Skin texture

[Ziaphra]

Ok guys...this is something I have never seen on these forums and quite frankly, it saddens me.

Ant, you obviously know what you are talking about but you do have a way of putting your opinion across rather obnoxiously. We are not asking you to 'pussy foot' with your critique but to just say 'it is crap' is just not good enough. Be honest but please try a little more tact...that is all that is being asked of you. I for one, like hearing good honest critique that is to the point...that is how we all learn...but how are we to learn if the image is just torn to pieces without a being told how to fix it or being pointed in the right direction? ...and this goes for everyone who just walks into a thread, tears an image to pieces without offering a solution.

Anyway, I think it best now that everyone stop 'dumping' on each other and continue to keep RetouchPro the harmonious site it once was.

[Ziaphra]

Having said that, I decided to work on Nancy's image and would like critique. Be honest but let's play nice. This is the first retouch I have done in ages!

I lightened the image as a whole so we could see her eyes more. Too much texture perhaps?

[NancyJ]

Looks like I missed a bit of fun - for some reason this thread isnt appearing in the RSS feed.

Just to clarify - the image has been posted on the forum before - some time ago - its not mine, its Shelbys.

Ziaphra, the first thing that strikes me about your image is that you've compressed it too much, its destroyed a lot of fine detail - the limit is 100k and your file is only 55k. Its much harder to critique your work if you destroy it all with compression.
A lot of the skin texture is artifacted so its hard to comment but it is still a little uneven and blotchy in places.
The bags and wrinkles under her eyes need a lot more work - interestingly you removed the hair from her skin but left it hanging over her eye?
You've lost the natural crisp line of her top lip, I dont know if that was intentional, but imo the softening doesnt look good.
It appears - though again, its hard to tell precisely with the artifacting, that you've added texture where there was none originally and really shouldnt be - ie, upper lip and tip of nose should be mostly smooth but in your image they're bumpy, pores in those areas are very small and would not be visible on a photograph of this size.
On the right side of her face, near her nose, there is a deep wrinkle/smile line that is really out of place with all other facial lines removed.
On the left side I can almost see an outline of an S shape, presumably, track marks from whatever tool you used to remove the blemishes in that area.
I probably would have lightened the eyes a little more - but thats purely preference, in the 'real world' the photographer/art director would tell you whether or not they wanted that doing.
Overall, for me, the image is oversharpened but opinions on that will vary depending on quality of monitor (and eyes)
The sharpening looks particularly bad on the hair because it emphasises the split ends and makes the hair look dry and brittle.

[shellby]

was just going to say that is from my website

[albatrosss]

Why would anyone waste time watching TV when all the entertainment one needs is to read this thread?

As Willie S would have said, "A tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing".

[jhpearce]

Howdy folks,
I struggle with skin, so I thought I'd give this one a try. For what it's worth

[SchlinkyMalinky]

jh given the resolution of the image I didn't think your retouch was too shabby at all

[Eduardo Cast]

Hi NancyJ:
I am Eduardo from Mexico, we are having problems down here, I like the "grunge" Technique, well, seems it works, Ant did not give one technique ...
Well I have a problem with my photos, after i retouch them, i have to get them small, in Mexico you use ID photos of about 2.5 cm by 3.0 cm color or BW,
when I crop them ( I have to use resolutions about 200-254 for the different printers) they get flat or like a plast the details get lost, do you know why? or what do I have to do?...THANKYOU VERY MUCH!.