Critiques/suggestions please

[winwintoo]

Here's an school photo of me when I was about 8 years old. I suspect that one of my siblings had fun rolling it into a ball - I've been having fun trying to make it right again.

I did this about a week ago and already I can think of some things I could do differently and I look forward to your suggestions.

Thanks
Margaret

[thomasgeorge]

About the only thing I could suggest would be to perhaps try a light setting on the dodge tool and go around the eyes and nose at the edges of the dark/light contrast areas...other than that you did a super job. Welcome!! Tom

[DJ Dubovsky]

Ok Margaret, I could have sworn I read a post where you claimed to be a novice at this restoration business. Now this is definately not the work of a novice. Excellent job. There's really not alot I can see that it needs. Tom had some good suggestions but those are cosmetic enhancements to help bring the face out better. The basic restoration is very well done.

Just an interesting note here. My mother just walked in the room and asked me if that was a picture of me I was working on. When I first saw it, I thought there was a family similarity. Boy does that feel wierd. I have asked my son and my sister who that picture looked like and they both thought it was me. How weird is that? Oh you poor thing you. I'll have to find a photo of me at about that age and post it.
DJ

[winwintoo]

Another try

Thanks for the kind words DJ. Weren't we cute LOL

I had another try at fixing all the cracks in this old photo and I like this effort better.

I still made extensive use of the clone tool, but in the first, I used a smaller brush and dragged. In this effort, I used a larger brush and "dabbed" rather than dragged, sampling often. The result looks smoother to me, but still kind of artificial, so I duplicated the whole thing and set the blending mode of the duplicate layer to "screen" at about 30%. Then I duplicated the whole thing again and then I added some noise to the top layer. The noise seems to even out the bumps.

Once again, I welcome your comments.

[DJ Dubovsky]

Margaret
For a good restoration I like the first one the best. As a good artistic rendering, definately the second.

It took a while to find but here is a side by side of you and me. I was about 11 years old then. Hated the hair so I cropped that part out. My mom styled it up on my head.
DJ

[Sam]

Totally BIZARRE!!

You two could be long-lost twin sisters!!!

[Ed_L]

I agree with Debbie. Now I have to wonder if we have someone on the site with a dual personality!

Ed

[winwintoo]

Long lost twin...

Wow! I can see what you mean. I think I'll just stop trying to restore my photo and use yours instead - nobody will be able to tell LOL

Margaret

[DJ Dubovsky]

Hey, good idea. It sure fooled my family. I guess I'll have to call you sis from now on.
DJ

[Mig]

That's weird.

[Ed_L]

I *knew* it! Dual personalities! Great job Mig!

Ed

[DJ Dubovsky]

I love it. We're triplets now! Hey not bad for combing traits from both of us. This is turning out kind of fun.
DJ

[BigAl]

Really stunning likeness.

I like Mig's triplets.