How to make Plastic skin with Highlights ( sample)

[lkroll]

Opened the shadow areas a bit and then created an overal highkey (minus the hair of course). I then ran PS's surface blur to further soften the skin. I then sharpened just the hair. Could have done some more things, but I leave this one as is.

[richardnyc]

I agree that the plastic look should include a monochromatic approach. Plastic dolls etc are always one shade...
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Thank you everyone. I learned a lot. I am most appreciative
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Sincerely
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Richard
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[Verywierd]

Thought I would give it a try. Plastic should be hard and shiny, so I kept the image sharp with increased highlights and oversmoothed skin.

[Ziaphra]

I just had to give this a go. I believe in the old fashioned smudge tool as you have greater control on following the contours of the arms etc. Steps taken:

1. Used a fairly large smudge brush at about 49% opacity and quickly smoothed out the skin following the contours of her arms etc. (I did not smudge her eyes, eyebrows or lips).
2. Swapped to a smaller brush to finish off the edging.
3. Brushed some highlights on a new layer (using the existing highlights as my guide) and then gaussian blurred that layer at radius 10 and set the blend mode to screen and 56% opacity.
4. Blended these highlights in on a new layer with the smudge tool until I was happy then merged all the layers.
5. Duplicated the layer again and blurred the new layer to radius 25 and set the blend mode to screen and 56% opacity. Then I erased everything on this layer except for the skin...even the eyes, eyelashes and lips as I did not want to lose them in the blur. Again I touched up with the smudge tool...and then merged all the layers.
6. Duplicated the layer again and desaturated this layer to -28 and again erased everything but the skin...don't forget the eyes etc.

There are probably easier ways and faster steps to do what I did but I like the total control of the smudging, blurring and highlights this gives me.

In the second attached pic I duplicated, inverted this layer, set the blend mode to overlay and 20% opacity...then erased all but the skin etc...this seems to give a more alabaster (sp?) feel to the skin.

The 3rd attached pic is where I have darkened the shadows and midtones and upped the highlights.

The 4th attached pic was more simple. (I went back to this as I thought maybe I had gone a bit overboard with my others).

1. Adjust Higlight (+50), Midtone (-10), Shadow (-30) to 'pop' the highlights.
2. Duplicate layer, blur at radius 25 and set blending mode to overlay at 100% opacity, then totally desaturate.
3. Duplicate the initial layer again, blur at radius 25 and set blending mode to screen at 56% opacity.
4. Your layers should be as follows...initial layer, screen layer then overlay layer.
5. Add a new layer at the very top and smudge at 49% opacity until the skin is smooth and once you're happy, merge all layers.
6 Duplicate layer and desaturate until you are happy then erase all but the skin etc.

[richardnyc]

Smudge tool ? Ok whatever works...
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thanks
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richard

[Ziaphra]

That is how I did this image and here is my tutorial on it.

http://www.worth1000.com/entries/180500/180570INpm.jpg
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161136

[ffureel]

I didnt have time to do skin blurring which would of made it look much more plastic, but you get the idea.

[Gigadals]

Here's my try =)

[Tadeuz]

Ideas behind.
- Plastic -> shiny highlights, high local contrast.
- Skin colors unnatural ( result is rather waxy in ths respect)
- plastic -> desaturated highlights

http://www.tadeuzjalocha.cl/images/plastic.jpg

regards.

Tadeuz