Colouring/Skin Retouching/Texture

[dillonturman]

I would like to know how to add the colouring, skin texture and overall editing like this photo. Please detail how to make great skin texure, as I already know how to smooth it down. As far as the colours go, are they just radial bursts set to color? or what? Please help!

[dillonturman]

and by colour burst, I simply mean the hints of red near her cheeks and arms, etc.

[edgework]

Originally Posted by dillonturman

I would like to know how to add the colouring, skin texture and overall editing like this photo.

Wouldn't we all?

Please detail how to make great skin texure, as I already know how to smooth it down.

In other words, what you're doing now is destroying texture. Before you start, that's something you might want to stop.

As far as the colours go, are they just radial bursts set to color? or what?

Or what.

The answers to all your questions are all over this site. Search dodge and burn, D & B, skin smoothing, smooth skin, skin retouching etc. That will give you enough material to occupy you for a while.

Search split frequency and that will give you a whole pile more things to study. Then look for some of the raw images that some photographers here have generously made available, and practice for five years or so.

And if you have a particular problem that you encounter in the course of working things out for yourself, you'll find many offers of assistance.

[dillonturman]

This is what I have thus far. I am at a loss when it comes to the colouring. Help please

[edgework]

You need to get an accurate assessment of how far you are from your target. Put a color sampler in the foreheads of both images. (I'm using the one you've already worked on.)

The numbers for Drew Barrymore read R: 251, G:233, B: 219. Your image reads R:241, G:215, B:197. A good place to start would be to set a curve adjustment layer for your image, and set anchor points for each channel. In the input fields plug in the number for your image, in the output use the numbers for your target. It won't be perfect but it a good place to start and it will put you in the proper range. I added a second curve in color mode working only on the darker range, to give a touch of red to the shadows. And the lips, of course, required a third curve. The cover shot is lit better, but this is closer than it was.

[dillonturman]

Thanks edgework that shaped up pretty perfectly after your touches.