts of fly away hairs. This is not a must but the eye lashes are a little all over the place, not horible, but could be better.

But other then that I like what you have done, the color fix and pink cheeks. Skin is clean an pollished.

Good job,
-Keven

Hi Keven

First of all, thanks a lot for taking the time to see and think about the work I have done really appreciated!!!

Yes, I see the thing on the eyelashes now you mention. But how could I fix those little things? I'm not sure if replacing part of the body is part of this job, but it could be a solution. I'm just wondering...

I also dislike the red bra strap, I tryed cloning inside those little holes, but the result I have achieved wasn't perfect. I may try selecting each hole where the red bra strap appears... What do you suggest?

And about the hair, I just removed the easiest... I tryed removing all of them, and I was looking for a tutorial "how to retouch messy hair" but couln't find nothing more than I already know, which is healing pixel by pixel in order to get a natural looking hair and not like it was cut and paste, I don't know if I'm explaining my self very well...

And yes, the skin is too smoothed, I know, but the picture itself hadn't enough detail in the skin. It was almost smoothed. Taken with a Nikon D80 and, who knows what kind of lens, plus, the original photo looked quite blotched/posterized I couldn't avoid the porcelain look

I could bring some skin detail by using the blue channel, now I'm thinking about this...

What do you think about the time I spent doing this, it was between 8 and 10 hours. It's too much or normal?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions, but you were the only who replied to my post...

Thank you very much, again!

Mart

[photomosphere]

Just want you to know you really did a great job bringing out a character. I love the colors!

[igot2pman]

Originally Posted by Quantum3Studio

Yes, I see the thing on the eyelashes now you mention. But how could I fix those little things? I'm not sure if replacing part of the body is part of this job, but it could be a solution.

I have never done eye lashes but I know people here have, you can DL free eye lashes and pay for some. Just do a search here on RTP for it.

Originally Posted by Quantum3Studio

I also dislike the red bra strap, I tryed cloning inside those little holes, but the result I have achieved wasn't perfect. I may try selecting each hole where the red bra strap appears... What do you suggest?

Cloning out would be a pain but is possible. My thought is a loose selection around the strap with the lasso. Then create a Hue/sat layer with a mask of the selection. Then select the red and select the red strap with the dropper. Next, you can play with the sat lightness and hue till you find something you like. I tried to match skin color. You could also make it black and white. This works mostly because of the white shirt.

Another idea is to use the color range selector to select the red and then just paint over the selection in a new layer with her skin color.

Originally Posted by Quantum3Studio

And about the hair, I just removed the easiest... I tryed removing all of them, and I was looking for a tutorial "how to retouch messy hair" but couln't find nothing more than I already know, which is healing pixel by pixel in order to get a natural looking hair and not like it was cut and paste, I don't know if I'm explaining my self very well...

Just make a new layer and paint the background color over it. Just be sure to use a 90% opacity brush and sample regularly in the same area. If you find discolorations, you can use a large soft 30% opacity brush and sample in many locations in the area until blended.

I also liquefied her hair to make it rounder. Also cut the two ends of the ribbon (model left) with the same paint over as above.

Originally Posted by Quantum3Studio

What do you think about the time I spent doing this, it was between 8 and 10 hours. It's too much or normal?

For me, that would be about right. But I am still just a self educated user. If you feel like you wasted time then it’s probably too much. I once spend 15 hours D&Bing my GF, and I am still not done. Was it worth it? Yes, I didn’t even realize I spent that long.

Hope it helps,
Keven

PS: I like the longer head...

[Quantum3Studio]

Wow... What can I say... Very impressive reply, detailed and with a good mood You also took the time to show me how you did it, with layers and all. I'm very grateful, you're very kind

I will try to tidy her messy hair, which is the hardest part about drawing a solution for that. About the red bra strap (cannot remember that word, I'm sorry), the solution that you used was very clever!

I will try again with this image. And thank you very much for all your attention and time, seriously, really appreciated!

Mart

PS: I would like you to judge some of my other works, I don't need a painstakingly observation in each image, just an overall observation of my works because it's obvious that you have lot of experience in this matter and your opinion will be very important. I'm being diminished by a few members in this forum, some of them have a very improper behavior about myself saying that my works are horrible or another softer adjectives of the same kind. However, they don't show what they do, but they say that they do it better and I would like to have an appreciation from you, because you show you're fair and helpful
remember, just an overall judgment, don't take this proposition like something you have to do in detail

Thanks again!

Mart

[igot2pman]

Originally Posted by Quantum3Studio

PS: I would like you to judge some of my other works, I don't need a painstakingly observation in each image, just an overall observation of

I decided the easiest way to do this is to just opinion by groups.

Duotone:
Very good overall. What I really like here is the mood and composition. Each picture seems to tell a story, very easy to relate to.

Photomontage:
Great color control. Very good extractions and manipulations. The stories here are not so prevalent. It’s hard to grasp here what the clear theme is, without a title I would be lost. Although this type of manipulation is a strength, work on telling a clear story.

Meryl s:
Amazing lighting control here. Some of the shadows and tonal fades are to die for. Most all have really great composition. Although there is not a clear story, the photography here is really good and makes up for it.

Young ladies:
The only one that really pops out at me here is the "15 yours young lady" in a pink dress. Not your best work here; not that it's bad, just have seen much better. Watch your focus, and background composition (its lacking interest).

Color:
Saturation and even color is very good here for the most part. Composition is lacking is most, but there are about 5 I really like here. Watch out when you’re trying to be symmetrical, you can line up the corners, but if you’re not standing in the middle it will still be lopsided.

Glamour style:
Very good sharpness, lighting, color control and composition. The main problem here is finishing (catching all the small stuff). Watch your extreme highlights, the blood drive photo has very bad noticeable hot spots on nose and shoulder. And work on lips and natural lipstick colors (another retouch looks fake). As for the other one, I have already talked about it in the above.

Keep it up; there is some really good work in there.
-Keven

[abenormal]

Sorry to come late to the party, but here's a suggestion for dealing with the red bra strap that may be faster and easier than the techniques mentioned:

Make a quick, loose selection of the red strap areas. I like quick mask for how I work with a tablet, but any solid selection is fine. Don't worry about making it tight- just get all of the red even if you get some of the white. Just try not to get any of the pink skin. Drop a color sampler on a nearby fleshtone spot and one on an equivalent red spot, set the readout to CMYK, then use Selective Color on the Reds (and possibly the Magentas). Manipulate the values until the readout on your red values gets close to matching the fleshtones.

Pros: quick and easy, since Selective Color can adjust the reds without messing with the whites you don't need to make a complicated mask. The adjustment should preserve the subtle shadows the lace blouse is casting, since you were careful to place both your color samplers either in shadow or out of shadow.

Cons: The color will match but the texture will not - the new "skin" may look blotchy due to the texture of the bra strap. It's a small area and may not be noticeable, but if this was for a full page in a glossy magazine more work may be needed to make it smooth.

-abe

[Quantum3Studio]

No problem mate

I'm also very busy. Thanks for your suggestion. However, I couldn't try the suggestion of the other kind guy because after posting the retouch here I received a couple of offers and I'm vey busy since that day and couldn't try the suggestions

Thanks a lot for the good vibes, anyway, will keep that in mind

Mart