Old, badly damaged photo

[nomi]

Hi Kathy, I've played with it some more.
I really didn't worry too much about realism for the background, I just wanted to use a real piece of furniture for her to hold on to. I'm still not happy with the blending of her and her background. Any ideas on how to match them better?
Her little pout reminded me of Shirley Temple, so I Googled a picture of her in the proper pose, cut and pasted the lips, turned down the opacity, desaturated, added noise, dodged, burned, and feathered the edges. Some may call that cheating, but there really wasn't enough there for me (with my lack of skills) to work with.
For the leg, arm, face, and dress, I cloned then used the healing brush to get rid of cloning artifacts. (I love that healing brush). I'm still not crazy about the angle of her right leg, it seems like an awkward pose. While I was at it, I changed the angle of her right sock by copying, pasting, transforming, and masking.
I'm attaching the latest and a cropped copy of the latest because I'm not crazy about the background.
What do you think? What would you change? If my skills are up to it, I'll try anything you suggest.
Anybody else have an opinion? I love critique, it helps me learn.

[Kraellin]

as nomi has shown you could replace the background. you could also colorize.

[Evelyn]

I gave a shot as well. I am a new member and this is my first go. I have been doing a bit of repair work, but these pictures are a challenge and i still have to learn a lot. I had to reduce it a bit in quality. If you like i can email it to you with a few more pixels.

[nomi]

Great job Evelyn. Now that I look at yours I wonder if she is wearing pants and that is why I couldn't seem to get her right leg to look less awkward. I was seeing it as bare legs.

Nomi

[Evelyn]

At first i thought they where legs as well. I concentrated on the face, playing around a little with this and that, and the pants came to light..... Lucky find me thinks

[solitear]

Just one more version....... I kinda think they're legs....... cause of the socks..... guess she could have on short pants.......

Beth

[Kraellin]

they're legs; no pants.

excellent, beth! where did you dig up that background?

[Evelyn]

ok tell you what, take the original and make a copy with screen. twice more. then close in onto the legs, and with the darkening brush, just slightly darken the bit that shows through from the back wall, in between her legs.... even without doing that, if you close in, you can see the folds. on her right leg i only fixed the rips of the paper i done not much else to it.

take care
Ev

[Evelyn]

ok, now have a look, i done nothing but adjusted the level a tiny bit and pulled the blue layer back, because that was the noisiest...

[solitear]

Thanks Craig ....... it's from the Library of Congress ...... it was the only photo I could find with something for her to rest her arm on...... it's way too old for her so I just play like she's at her great grandmother's house .... hehehehe

Beth

[solitear]

Ok..... after much scientific observatin' I have come to the conclusion that Evelyn is correct ....... dem is pants ....... so, in keeping with the Retouchers Hippocratic oath to 'Do no harm'...... I have given this little moppet ..... pants.....

Beth

[Evel]

I am going to say it is pants. Her right leg (our left view) No one has legs that shape. She would have elephant legs. They are loose tights down in to the socks. Enhance the photo the right way and it is obvious.

[Evelyn]

I love the blue ones for sure, the best i say so far , i also like your background and the chair is a clever idea.....

[Evelyn]

Hi Evel, is you name evelyn as well dont meet to many of them

[solitear]

Hi Evelyn..... thanks for the kind coments and thanks for making us look so close...... I didn't realize my monitor screen was that dusty..... Phyllis Diller used to say 'It's OK if your furniture has a layer of dust on it..... just make sure no one writes the date in it'.......

Beth