Retouching skin

[JodyGall]

I am IN LOVE with this! I finally found a tutorial that I could easily follow on how to retouch skin! All I did was follow the tutorial below:

http://www.christyschuler.com/retouching.html

(Just click on 'tutorials' and then 'skin retouching')

And I'm sure I overdid it a bit! But I am so darn proud of myself!! Woot woot!!

Before:


After:

[AnnaV]

Good job! I'd turn the opacity down on the altered layer just a bit though, to make it look more natural

[stitchbug]

awesome! i really needed this!

[Murtasma]

I've always struggled getting a naturally looking smooth skin. I think part of the problem is nobody is ever that smooth and it looks odd when you see someone with silky smooth skin. It's easy to get lost after spending some time smoothing skin with regard to the quality of light reflecting off the persons face. The bone structure will cast the slightest shadows on the face which give the face depth. What I have noticed is these tutorials that rely on filters to blur the skin remove these details and leave the image rather flat and unnatural.

Once I finished any skin smoothing I open the same raw image in another file and then merge all my layers for the smooth skin down to 1 layer then place this layer on top of the original and reduce the opacity to 0 then slowly bring it up. Watch for the slight shadows on the face and pores. Pay attention particularly to areas around the eyes, mouth, cheeks and forehead. I like to leave some pores here and there and shadow details to maintain some depth in the face. It totally depends on the lighting within the picture so each picture is different.

I think you did a nice job smoothing the skin, it may be a touch over done but nothing you can't easily back out of in certain places. The thing that really gives it away is the neck. You can see this was not touched.

Nice work thanks for sharing

BTW: This would be over doing it

[candleman]

nice job.. it looks good.. my method takes too long to be frequently used..

aaarg, dang video didnt want to work for me.
any basic explaination available? i know its time consuming to write up so no pressure.

[JodyGall]

Originally Posted by Murtasma

BTW: This would be over doing it

LOL! Yep, that is definitely overdoing it! But in a good way!! Haha!


Thanks guys! I knew I overdid it some, but was just so happy to learn how to do it! So I had to post my first go at it!!

And as far as me writing a tutorial. Oh man. That would be hard for this. The reason I liked the tutorial I posted is because its a video that talks you through it. I've tried to follow other tutorials on how to do this and just couldn't do it. I didn't know where certain things were or what they were saying to use. On that tutorial you can see everything she clicks on, so its much easier. Maybe one day when I practice a little more, I may try to do one for ya though.

[Drax]

Nice efforts. Looks good too.

I have the impression that the skin is too perfect. (Like in those Nivea publicity thingy )

[JodyGall]

Ok, I tried again. But i didn't do it so much this time...

Before and After:



On a side note...this is soooo much fun! LOL! I get so excited when I learn new things. I just gotta practice practice!

[mnchevygirl]

Awesome job Jody! I definitely like your second attempt much better. I too have had trouble with skin smoothing. Mine always comes out looking fake as well. I'll have to check out the link that you posted.

[candleman]

...the link works but the video just says "streaming" but never plays..
*boo-hoo* poor me

i'll have to do some experimenting and see if i can come up with a simpler way of doing it myself.

the second attempt is much nicer (particularly the cheeks) but forehead stil looks a bit too smooth.
good job tho! its very even.