changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

[vkg1]

I'm really poor at addressing the problems with skin tone that seem so common at least with average or inexpensive point and shoot cameras in poor lighting conditions. Here's a picture I'm trying to retouch right now (it's masked the skin tone only right now). The tone (especially face) is almost rosy -- it looks pinkish, purplish, almost like it is irritated. I would like it to have a "healthy" summer glow since it is a beach picture.

Can anyone help me out? I understand skin tones are tough and that to really know how to work with them I'll have to get a book on retouching and some skin tone swatches/table of colors or something. However, I'd really appreciate any quick advice for this particular picture right now.

I tried fiddling with curves but haven't been able to get any kind of results.

[BillFrey]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

I used a selective adj layer and toned down red and magenta, also added a little yellow to the whites.

[vkg1]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

That looks a lot better. Thanks, I'm new so I didn't even know about selective color adjustment layers.

How would I go about trying to make the skin look like it has more melanin in it also? How do I "bronze" it/give it a "tan"/make it look less pale?

Also, can you tell me how to use this same mask in the new selective color adjustment layer? I would like to only adjust the color in the skin, and I would like to get the ruddiness out of the face to a greater degree than rest of skin so they are more even.

[BillFrey]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

I made it darker by using the selective adj layer and added black and yellow to the neutrals, and black and yellow to the reds with a mask painting white only in the more rosey places on the face.

[vkg1]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

Due to my lack of experience with PS I am having a tough time figuring out to make these color adjustments correctly.

I know how to make the selective color adjustment layer and how to make color setting through the dialog box that is presented during the initial creation of layer, however I do not know how to make adjustments thereafter.

Is it possible to make color adjustments outside of the step in the initial creation of the layer where a dialog box pops up?

Do I need a separate adjustment layer for each color group?

[BillFrey]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

On the "A" adj layer with mask revealing all the skin:
Reds: magenta -30; yellow +15
Magentas: magenta -54; yellow +100
Whites: yellow +100
Neutrals: yellow +18; black +30

On the "B" adj layer with mask revealing only the reds that needed more 'bronzing':
Reds: yellow +24; black +13

I'm sure there are many combinations that will achieve the same result as well as other methods.

Good luck

[vkg1]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

Thanks this was immensely helpful.

[The_Traveler]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

Why would this be done in CMYK as opposed to RGB?
I have a feeling there is something very basic that I don't know.

[biskit27]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

Why would this be done in CMYK as opposed to RGB?
I have a feeling there is something very basic that I don't know.

i'm pretty curious as well

im just guessing.... but,

more control perhaps? since there are 4 color paths to work with instead of three?

[byRo]

Re: changing ruddy to tan - skin tones

Why would this be done in CMYK as opposed to RGB?
I have a feeling there is something very basic that I don't know.

Don't worry, it's more of a personal preference than anything special.

Those who work closer to the printed medium, i.e. using CMYK, have figured out some rule-of-thumb adjustments that usually serve well.
But you can work in any mode.
I, personally, will always do skintones in Lab mode.

Rô