Kurt's BABIES! (First OPR Projects)

[kstruve]

Hi there!  Well, this is my first OPR restoration project.  After a couple weeks of just viewing and nit-picking on the work of others, I've finally started one of my own.  The original image is pretty rough, but has lots of potential - plus, two huge pink fingers!  A lot of the information is still there, albeit behind a large amount of damage.  I started this by grayscaling it (per Becky's instructions).  Most of the visible information was hiding in the blue channel, so I copied that and started working on it.  The first thing I tackled was the background.  The background to the left of the baby still had some detail, so I cleaned that up and then blended it toward the right with a gradient and a new background I created to replace the non-existent background to the right of the baby.  Then I started on the baby - lots of clone stamping, healing brush, dodging and burning.  The parts I haven't touched yet are the baby's diaper, his foot, and most of the blanket upon which he's laying.  Also, I'm having troubles with one of the baby's hands.

ORIGINAL:


RESTORATION PROGRESS:


I've tried to keep the original photographic quality of the image by maintaining the graininess on the baby and by adding grain to the replaced parts of the background. 

Comments?  Suggestions?  Death threats?

Thanks for looking!
Kurt

[glennab]

Hi Kurt -

Well, I have to say you've put your pixels where your "posts" are.  (Oh, terrible use of an old cliché, but I couldn't resist!) He looks wonderful.   I'd love to know how you're going to pull anything from the hand and foot area. I don't see anything but debris. Good luck with that.

I think the vignette behind the baby looks really good, and you did keep the photographic look.  Very nice work!  I think we should keep you!

Best wishes

GG

[kstruve]

Thanks Glenna, for taking the time to comment on my work in progress.  This one isn't really that difficult because I'm not recreating a whole lot on the baby - just relatively minor stuff.  When it get really tough is when you have to recreate faces:  Eyes, in particular are very difficult.  That is what I'm facing in my other restoration project (coming soon to a forum near you.)  It's a portrait of a young couple and the man's face is all but completely obliterated.  It's going to be hard, but I signed up for it!

Kurt

[kiska]

Lookin' good, "EE".  :cool:

[Ratz]

Hi Kurt,
it's looking great! as Glenna said...I think you're a keeper. :up:

[Ausimax]

Kurt,

If the photo of the young couple you refer to is one of the last couple of pic available, just check with the bosses, I'm pretty sure there were some other photos of that couple, where you may be able to get data for the face.

Max

[kstruve]

Max,

Thanks for that tip!  I've been struggling (mentally) with how to deal with the man's face.  If I could find some reference imagery, that would be invaluable.  I'll have to follow up with the bosses.

So others reading this know what we're talking about, here is the cropped portion of the man's head:



Pretty messed up.

Kurt

[cmpentecost]

Hi Kurt,

Whew, unless something shows up in the channels, or you have another image to work with, this will be tough.  You have a "somewhat" general sense of the face, but it will be tough to re-create what was actually there.  It might be one of those to repair what you can, and leave the rest as is....which would probably be better than guessing what this man might look like.

Good luck with this one.  I look forward to seeing the finished project!

Christine

[glennab]

Hi Kurt

I've checked every technique I know, and I can't pull up any detail other than what you already see.  Do you think it's beyond repair?  If I can think of anything else, I'll holler, but this is a truly troublesome image.  Good luck!

GG

[kstruve]

Yeah, I've looked at the other channels in RGB, as well as CMYK and LAB and I do have a good "sense" of what he looks like, but it would still require a lot of guesswork.  I did a sketch over the yellow channel and this is what I've been able to glean:



It is a troublesome image indeed.  I'll make a best effort at it - if only just cleaning it up a bit and leaving him partially restored.

Kurt

[glennab]

Kurt

That looks like a great start.  You have my admiration for seeing that much in all that muck. Can't wait to see progress!

GG

[kstruve]

On a good note, I've been making much better progress on the lady in the image.  Here is my comparison:



I've desaturated the image and have been painting the color back in, because the original colors were just about worthless.

Kurt

[glennab]

Hi Kurt

The young woman looks wonderful.  I would, however question the object on her wrist.  Are you sure it isn't damage?  I'd think it would be unusual for a formal dress to include a wrist ornament (unless it's flowers, but I don't see flowers in the original).

Anyway, your talents are awesome.  And on that note I'm going to bed.  Way past my bedtime, and I'll probably be late for work in the a.m..

Just can't get enough of this OPR interaction.  It keeps me going!

Look forward to seeing progress on this toughie.

G'night

GG

[kstruve]

Thanks Glenna!  I'm quite positive the object on her wrist isn't damage.  It's a wrist corsage.  My finance' even nailed the types of flowers down to lilies and orchids, with some sort of looped grass.  See hi-res crop below:



Kurt

[mabmsc]

Hey Kurt

Love the skin tones on both the baby and the woman, very well restored.   Skin tones are soooo hard to get right, I'm impressed.

Good luck with the restoration of the gentleman, that's a real hard one.

Brookie