How to do skin pores and skin tone like this

[julianmarsalis]

Originally Posted by Qstudios

There is no stock settings I use for my highpass layers it all depends on the image. I tend to use 2 to 3 different high pass layers with the settings ranging from .5 to 15 and the opacity from 90% to 15% receptively. I may set the highpass layers to Softlight, Overlay, Linear Light, it all depends on the image and the effect we are trying to achieve. The Blur layer I tend to keep the opacity pretty high. I put these all in a folder and will brush it in were needed.

As for the lighting, it's hard to fake lighting if it's not naturally there. You can dodge and burn with masks and curves to enhance the effect. You can also play with a high pass layer set pretty high like 20+ depending on the image and that some times will get you the look you want.

As for Color, If you look carefully at high fashion images in magazines (Fendi,Gucci,Prada, ...) you will see that the skin tones are very unsaturated and in the brown range and not the Orange Red. You need to keep your saturation down but maintain a natural warmth. Also you need to maintain a good contrast. You don't want skin to look grey and ashy but you also don't want it too saturated. It's a very fine line.

Remember every image will need it own settings with all these things. For a story with a number of images in it you should be able to figure out the setting for one and use that for the whole story.

I hope that helps.

Love to see a tutorial using this method with all the layers broken down. I have to try this out and see what I get.....

[snook305]

Me too...:+}
Also..how do you reach more brown skin tones rather than orange..
What would be a good formula?
For example CYMK for skin tones... what would you get for a reading on the skin tones?
Thanks.
I would love to see how you make the skin tones more brown than orange?
Snook

[JavierT]

Originally Posted by snook305

Me too...:+}
Also..how do you reach more brown skin tones rather than orange..
What would be a good formula?
For example CYMK for skin tones... what would you get for a reading on the skin tones?
Thanks.
I would love to see how you make the skin tones more brown than orange?
Snook

I think many different techniques you can apply to get the brown tone instead the orange red one.

Try to use a gradient map, hide all and masking the skin. I think it can works.

[singlo]

15 lights on set, my Lord! They are big on double kickers and hard lights on fabrics.

While their skin retouching, super-fine texture look and lighting are beautiful, somehow their images look hyper unreal and very retouched...Yes its their style and artistry but I don't see this is what the current trend of retouching in fashion mags. In Paris Vogue, Numero, 10, cosmetic beauty adverts etc, the retouching trend is going towards realism and naturalism --lots of retouching done but the results are not looking retouched at all. The over cook retouching is going out of fashion these days.

[singlo]

Originally Posted by snook305

Me too...:+}
Also..how do you reach more brown skin tones rather than orange..
What would be a good formula?
For example CYMK for skin tones... what would you get for a reading on the skin tones?
Thanks.
I would love to see how you make the skin tones more brown than orange?
Snook

I tried this in RGB. I am not familair with CYMK though.

You use eyedropper to analysis the RGB values of a reference brown skin tone that you want to achieve and get a crude idea of the portions of RGB. A bit like reverse engineering....Then you adjust each of the RGB curves for your own image, increase in red, small decrease in blue and very subtle change in green working on a standard skin tone straight out of the digital camera....something like that...it depends on individual image.

I think there is a more complicated way of matching skin tone sampled from a referenced image described by Martin Evening in his book...I read it a long time ago and can't remmeber how to do it his way.