Retaining Skin Texture/Film Grain

[SteveB2005]

I read somewhere here I think about someone who had a hirez collection of different skin textures/pores from some large quality glamour images. The images seemed to be available on blogs or something. They mention that pro retouchers are able to use these samples in the work they retouch. Does that mean they have a way to "copy and paste" the textures into the images they are working on? If that is so, how can it be done? It sounds like a cool thing to do, similar to the grunge technique tutorial offered on the board which has helped me get better results, besides blurring and noise. This might offer an even higher level output in the final image. When I look in Vogue and some of the real popular fashion mags, the models retouched have that smooth skin but with texture and definition and grain. I'm still not getting that look yet, but am working on it. If anyone knows how this technique is done, please help us out. steveb

[shellby]

The problem with taking texture of skin from one image to another is that the angle is never going to be exact. You would need to copy it over and then play with blend modes and opacity in the layers. Another technique I have heard of is people creating brushes the size of pores and adding them back in. I think it is best to work with what you have. The start image is really important as is the model, lighting and photography. Those images in Vogue look like they do because of the entire shoot: model, art direction and retouching.

[SteveB2005]

Hi Shellby. I agree that high end photo shoots provide the best quality and then the retouchers take over and perfect it. I have a video of a photoshoot for Cosmo, featuring Cindy Crawford, who is a living dolllllllllll! As perfect as her org images came out, the art directors red lined all the corrections they wanted and there were blemishes, she is human after all. They then sent the images to their retouching lab in Tenn where a trained Scitex operator did the final retouch and sent a bill for $20,000. It is a cover shot. BTW, your work is excellant, I have seen your site before. From what I have read, to get the best result is to take the time and do the dodge and burn retouch that take hours and patience. I still don't get the D&B thing yet. I guess I have to see it done step by step. Thanks for the help though. steveb

[shellby]

Yip take the time to learn how to do it. For that technique the wacom tablet helps a lot as it responds to pressure. Another technique to use is that "de-grunge" one where you blur it and then sharpen to bring back texture. Do all the tutorials you can and then start to develop your own techniques using bits of info from all of them.

[SteveB2005]

Shellby. I have 2 Wacom tablets and I couldn't do any retouching without them. I am uploading a before and after image that I experiemented with, using the surface blur and grunge techniques plus some subtle airbrushing. Let me know if i am on the right path. steveb