Creative retouch

[morpheus1870]

This is a creative retouch i did some time ago ('02) using ps7 and a mouse, i called it Geisha Android. Just wondered what you people thought of it. Any comments really welcome, i'm new to beauty/portrait retouching so any advice is valuable.

Thanks in advance.

[pixelzombie]

i don't think tatoos would be that dense unless they are covered in vaseline...

[morpheus1870]

63 views and only 1 comment!

Thanks pixelzombie.

[Squggle]

I like it, although I have to agree with pixelzombie, the tat's are too dense and the redness around the skin suggests that the tattooist is only just finished. I like the colourization on the hair, very well done

[DannyRaphael]

re: 63 views and only 1 comment!

Since you're fairly new to RetouchPRO, you may not have noticed that most images uploaded for comment are fairly traditional and not too "out there," ("out there" being a relative term.) Based on my time at RetouchPRO the nature of the membership here is by and large fairly conservative. To folks with this mindset 'decorating' a gorgeous woman with bold tatoos of this nature and the outrageous hair color is the opposite of "enhancements." Had you used a male subject or a much less attractive female, that may have made a difference in the # of replies. I dunno.

To many who opted not to comment the initial reaction of those may have been something like, "Yikes. How repulsive. What a shame." (FWIW: I have an eleven [going on 25] year old daughter and this kind of stuff makes me shudder.)

Now before you blow a gasket thinking, "Sheesh... what a bunch of stodgy old farts. These are DIGITAL tatoos! Get a life!" take into consideration that to a different audience you may have received many rave reviews by now. Take heart that your artwork did evoke emotion, albeit unwritten.

After getting past my initial reaction in all fairness the technical work (hair masking, face paint & tatoos that look natural in terms of following skin curves, folds, etc.) is quite good IMO, but your skillful handiwork was probably overlooked by many due to quick glances and quickly formed opinions. FYI: I agreed with pixelzombie's observation.

For future reference you might consider wording your requests for feedback a little differently. "Just wondered what you people thought of it," comes across as someone looking for attaboy (or girl) "Oh, I just loooove it"-type praise. If you're looking for technique feedback perhaps be more specific, i.e., "Do the tatoos look natural?" or "How would you assess the hair masking?"

Also, it's easier for most people to do before/after assessments by viewing a single side-by-side image vs. jumping between separate windows. (see attached)

You're obviously a talented technician; the choice of subject is probably what did you in.

I hope you'll offer some commentary on your masking and digital tatoo methods.

[morpheus1870]

Appreciate your lengthy and considered reply. Understand where you are coming from, to be honest it was an "out there" piece i did some time ago where skin smoothing and masking formed the basis of the PP, and it was that which i would have liked comments on such as Squggle & Pixelzombie's.

Will avoid posting similar work in the future.

Regards.

[palms]

Morpheus

Hoping that you haven't took offense about replies or none replies
personally i like looking at "out there" Pieces and abstract etc etc but i do not have the knowledge to make many comments except maybe for great work etc yes i like the work done, can i do it No so please do post similar work for us to look at and learn from
64 + plus views is not bad going and that total will rise.
Personally i take no comments as a good sign not necessarily a bad one

Palms

[morpheus1870]

Originally Posted by palms1

Morpheus

Hoping that you haven't took offense about replies or none replies
personally i like looking at "out there" Pieces and abstract etc etc but i do not have the knowledge to make many comments except maybe for great work etc yes i like the work done, can i do it No so please do post similar work for us to look at and learn from
64 + plus views is not bad going and that total will rise.
Personally i take no comments as a good sign not necessarily a bad one

Palms

Hey Palms, no offense taken whatsoever i think all comments have been just and its good to hear from more experienced memmbers.

[edgework]

Originally Posted by morpheus1870

63 views and only 1 comment!

Thanks pixelzombie.

I think DannyRaphael has some good points in his reply, but I had a different take. First, I didn't find it particularly "out there." I tend to evaluate an image based on the technique issues that it raises, not it's content. So, from that perspective, you didn't really do all that much, but what you did do, was okay. The tattoos were the obvious addition, and they have been addressed. The hair color shift is kind of a basic move, and deserving of neither complaint (it looks okay) or adulation (it looks... okay). No other modifications are apparent. She's wearing the same clothes and skin wrapped around the same body, so there are none of the kinds of retouching issues that usually occupy the attention of this forum.

Given that a mess of a job will trigger copious replies, few of them flattering (though most of them constructive), sometimes no news really is good news.