Skin Smoothing Technique (Again)

[Novi]

I’ve discovered a new (??) skin smoothing technique and I thought I’d share it with the board and get some feedback. It’s based on blurring (sorry), but it when used in moderation (like deGrunge) it can generate nice results.

1. Copy your base image to a new layer
2. On the new layer, use Smart Blur or Surface Blur (better) to blur out any imperfection that you think is significant. Gaussian blur (or similar) is not preferred because there is too much smearing of adjacent colors. [a lower threshold of 20 to 30 is good is best for most images]
3. Copy the blurred layer to a new layer [a new layer 3 in this example]
4. Move the blurred layers (2 and 3) to a new group [optional]
5. Among the blurred layers set the blending mode of one to LIGHTEN and one to DARKEN.
6. Set the DARKEN layer opacity to about 10-25% (to taste)
7. Set the LIGHTEN layer opacity to about 60-75% (to taste)

Obviously you would need to mask out everything but skin, and more steps would be needed to allow selective partial blurring of some areas more than others. To do so would involve painting on layers masks rather than adjusting layer opacity.

[pixelzombie]

post a sample, but not on here as 100k won't show us the details...

[041567970]

Yes, please do that.

[Novi]

Originally Posted by pixelzombie

post a sample, but not on here as 100k won't show us the details...

Ok. here is a 100% crop from the models forehead taken from this post:

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/pho...-practice.html

This is after vs before. Less than 30 seconds work. I could do much better if I addressed areas of the skin selectively.

NOTE: As only my 2nd post, I didn't realize that 100% crop winds up small here. I guess the upload is pretty small and crappy, but you'll get the idea that there's plenty of texture left.

[MilanS]

Not bad!
It reminds me of the negative clarity slider in lightroom 2

[Daviskw]

There is a technique like yours that uses lighten and multiply...instead of lighten and darken... you use surface blur where gaussian blur is used on the lighten layer first. The end result is the same as yours I think.

There is an action called "powder" that can be downloaded. .. it uses almost the same opacity ratios.

Butch

[Novi]

Originally Posted by Daviskw

There is a technique like yours that uses lighten and multiply...instead of lighten and darken...

Interesting. Thank you. I tried to do my homework before posting. It's hard to get the search terms exactly right.

I actually came upon this idea because I was writing a computer program to automate the D&B technique. About 75% into the project it occurred to me that the math was exactly the same as this layering process. I dumped the project.

Interestingly, it seems that nearly eliminating dark pixels (70%) and leaving most of the lighter pixels (36%) gives a pleasing but textured effect. After spending hours of D&B I noticed that I was spending way more time with the darks than the lights. Thus, my programming idea.

[Daviskw]

Don't get me wrong...I'm going to try your idea...no need to do homework..I was just pointing out that there is a similar technique...your way may be much better.
Thanks for posting your idea and keep them coming...Wish I had the brains to come up with something...lol

Butch

[ashphotoart]

I tried it. no too perfect but can be use sometimes.

Ash

[aceto81]

I think that this is a technique perfect for the compact camera pictures, it gives you really fast a smooth(er) look to your subjects skin and is not so time consuming as d&b.

My view of thinking is that for most compact camera pictures d&b is overkill and this technique or degrunge or similar are the ways to go.

Ace

[Novi]

Ace,

You may be right. This technique can be made more flexible by avoiding layer opacity and painting to layer masks with different shades of gray. This has the effect of differential retouch opacity for every part of the image.

If you inspect the output of PortraitProfessional (www.PortraitProfessional.com), you will find that they mostly lighten the dark pixels. In fact, you will be unable to use their built in tools to darken the light pixels. So their lighten is variable, but darken is fixed.

Imagenomics Portraiture is great, but it is not (easily) flexible as far as affecting some areas more than others.

My intent was fast not necessarily quality. But, could still do still do per pixel brush work with layer masks with this technique and get huge variety and nuance.