Thank you for joining us on the Fine Art tutorial, we have had some truly beautiful images created. Over the next few weeks, we are going into skin retouching. There are many ways to get a very soft/blurry skin but here we are trying to go with subtle changes. I have used myself as an example as am always happy to improve myself.
Image one is the original SOOC, blemishes, sun spots, dark circles and all...
Image 2: SIMPLE RETOUCH
This is the one I mostly use as not generally feel the need for perfect skin. Get close, zoom on image very close and use the spot healing brush (the one that looks like a plaster) and with a brush size slightly bigger than the spot/blemish, click and it will replace with the tone of the closest match. This works very well but sometimes leaves the skin blurry and natural, in which case use healing brush tool (straight under the spot healing brush). With the Alt key, select the area you want to copy from (i.e. clear skin, similar tones and textures) and paint over the area. This works much better for removing unwanted flying hair, dark circles and fine wrinkles. I also use it to remove red tiredness veins from my eyes. With eyes, always remember, less is more!
More often than not, this will be a sufficient step but if you want to go further...
Image 3: FREQUENCY SEPARATION / DODGE & BURN
This allows you to dramatically smooth the skin whilst keeping its texture as well as adjusting highlights and shadows.
Have your layer with previous adjustments and when happy merge to one layer or flatten. Duplicate that layer twice. Untick top layer for the time being:
1. do not touch original layer
2. On layer 1, go to filter / blur / gaussian blur. Blur quite heavily to a stage where you can still clearly see the face but the details and textures are blurred. Click ok
3. Go to layer 3 and click on image/apply image. In the pop up box, you will have a tab that says layer, select the layer below (I tend to name copy layer 1 blur and layer 2 texture but that is up to you), Channel RGB
Blending Subtract, scale 2, Offset 128, press ok
You will have a grey drawing style image, set blending mode to Linear light
On that layer, now take our lasso tool, feather about 30px and select areas you want to soften. I tend to select small areas at a time to keep it natural. Lasso/filter /blur /gaussian blur 2-4, small adjustments work best.
DODGE AND BURN
Add new blank layer on top, go to fill and fill it with 50% grey from drop down menu, set blending mode to soft light. Now take a soft brush, opacity 10-15% max and paint on black to add shadows and white to add highlights. In image 3, I have used this technique to darken hair and eye lids and lips and highlights on forehead, under the eyes, the eyes and side of face as well as neck
Image 4: LIQUIFY
I Use liquify to do subtle changes, in image 4, slightly slim the face, lift highbrows, open eyes, elongate neck. Go to Filter/Liquify.
To slim: Forward wrap tool on the left, use a very large brush to keep lines smooth
To slightly buff up hair and open eyes (use very sparsely and carefully), use the bloat tool.
There are many more ways and techniques to refine skin editing but thought this may give you a good start and see what can be done quite easily.
I will be happy to answer any questions! Have fun! @roseolivia
@amandal Thank you! I don't tend to retouch much other than the obvious need for looking less tired but it is fun to play and see how far you can go :-). Have a great day! xx
@roseolivia Hi Rachel. I hope you give retouching portraits some attention. It's not so much "how far" you can go, but how much better you can make the posed image.
@frankhymus as I mentioned, I believe that less is more and the level of retouching has to be taken on a case to case basis. This is just about the PS technique, not a debate on retouching which everyone sees differently. This is also very basic techniques and there are many more refined ways to edit and get a very natural result but these, if used subtly, can provide great results. Of course good pose, good lighting and a great image in camera is the first step buts different subject. Not sure if this is what you meant?
@roseolivia Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It, as in the classic book by Scott Kelby, 80% of which comprises "retouch" techniques actually. The later updates scattered through his Photoshop books are worth visiting too. His later "Digital Photography" series (Part 2 is a good start) covers more about lighting and shooting portraits.
@sandbox365@roseolivia
So I am trying to these techniques. The step I totally didn't understand was step 3 under frequency separation. I got to the point where I had the black & white image but then I was lost. The Linear Light looked bad on the image and I couldn't get rid of the lasso outlines. Also I have some understanding but with Liquefy but that tool I struggled with a lot. I think it is one you just need to practice on. Here is the before & after. Not so great but it is a start.
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I tagged it sandbox365-skinretouching is that okay? I can change it.
So I am trying to these techniques. The step I totally didn't understand was step 3 under frequency separation. I got to the point where I had the black & white image but then I was lost. The Linear Light looked bad on the image and I couldn't get rid of the lasso outlines. Also I have some understanding but with Liquefy but that tool I struggled with a lot. I think it is one you just need to practice on. Here is the before & after. Not so great but it is a start.