My First Restoration

[mattylaws]

I've started on this restoration and it's definitely going to be a challenge. I've got to the point where I've sorted out all (or most of) the little spots and abrasion, and it's time to start focusing on rebuilding the photo.

I'm going to start on the people first (should I do the background first?), I'm glad most of the faces are intact, here's what I can see needs doing in rough order of difficulty:- 

* 6 need their hair reconstructed
* 2 need the side of their faces made
* The woman on the far right has part of her arm destroyed
* The lady in the black dress has the top of her face cut off.
* The young boy has most of his hand and wrist cut off (is that his hand?).

Any advice would be helpful, I'm going to start plodding away now.

Thanks for reading

Matt

[Tori803]

Hi, Matt.

Did you post your work in progress?

As to a work flow, I think each restorer has his/her own preferences, but in general most start with adjusting levels and curves. As much as possible, work with non-destructive techniques like adjustment layers. For me, whether I start with the background or the people somewhat depends on the image and type of damage. If the image looks particularly challenging it's helpful to start with a simpler area (if there is one!).

If you visit the Forum home you'll notice a link to tutorials at the bottom. It's a wonderful collection of suggestions on most every kind of damage. There's a thread on work flow, on working with hair, on discovering detail on different channels, lots of great information.

Tori

[mattylaws]

Woops, I uploaded the images to imageshack, but forgot to post them here -.-

Original


By mattylaws at 2010-06-03

Edited


By mattylaws at 2010-06-03

The main edits are minor healing to remove spots, I've done an overall colour correction and edited the curves and levels, but I'm probably going to refine that

[kiska]

Looks great so far. The skin tones are a tad yellow, tho.

[mattylaws]

Thanks for your replies. I agree the skin tones are pretty yellow, but to me (my screen could be displaying wrongly) it looks like that's just the people in the foreground, I might just do some localised corrections, I doubt I'll keep those global colour, curves and levels layers that I just plonked to brighten it up.

Thank you for the advice Tori, I never personally edit the original image to the point of obsession, which will probably mean I end up with dozens of layers haha.

I will definitely take a look at the hair tutorials, they will come in handy. I've done the furthest lady on the right and it doesn't look too bad for a start, I need to roughen up the outside a little.

[glennab]

Hi Matt

Welcome to OPR.  I'm happy to see activity on the forum. You're awesome to take on this bear.

I agree with you that you may have to do some spot color correcting, because my first thought was that the faces seemed rather red.  Yet the hands and the child in the foreground have a yellow cast, as Kiska said.

You have a great start with the woman's hair.  I think she needs just a little more on the crown of her head, and it should be perfect.

I'm like Tori.  I start wherever the mood takes me.  If I'm not in a place where I want too much challenge, I'll do some easy stuff first.  Otherwise, I dive into the worst of the muck to get that part over with.

It's great that you posted your project.  I just had to return one of mine, because I'm in the midst of a furious job hunt and didn't have time to complete it.  Seeing activity makes me feel as if we're making progress.  I'm hoping to get back to it soon.  Then you can help me with mine!

I'm so glad you've joined us. I'll keep an eye on your progress.

Cheers!

GK

[mattylaws]

Hi Glennab, thanks for your reply. (and also in my welcome thread)

I've finished the first woman, and nearly done the lady's head on the far right (for the second time because I accidentally deleted the layer and didn't realise until I'd done many other things so couldn't delete it).

I've had a peak at the boys hand for the moment, and it's really big in comparison to his face, so either he's got it extended near the camera, or it isn't his. I think it's his because the hand looks like that of a boy his age... any thoughts?

[glennab]

Matt, don't you love the accidentally deleted "anythings?"  Or the getting so involved in your restoration that you forget to save and "Photoshop unexpectedly" quits?  That's one of my most frequent frustrations, because I live in the lightning capital of the world, and the power goes off a lot.  And for some reason, my UPS is only sporadically functional!

As for the hand – I think it's an adult's hand, and that adult is not in the photo.  It doesn't fit with the boy's position, and as you said it looks awfully large.  In fact, in the original, the thumbnail looks painted to me.

Cheers

GK (in case you wonder what the GK is, it's a nickname I was given a few years ago by our awesome Aussie Max – from whom we haven't heard in a while.  It stands for Garrulous Kraken- I'm not sure where he got the Kraken part, since I'm truly a lovely young thing, but you can tell by the number of posts that I'm actually beyond garrulous.  I'm She Who Won't Be Silenced!)

[mattylaws]

Ah yes, some of my frustrations, including when I'm working on a path for ages, and forget to name it, so it seems to magically disappear... (I have no clue if this happens in later versions)

Fortunately, working with computers the bulk of my walking life has meant I have a frequent and subconscious habit of pressing CTRL+S, perhaps if I didn't my last error could have been remedied by simply reopening it.

I'm liking your nickname, isn't a Kraken a mythical sea monster? :P

I'm affectionately called HedgePig by my friends, but not sure if I will use it here

Any ways, enough waffle and a little update on my progress

You're right about the hand in the foreground, I was certain it looks like it should be his hand but looking at it now I'm reconsidering.

I've made a couple of outlines in paths and showing them on my WIP.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I started on the boy and the table