Please Help with evening out skin

[quadupix]

I need some advise on how to even out the skin to uniform tone. I've used the hue/saturation and a lot of D&B to remove most of the blotches. The problem areas: on top of the nose, the eye area and especially along the jawline. I just can't seem to the perfect look without making it look blurry. Please help....

You can get a high-rez file here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZUIOIXO1

Thanks to all

[Hendrik]

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...ques-body.html

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...-best-way.html

[TommyO]

quadupix,
Sorry, but megaupload requires you to install their downloader which comes with all that advertising and who knows what else... not going to do that.
However, took a quick look at the lower res image. You talk about evening "tone", but then mention a "blurry" look to the edges. That should not be happening. You may need to elaborate on your technique a bit more.

Here is a very quick change of tonality, with just a little blurring. Is this what you are trying to achieve (again, knowing that this is incomplete) ?

[chillin]

Originally Posted by TommyO

quadupix,
Sorry, but megaupload requires you to install their downloader which comes with all that advertising and who knows what else... not going to do that...

TommyO, here is the high resolution...it isn't much higher.

[Verywierd]

I'm not sure this is what you are looking for.

I tried using the curve replacement method, but there were so many different shades and colour tones in her skin that it was too difficult, so I resorted to some very crude technique.

First I used multiple "replace colour" runs to to re-tone, desaturate and lighten patch colours on the nose, cheeks and chin. Then what was left I "fixed" by sampling a "good" colour, and painting it onto the off colour spots and using various blend modes (whichever worked best), gaussian blur and varying layer opacity to cover the areas up. Finally, a slight overall adjustment of colour tone and saturation.

Not very elegant technique.

[TommyO]

Thanks for the image Chillin !

Quadupix,
I usually start by extracting a small patch of skin, working to find the final color I like, then applying that correction to all of the image and masking to adjust where it takes place. ( Of course, the final values are very subjective, and depend on the ethnicity of the subject.) I may add several layers until I get the color right. At that point I do various blurring techniques to smooth it out at bit.

Below is my second attempt after receiving the higher res image. I like the tonality better.
* I have not blended/blurred the effect any, but I did do a simple noise reduction & selective sharpening to make the skin a bit softer (just for fun).
* I did not attempt to fix the various discolorations elsewhere. That step is not hard once you find values you like.

I added the before and after color values to show that it does not take much difference for our eyes to pick it up.

[chillin]

Like TommyO said some color correction & I would continue with a D&B more.

[quadupix]

Thanks folks for all your input! I'm trying to get a very even tonality. There seem to be large patches of "lightness" which might take weeks of D&B for perfection, in my opinion:-).

I guess I'm trying to achieve the uniformity like the examples here: http://www.iretouchit.com/ Look the at the 5th & 6th images under his "skin" portfolio and you'll see what I mean.

[quadupix]

Originally Posted by Verywierd

I'm not sure this is what you are looking for.

I tried using the curve replacement method, but there were so many different shades and colour tones in her skin that it was too difficult, so I resorted to some very crude technique.

First I used multiple "replace colour" runs to to re-tone, desaturate and lighten patch colours on the nose, cheeks and chin. Then what was left I "fixed" by sampling a "good" colour, and painting it onto the off colour spots and using various blend modes (whichever worked best), gaussian blur and varying layer opacity to cover the areas up. Finally, a slight overall adjustment of colour tone and saturation.

Not very elegant technique.

This seems to steer it a bit towards what I'm looking for.

[P_fuzz]

Originally Posted by quadupix

Thanks folks for all your input! I'm trying to get a very even tonality. There seem to be large patches of "lightness" which might take weeks of D&B for perfection, in my opinion:-).

I guess I'm trying to achieve the uniformity like the examples here: http://www.iretouchit.com/ Look the at the 5th & 6th images under his "skin" portfolio and you'll see what I mean.

that is a great portfolio...

but I hate that he added "skeleton ribs" to the model on the 3rd pic under fashion!
I say NO NO NO.... it wasnt necessary!
and How the hell he got that image out of the original out of focus (4th on fashion!) WOW...just WOW!

[TommyO]

The advantages of a refined workflow, plenty of textures, and who knows what third-party tools. There is really no way of telling. But, that's how you make money in retouch.

No point in spelling out a tutorial here. There are plenty here in RP, or elsewhere, to describe basic retouch techniques. That is the basically what it is, along with what I mentioned at the top.

[Jessi_ca]

I cant even see these patches you are talking about, sure the texture and colour needs some work, but her skin looks pretty evenly lit to me...

[Jessi_ca]

some skin techniques and colour correction...

[quadupix]

Originally Posted by Jessi_ca

some skin techniques and colour correction...

Hi Jessica!

Could you share your steps with this image? Thanks

[Jessi_ca]

D &B , degrunge, sharpening, curves to correct colour, black and white layer with soft light to add contrast... bit of surface blur with embossing and noise too smooth skin

[StormFX]

There is a lot more work on it, but just like an idea.

[andikuonath]

Originally Posted by P_fuzz

that is a great portfolio...

but I hate that he added "skeleton ribs" to the model on the 3rd pic under fashion!
I say NO NO NO.... it wasnt necessary!
and How the hell he got that image out of the original out of focus (4th on fashion!) WOW...just WOW!

oh i just see this now...
Thank You,
to the skeleton ribs:
That was an editorial based on the sketches of the Austrian painter Egon Schiele:
for example:
http://skullcull.files.wordpress.com...lfportrait.jpg

hope that explaines the bones.
Andi
www.iretouchit.com
www.kuonath.com

[Quantum3Studio]

I think sampling a good color skin and painting in a new layer set to color would be the best way to achieve an uniform skin tone.

[AFrazier]

I've found that when you are trying to locate trouble spots, you can use the Black and White tool. It lets you apply filters to accentuate certain colors, or to decrease them. Just adjust the filter sliders until the ugliness comes out and correct to suit.
A bit of dodge and burn to even out the tone/gradation, a saturation and hue layer to even out the color (with lowered opacity to suit).
Duplicate that layer. Then make a curves adjustment to the one you duplicated from to set the appropriate color channel levels (which can also be done with the Levels adjustment, but I prefer curves). Take your duplicate with full flesh color, lower the opacity over the curves adjusted copy to taste.
Flatten the image.

[andikuonath]

Yes exactly,
if there is too much color and skin texture, our eyes don't really see where the real unevenness lies.
Simoly desaturate it maybe curve it a tiny bit darker and gaussian blur it exactly until the pores are gone and all of a sudden you gonna see dark blotches and lighter parts.
And these are the ones you have to address, with curves, dodge tools, whatever you want to use.
That's how you get the evenness.
It can take a very very long time, sometimes,
Andi
http://www.iretouchit.com/