learner a little stumped !

[infiniteink]

HI,

Finally found a few minutes to read and post here.

I have a photograph of my Mother as a child, it is the only one she has and is very damaged. I have made a few attempts with the smudge tool and the clone stamp in the past to try to remove the creases and tears but they always show and look really bad ! I have gotten it this far and managed to get a much more consistant colour to it. Originally it was all shades of yellow and very stained.

I am only new to using photoshop and am wondering if someone can help explain how to get to the next step with it. I am giving myself till mothers day this year to finally have something I can frame and be proud to give to her! Should be enough time for a learner lol.

Thanks Jules

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28...ate117copy.jpg

[grannysdc]

Hey Jules, welcome to RP!

Always post sample pictures in your post.. a larger size can then be posted on another hosting site if necessary.. that way at least a copy will be available here forever

Can you also post an original high resolution color scan with all the yucky yellow and stuff on it!

It looks like the clone tool and healing brush will be the major players in this restoration but the tips and suggestions will depend on what software you are working with to do the restore, so it might just be a matter of practice, practice, practice!

I think you might have a very nice present to present when you are finished

[DCobb]

Tis is my try at the picture.

-Curves adjustment
-Cloning
-healing brush
-Painting on blank layer.
-Patch tool

dc

[TommyO]

Jules,
Again, welcome to RP !
Many tools need different settings than if you were using them for a glamour retouch.

Clone Stamp:
- softness - very soft, i.e. 0.
- size - small inside eyes, along fingers or anything with creases, along edges; go larger in backgrounds with sky or backdrops.
- sample - very close to your problem area, unless you are working on a solid area, i.e. background.
- opacity - 100% for facial features, hair, hands, clothing where detail must be maintained; lower for soft skin or backgrounds where softening isn't a problem.

Healing Brush:
- cracks - work from the tail end of the crack, moving toward the larger end in slow increments.
- stay away from image edges and switch to the clone stamp, or make a selection with the rectangular marquee and work within the selection.

Don't forget to use the Patch Tool occasionally. It is good for larger soft areas and automatically adds a 20 pixel fade around the patched area. So, it isn't too good for detailed areas, but is rather quick for backgrounds, etc.

[infiniteink]

Right, It got the better of me last night, I have had another play with it, very patiently for many hours!! I am really pleased with the result !! I will try to work out how to post a thumbnail lol... It still needs to be a little sharper, but I feel like I am on the right track. I cheated a little and cropped the opposite eye as the area around the creases was so damaged.
Thanks so very much for your imput. I have loved reading the tutorials, they seamed a little complex at first but are really well written and not that hard to follow when you go step by step.

I am now really keen to tackle some very old photographs I have scan of that are from the Napier 1931 earthquake.. I may never sleep again haahaa.

Hopefully this in a link.. not the image taking up space !
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28...roppedcopy.jpg