Photo Retouching - - How to get highly polished skin? - Page 3

DigiCore · #31 11-02-2005, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellby

I have also read a method by the glitter guru. It uses the clone stamp at a large size but on a low opacity:

http://graphic-design.com/Photoshop/glamour.html

I have tried the Glitter Guru's way of retouching on several pieces. Attached is one of those for you to check out.

Tessa · #32 11-15-2005, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellby

Well, with all of the high-end jobs you see advertised they always say no blurring. BUT if you look at the DIOR adverts and some Loreal adverts they seem sooooo polished. It is hard to imagine that they do not use blur. There must be a secret to it.

Maybe they've used a program like NeatImage? I think there's a plug-in for Photoshop.

edit: Here's a link for a swedish forum where it's demonstrated
http://www.fotosidan.se/expertqa/view.htm?ID=2743

rnbluvva · #33 11-18-2005, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigiCore

I have tried the Glitter Guru's way of retouching on several pieces. Attached is one of those for you to check out.

DigiCore,

Can you please tell me how to get two versions of the same file on one screen. I am interested in using the Glitter Guru tutorial that was linked but can't for the life of me do the first step: "...Then choose windows --documents-- new window. You will now have two versions of the same file on screen."

I am using PS CS2 and there is no Windows > Documents > New Window.

If anyone can tell me how to get this new window of the same document I would be grateful.

DigiCore · #34 11-18-2005, 09:42 PM

rnbluvva,
Here's how you do it in CS2
Window > Arrange > New Window for...

Her book goes into more detail on her technique, I highly recommend it.

Larbear · #35 11-19-2005, 09:49 AM

Hi, I'm one of the new guys on the block so I thought I would give this a try.

Larbear

rnbluvva · #36 11-19-2005, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigiCore

rnbluvva,
Here's how you do it in CS2
Window > Arrange > New Window for...

Her book goes into more detail on her technique, I highly recommend it.

Thanks so much DigiCore! Yes GG's book is on my list of 'to gets'. I have perused it at Borders and it has a lot of great stuff in it!

Panpan · #37 11-19-2005, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larbear

Hi, I'm one of the new guys on the block so I thought I would give this a try.

Larbear

Hi Larbear. Welcome to RetouchPro!
You've achieved a striking effect. There is only a problem above the eye and along the jaw near the ear.

I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to glamour: more pores, less oil

.

Pierre

Larbear · #38 11-20-2005, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panpan

Hi Larbear. Welcome to RetouchPro!
You've achieved a striking effect. There is only a problem above the eye and along the jaw near the ear.

I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to glamour: more pores, less oil

.

Pierre

Thanks for the input, I wondered about the jaw line after I figured out how to upload the image

Just plain missed the eye though. Looking forward to participating in this group, sure looks like there is alot of talent out there. I welcome all the input I can get, hope I can contribute back as well.

Larry

ray12 · #39 11-21-2005, 12:14 AM

Larbear, Welcome.

One suggestion I might have is to maybe bring up the brightness level a just a touch to open the face up a little bit.

I like your skin tones.

Your smoothing effect was very good - I know its a small image - but it seems like you may not have brought the smoothing over the whole right cheek (by the nose) and down to the top right lip area. Id like to see the same smoothing continue in these areas because it was so good.

Ray12

shellby · #40 11-21-2005, 10:39 AM

Please note that the image being used here is actually off my website. The photographer still ownes the copy right and I do not. I mearly did the retouching on the image.

Larbear · #41 11-21-2005, 05:33 PM

Shellby, and everyone else, I did not mean to imply that this was my photo, I just tried my hand at trying to achive the effect you were looking for. Really sorry if I've done something wrong....

Larry

yuccaview · #42 11-21-2005, 06:23 PM

Hi folks,
I am a new guy here but my guess would be these were done in painter using
a very light blending brush (10%or so) that brush would be "just add water"
I do this on almost every image that I work on.
If you have never tried this it is a great finishing brush for retouch work done in photoshop and you can take this as far as you want and make the image look porcelain if you want.
Don

ray12 · #43 11-21-2005, 09:20 PM

Do you have any examples you can show on how the look comes out? Or a pointer to a site maybe. Sounds interesting.

shellby · #44 11-22-2005, 05:36 AM

That's ok, just letting people know where the image is from. A really great New York photographer... up and coming!

gmitchel · #45 11-22-2005, 07:17 AM

Why the reluctance to use blur? It is acceptable to retouch in other ways, but using a blur is somehow "over the line" when retouching? A blur is too artificial? It's less artificial to use a clone/healing brush/patch tools with something like the Wacom airbrush tool?

For those who are less reticent about using blurs and more focused on pleasing retouch results, here's a few tips:

(1) Concentrate on the green channel. If you want to blur a channel, the green channel is the best candidate.

(2) Skin details like pores are usually most evident in the blue channel. It can also benefit from some softening of details. A little more care is needed here to avoid an artifical look. There is an important line separating highly polished and plastic/waxy.

(3) Make sure to mask the skin before you apply any blur or other methods of softening details like Median. The idea is to give only the skin a polished look.

Keep in mind that lighting matters. Light bouncing off key areas provides shaping for an image. You can apply a curve to the highlights with a luminosity mask (crude), a tone-based mask (better), or something like a Lighten blend and Blend If sliders. For details on a tone-based mask, here are a couple of resources:

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/...TheNumbers.pdf
http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/...askToolkit.htm

If there are no highlights, consider adding some modeling with the Photoshop Lighting Effects filter. Harold Heim's Light Machine is a Photoshop add-in that gives you lots of control. You can control both lighting and shadow effects.

I find that applying a diffuse glow, particularly a high key glow provides excellent results. Here are a couple of resources on adding a diffuse glow.

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/...hotosAGlow.pdf
http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/TLRDiffuseGlows.htm

If you really must avoid the use of blurs altogether, you can use the patch tool. Look at your image. You need to have portions of skin that are smooth and free from blemishes. Identify the areas you want to replace and the areas that have enough replacement skin to clone. Then create a Merge Visible duplicate layer (alt+ctrl+shift+n+e). Work on the first area you want to replace. Use the patch tool to replace the skin. Then apply a Fade (ctrl-shift-F). This will diffuse the effect of the replacement.

Here's another tip to try:

Make a Merge Visible duplicate layer (alt+ctrl+shift+n+e). Invert the layer. Desaturate it. Add a Reveal All layer mask. Make sure the mask is selected. Now, run Apply Image with Source: filename, Layer: Background, Channel: RGB, Blending: Normal, Opacity: 100%. Click the Blend Mode for the layer to Soft Light.

This maneuver with the layer mask will reduce both the highlights and the shadows. That has the effect of smoothing the skin.

The effect, as described, is appled to the entire image. If you want to limit it to just the skin (recommended), you can mask the skin. Then combine the mask from above and the skin mask with Calculations (a Darken or Multiply blend). Or, you can use a Layer Group/Set in CS/CS2 and then add the mask for the skin to that.

Cheers,

Mitch