[CaptainHook]

Continuing with KR's list..

Lets hear advice, experience, tips and tricks on cloning flyaways,
cross hairs and nasty hairlines, adding new hairs to the edges of bad
or sharp masks, building body or volume etc, and masking techniques
for hair.

I'm keen to see what people might be doing i haven't thought of.

[MacBurg]

Looking forward to seeing some info here, I have just started editing a job that includes some technical hair masking. I decided at the time of shooting, still life I'm talking here, to shoot 2 exposures, one optimally lit, the other with just the background lit, creating a dark mask as an image.

I'm hoping this technique will work well, but will see over the next few days and maybe post a few pics.

.

[Rhasval]

This thread could be very interesting to learn some tips and tricks about masking. But I think that, to point it the right way, we should explain the techniques basing on a specific image because there are so many ways to tackle the masking and it depends not only on the image but how to approach different pieces of the same image, even using different technique for each piece. Also it is very important where you are going to apply the mask to be applied properly.

[mayday]

I often use the clone tool on darken or lighten for flyaways and crosshairs

[kyo]

Honestly, I use to spend lots of time working on hair masks, and other crazy things.. then I found a product called Mask Pro from OnOne software.

Absolutely genius and completely, 100%, worth the money. I've mask hair, trees, and taken the background out of shots through a transparent wedding gown.. in a matter of seconds.

There is another product called Liquid Mask but I forget who makes it.. also an impressive masking software but in my opinion not as easy/quick to use.

Both of these are capable of incredible things, like accurately taking out fireworks from an image to put on another, keeping all the color and transparency.

Sounds like an ad I know, but the stuff really just is that good that I haven't bothered with complex masking since.


Kyle

[Ant]

I've yet to see an external software or plug in really make much difference.

As far as masking goes, there's no magic bullet. As stated, it's always image dependent. Channel masks, chopping, apply image, calculations, Power of ten or whatever it's called. Choking the masks, utilization of blending modes, combining elements from the main image and secondary sources. More important than masking, when it comes to hair, is integration of elements into the new background. No matter how perfect your mask, there will always be the need for integration. Practice makes perfect and speeds things along. When it comes to creating or adding to hairstyles, ie. building volume or adding ends, it's all about compositing. The warp tool is your friend. Flyaways are best masked out - get everything and mask out what you don't want. Knowing what to remove in the simplification process is key. Like anything when it comes to retouching, objectivity is paramount. Real always looks better than created, no matter how good the creation.

I too utilize the lighten and darken modes when cloning or 'pushing back' cross hairs and the like.

81.5874% of the commercial work that I do is hair oriented.

[Markzebra]

Yep hair has to be retouched to fit in with its background. Its color carefully modified, and its tone made to fit- its almost true to say that it should be seen as transparent, because its like a mirror to its surroundings. And its very true that real always looks better than painted, however good people think they are. Brushing is Ok in masking and comping. Blending can be used to burn or dodge the edge strands into their new setting

Ant Whats "power of ten" ?

[Ant]

Mark: http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=291

I've never gone through all the words, but I understand the concept and put it to use.

[CaptainHook]

Originally Posted by Ant

Flyaways are best masked out - get everything and mask out what you don't want.

Didn't really follow this part..?
Is this assuming the background is replaced?

Also, what's your favorite method for choking masks?
I was hoping you'd contribute in this thread. Thanks.

[Markzebra]

ah so 10 refers to all the converted channels. you mean using the A B channels to find color in masking? I convert to 16 bit before doing this, but yes its useful. Choking Captain Hook - I use Maximum and Minimum. You can set shortcuts to bring these dialogs up.

[KR1156]

for tightening a mask very subtle, you can also use a curve on the mask, and just adjust the contrast, it will tighten or loosen the mask very quickly.

sometimes i get away with "fadeing" the minimum/maximum move. helps with subtlety as well. but can leave halo.

[cricket1961]

I can't really add anything to what Ant said. Very well put, but I can't emphasize that the mask needs to be made for the specific background. A nice saved channel mask is not going to work for all backgrounds no matter how you try to choke it or spread it. It rarely works for the one you made it for. Unfortunately a good mask is usually "destroyed" when the background is blended in to the foreground.

I always start out with Calculations and apply image. I also use Hue/Sat, or gradient maps, or H/S. It is never quick and easy but always rewarding in the end.

Chris

[CaptainHook]

Chris, there was talk of you elaborating on using gradient maps for masks in the other
thread. Do you have time to do that? Past anything obvious, i'm curious to see
how you may use them creatively that gives an advantage to other channel operations.

Anyone care to expand on methods for integration?

[Ant]

Originally Posted by KR1156

for tightening a mask very subtle, you can also use a curve on the mask, and just adjust the contrast, it will tighten or loosen the mask very quickly.

sometimes i get away with "fadeing" the minimum/maximum move. helps with subtlety as well. but can leave halo.

This is how I do it. I've never utilized the min or max filter.

[cricket1961]

Cap

I am working on it. Just a lot to do before I can sit down and get that done.

But it is coming.

Chris