Photo Retouching - - Glamour/Beauty retouching, please advise.

Platinumkitty · #1 11-16-2005, 09:54 PM

I am interested in books, workshops, classes, tutorials...for Glamour/Beauty retouch with photoshop CS. I would like to learn how to retouch my photos like the pros. I have been a make up artist for 10 years. With these new skills I will be able to take my art further, perfecting images to my own desires, correcting/manipulating what make up can't do.
My experience with photoshop is very limited 2/10. I came to the conclusion that I should learn more about the vast features of photoshop to best utlize the program for what I want to do. Please advise me on where to start at a novice level. Which books, workshops, classes, tutorials is a must have? Is it worth it spending the huge amount of money on photoshop class? Your feedback and comments will be much appreciated! Thank you for your time.

deadants · #2 11-16-2005, 10:28 PM

Hi Platinumkitty,
First off, welcome to the forum. I'm sure you will find no end of help and suppot from the RetouchPRO members.
There are some excellent tutorial on retouching in the tutorials section of the forum http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=browse&id=3

Also, if you are just starting out in photoshop, beside books you might also have a look at video tutorials. Some can be viewd free online as well as othes that go into more depth which you can purchase from varios vendors.
http://www.vtc.com/
http://www.lynda.com/

Rebekah · #3 11-17-2005, 09:18 AM

In my experience photoshop classes are invaluable just for the ability to ask questions. Also you can learn a lot of nifty shortcuts in a class that it is more difficult to put into a book. For me it was nice to have a class that taught me enough basics so that I could reallyunderstand the books. Good luck with your retouching, I'm sure that you will do well.
Rebekah
P.S. I know a technique called a float and diffuse that is used to soften and smooth out skin tones textures. It can be as subtle or obvious as you'd like and is relatively easy to do. If you are interested I can send you step by step instructions.

ray12 · #4 11-17-2005, 10:48 AM

Platinumkitty Welcome.

Im pretty new to this forum but not to photoshop. One of the fun things I do is to take photos and to add makeup that wasnt there or was applied incorrectly. Take average shots and make them glamorous.

I was able to learn the basics reasonably easy. The 2 bigger barriers I had to cross was to learn how to use layers - and then how to use masks. These two concepts were the hardest - but - are what was needed to break-through and do the kind of retouching we are talking about. Layers and masks allow you to have total control and allow you to make infinately variable changes. Wrong color lipstick - no problem. Darker or bluer - no problem. Eye shadow missing - put some in. Forgot the beauty benefits of mascara - add some in - just the right amount in the right places.

The best cost vs benefit site for me to learn were the video tutorials at Lynda.com. It costs 25 bucks a month for unlimited viewing of how to run the program. If you get it down in one month - then dont renew! Great site and very understandable and comprehensive.

I spent 6 months getting up to speed - so dont feel you are a slow learner. But dont be discouraged either. Such a powerful program has many many features.

If you learn about brushes, adjustments, layers and masks - then you have the essentials for the kind of makeup retouching you are talking about.

P.S. The biggest thing I forgot was - selections!!! How to do selections. Theres 5 ways and they are all good for one thing or another.

Katrin Eismann's book on "Restoration and Retouching" and her other book on "Selections and Compositing" are absolure reference bibles on the subject you are looking to become good in. Totally worth the 50 bucks you have to cough up!

Good Luck

Ray12

shellby · #5 11-17-2005, 11:05 AM

Yes I also use www.lynda.com

really good!

Platinumkitty · #6 11-17-2005, 03:12 PM

Thank you everyone for your advice, comments, and welcome! It is great to be on a forum with helpful community members giving warm positive feedback. I have been on other forums that were not so helpful and most of the members were in some sort of clique flaming/bashing newbies. I have been trolling the forums alot over the past few days and slowly learning from the many tutorials posted. Things are starting to make sense to me

I am looking into buying theses books/aids and reading them in the following order : Adobe CS Classroom in a Book, Photoshop Restorations & Retouching (Katrin Eismann, and Photoshop CS; Photo Retouching Secrets (Scott Kelby). Are these books way over my head?
Rebekah, I would love to have the tutorial on "Float & Diffuse" that you are talking about. Please send it to info@platinumkitty.com. Thank you.

superfrasky · #7 11-17-2005, 03:50 PM

Katrin Eismann now is the third edition of your book photoshop restoration and retouching. Its shipping now in november. So you can buy "The Glitterguru on Photoshop" of Suzette Troche (great book) (www.glitterguru.com)
Greats

briarrose · #8 11-25-2005, 12:59 PM

Another really terrific way to get up to speed on Photoshop--is to find a good teacher in your area--and sign up for some private lessons. I teach, in my area--mostly photographers, who want to learn Photoshop--and I've recently had a student sign up for a series of five lessons, who has indicated that he learned more from me, in one lesson, than he learned from a semester course, at a local college.

As a former professional actor--with MANY years of private lessons on all sorts of subjects--I would have to agree that you tend to learn MUCH more--and much more quickly, in a one on one scenario. (Of course--it helps to have a good teacher--and to RELIGIOUSLY do your "homework" between lessons! ;-))

I've had long-term students, but the majority of people I work with come to me for just a few lessons--I generally recommend at least two, one and a half hour sessions, with at least two weeks between sessions--so the student has ample time to practice, before their next lesson. That can be enough to get someone up and running--although 5 of those lessons, spread out, can give a good, solid foundation, and cover more subjects...

Having someone to take your questions to--and to guide your mouse, initially, when you're trying to master layers, layer masks, and blend modes can save you hours of frustration--and leave you in a good position to go off and do your own explorations after that. :-) (Plus, with private lessons--everything is tailored towards YOU--what YOU want to learn--and how quickly--or slowly--you do it! :-))

And personally--I recommend Katrin Eismann's book, "Restoration and Retouching" to ALL my students--as the one book they should buy, if they're serious about learning to use Photoshop. I don't think there's a better book out there that explains the nuts and bolts of how to edit your images in clear, easy to understand (and follow!) English. It's the book I wish I'd had, when I was figuring things out on my own! (I've got a shelf full of terrific PS books--but so many of them leave out one crucial step or piece of information--so you're not able to follow along completely, if you don't already know your way around Photoshop--so they can be quite confusing to a beginner.) As superfrasky mentioned--Eismann's got a new edition coming out this month, supposedly--so you can either wait a few weeks, and pick it up--or else pick up a used copy of one of the older editions for a bargain price, on Amazon.com. :-)

Best of luck to you, however you decide to learn--and don't forget to HAVE FUN with it!!!! :-)