Ok ladies, fashion question... Should all the dots be red or is there a diamond design that I am seeing, and if so what is the other diamond's dots color? I know its not the teal/cyan as that is garbage that doesn't even line up where the dots should be. It looks like diamonds with diagonal lines of white dots to me...
Gary
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/72be6538bbff4353ae121157c5e54fb7)
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/bd416967812f4b28af14c233a5903aec)
Hi Gary
I downloaded your original and tweaked color to see what I could get. I definitely see a diamond pattern, the lightest small diamonds of which appear to be a light peach/salmon color. The reds are obvious, but the other color comprising the inside of alternating large diamonds looks to me like a subtle olive or muted green. Odd combination, but I checked each set of diamonds-within-diamonds, and that's what I get. Because there's green damage, I first wondered if the odd green color was created by the muck, but many are relatively clean, and I still see the olive shade.
For what it's worth, an analysis from ancient eyes.
GK
BTW, the rest of your work in progress looks great, especially the faces.
Ok, thanks. But that will be the last task of cleaning up the threesome. I will get the rest done first. Here is another work in progress, snapshot in time. I am sort of bouncing around in where I work on.
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/10c186c9e02a4d8ebbda90a9ff67d34b)
Hi again Gary
Since I'm not on my lunch hour at work as I was when I first checked out your WIP, I thought I'd take a little time and play. I'm going to post the image I got, saved into a separate grayscale file, of what I found when I converted to CMYK, used Image-Calculations, combined yellow and cyan and set the blending mode to soften. It gives you a better idea of the softer contours of the faces and clothing (I noted in your last post that as you cleaned up the mess you were getting more angularity.)
I've worked with calculations before, and sometimes they create miracles and other times nada. But if you play with the channels (and it seems to work best with CMYK) and blending modes it's amazing what sometimes pops out of the debris.
I made a separate file with my calcs, but you also have the option of creating a new channel. I hope this helps.
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n222/glennab-fla/Calc-C-Y-soften.jpg)
You sure know how to pick 'em! Good luck.
GK
Hi Glenna, is this technique written down somewhere? But I can actually see the top of the car (and I don't think it is a Mustang) and the building behind appears to be only a single story and there is sky and a tree! That is amazing. I knew I was "getting angular" and planned to soften up the lines as I progressed. I also need to add some shadow and highlights to the faces and pants. Can only do so much at a time before the eyes go buggie... And this is all with a mouse, though I am planning on stimulating the economy and get a 6x11 wacom tablet as soon as my income tax refund is in the bank.
Cheers and thanks for the insight. Gary
You're more than welcome, Gary.
To be honest, I don't remember if we've had any discussion on the forum of this technique. I may have mentioned it before – not sure. I can't even remember if I've read about it in any of my many Photoshop and restoration books. I fiddle around with it off and on. Desperation has given me good reason to test things I wouldn't normally attempt. This one can often be a gem!
I know about the buggy eyed syndrome. Sometimes you have to walk away for a while and come back with fresh eyes.
You'll love the tablet! I'm ashamed to say I've had one for more than a year, and for fear of cat damage I've only used it a couple of times. I finally got a computer armoire to close up my electronics from the fur-butts, but rearranging everything is so time-consuming, and we've had many other challenges to keep me busy. One day...
GK
Glenna, I can't believe you still aren't using your tablet! When you finish with the computer, you should just unplug it and put it in a box, to keep it safe.
Gary, you'll wonder how you ever did photo restorations with a mouse once you get used to the tablet.
Christine
I, too, have a Wacom tablet I'ver used only a couple of times. I've worked with my little mouse for so long that the tablet felt awkward and uncontrollable. I think I'm just too old and uncoordinated to master it :)
MJ
Another vote for a tablet, couldn't do without my 6 x 4 Wacom. However if I need to be precisely accurate on a point, the mouse still does the best job
I have also been using pen with the blur tool at 100% to do small repairs and find it can help when blending different shades, typically on a face.
Athol
It amazes me that some people can do a restore without a tablet! I could never work on a photo without it. There is a small learning curve, but it gives you so much more control and I haven't even bothered to set all the controls. It's pretty much set the way it came out of the box. It's a 6x8 Wacom and I've used it for about 6 yrs. Love it!
Pete
I've slowly been learning how to use my Wacom tablet too. It does take a little getting used to, but it came in really handy when my mouse died. Since then I've been make more of an effort to get comfortable with it. The more I use it, the more comfortable I get.
I'm pretty much using the presets as well on the tablet. I am left handed but use the mouse with my right hand. So, when I first started restoring photos, I was doing so with the "wrong" hand. Perhaps that is why the tablet was so natural to me...I'm using my correct hand!
Since my first Wacom tablet several years ago, Wacom has significantly improved and expanded on their line of hardware. I am using the original Cintiq 21UX, yet Craig Hergert, whom I interviewed with Montana Panoramic (and sells his photos for $600 a piece) is using a Bamboo. If I was JUST doing photography, the Bamboo would probably be fine for me (although I still prefer the Intuos). As for doing restorations, I love my Cintiq. I should add though that my husband bought this for me as a surprise, after I declined to pay the price for the system. It's well worth every penny. (And, it makes for a lot of WOW's when showing it to my friends. I gave my Mom a Bamboo tablet for her birthday (and she's an OPR volunteer) and it works great for what she is doing.
