Need fix for blotchy skin

[Jon]

I am retouching a teenage male that had a tremendous problem with acne. When I finished retouching his blemishes/acne, he was left with very blotchy skin. What is the most efficient way to correct this and have it look normal? Thanks for your help!

http://www.nylen.com/samplefolder/double7.jpg


P.S. I tried to get the image to show up in this post using the IMG code, but it would not.....also I see other people's post with an attachment, but I see no provision for it here???

[Jakaleena]

I've only got about 2 minutes to spare here this morning before leaving for work, so I'll work on the acne fix this evening.

I just wanted to address the image upload issue though.

Uploads need to be 100k or less, and in jpg, gif or zip format.

[chiquitita]

This is what I would do:

create a selective color mask and set the reds to:
magenta = -20
black = -10

set the yellows to:
magenta = +20

Then add black to the mask where to lips and mouth are to bring back some red.

This will eliminate the ruddiness of the skin but still maintain natural light and shadow defect areas (you don't want him to look too perfect).

[Stephen M]

Possibilities include retouching while in RGB/CMYK mode in a tool or layer set to COLOR mode (but perhaps not if the colours have significant luminosity differences). Sample the clean skin colour then paint away in color mode to restore the overall colour but not tone.

Instead of colour mode, try lighten or darken modes.

Lighten, darken, luminosity and colour (and LAB mode) - your biggest friends when it comes to seamless retouching.

Stephen Marsh.

[Jakaleena]

Great suggestions, you guys. Nothing else I can possibly add to it... The sample looks wonderful, Chiquitita

[flashman]

Man I can't see anything wrong with the finshed product, I'm such a rookie. I hope my eyesight improves, but that must have been the clone brush that got stuck on the tie.
Flashman

[Sharon]

Hi Jon,

You did an excellent job in removing the boy’s ache. You have received some very good advice from all the others and perhaps my procedure will also help you.

Below is how I repaired his blotchy skin.

1. Auto Levels
2. Selective Color adjustment-Reds: 0,-43,0,0: Yellows: 0, +9, -100, 0

I added a 50% gray layer above all layers in overlay mode and filled it with a skin texture. Then I added selective sharpening.

Sharon