I know this subject has strayed far from the original topic, but bottom line is using a pen gives you a lot more control than a mouse can.
Christine
Chris
Forum's been quiet lately so I am trying to stir things up a bit. Here is another version of my current work in progress... Still have a lot to go.
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/d793ffa74bd04f848bbcbcea5da28427)
Very nice Gary, it is getting better all the time!
You live in Florida, I have been busy this week helping my daughter get ready to go to Miami tomorrow. She and her little girl will be joining the Cayamo Cruise, lucky devils! The trip actually was meant for hubby and I but due to medical problems we weren't able to go.
Hannie
Wow, you've come a long way Gary. What do you think is in the background?
Chris
I just started using a Bamboo a few months ago. I, too, am left-handed and so I am finding this very user-friendly in one way but also find that I still try to reach for the mouse with my right hand. I have a Bamboo at home and at work so I am making myself use it when I work on photos; the more I use it, the better I like it!
Best I can figure there is a multi-floor building on the right and a single level build t-ed to it in the back. behind that is what appears to be a bare tree and sky.
Still waiting on the tax refund to hit my bank so I can order the intous tablet. I had a Graphire3 tablet many years ago and hated it because the pen was too sensitive and I had no way to adjust it.
Gary, progress is looking good! What a bear! I can't wait to see what you pull out of the background.
Chris, you're right, I should be using my tablet. I loved it from the moment I started using it.
However, if you can picture this, maybe you'll understand why it's packed away right now: I'm busily pounding away at the computer on my desk which is totally accessible to the fur-butts. Aaron Neville straddles my keyboard, leans his head on my shoulder and starts purring. Your being a cat person will help you understand why I hate to give that up. But if my tablet had been out, his rapier claws would have been right on its surface. In order to be able to use the tablet without damage from "kitty love" I have to re-wire everything to go into the armoire. Right now, since Iron Man is liquidating his shop, I have 5 boxes of "stuff" sitting in front of the armoire waiting to be sorted and put away. My dilemma is that all the "stuff" that was stored at the shop was there because there was no space for it in the house. Now IT'S BAAAAAACK! And my house is the same size it was when we stored everything. Arghhhhhh!
I found the tablet (I have a Wacom Intuous 6x8) to be perfect for restoration work. I'd definitely recommend the Wacom to any of our OPR-sters. It's phenomenal!
I need a t-shirt that says "I survived 2008!" Now that it's over (except for the therapy for whiplash), I hope we'll have no more disasters and things like re-working my computer system can get higher on the priority list. Then I can use my tablet again. Life will be good!
GK
I can totally understand Glenna. Before my Cintiq, when I was using the tablet, I constantly had kitty footprints on the surface area. Now, with a kitten in the house, I have my little Gracie pawing at my Cintiq monitor chasing the curser around! Oh, I wouldn't do without either though...my cats or my Cintiq!
Chris
Took a break from the trio and worked on the background. Let me know if I went too far. I figure a vignette or a general soft blur will tone down most of it to keep the trio as the major ojects of focus. I will try to add some highlights and shadows to the car to get some of curves better definition. Back to the faces and hands next.
Gary
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/b36be89baa924226ac2ce304c91587bb)
Starting to work on the blouse. Built a black square with red dots on it and am in the process of adding and then warping to fit the contours of the blouse. Any thoughts?
Gary
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/8b5d59f3e1774be99bf5058ca4814b5f)
hi,
Are you sure it isn't a patterned shirt? You could use the burn tool, or sponge tool to bring out the colours more, or multiply the layer and mask out the unneeded items.....
The diamond pattern has been discussed before and I did start with a diamond in the pattern. But I found it harder to align and not even sure if it is true or not. Once I have a solid and clean blouse I can change the color of dots to recreate any pattern.
11 patches later her right side (of the blouse) is finished.... Got a few tweaks to do to make the seams better but that is basically it. Now to repeat for the other side!
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/af1a0a82dc5d4cb6adf8b2faceb04833)
Hi Gary,
I can see how you would like to clean up the blouse on the left more but it is starting to look a little painted now? Would it be possible to perhaps clean up the pattern a little as it is and even apply some burn maybe? That way it would remain the same blouse, even if a little blurry!
Great job otherwise!
Hannie
Gary, I do admire you for undertaking this one. It is a real challenge and you've made great progress!
I have a couple of observations, though: 1) looks to me as if that blouse has not only spots but a belt; and 2) it appears that the officer's eyes are aiming in two different directions. I agree with Hannie that the blouse looks too 'painted' at the moment - assume when it's done you intend to tone it back some to look more photographic.
(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb314/lurch_album/b36be89baa924226ac2ce304c91587bb.jpg)
Ok, I think I am in the home stretch, with only minor tweaks, shading and highlights left. Here is what I have so far. I have reduced the opacity of the new blouse layers to get let some of the highlights through for this version though I want to add new highlights on a separate layer and bring the opacity back to 100 before finalizing.
Gary
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/54a504dd3f024f1a8a073629220446c3)
Unless there are comments to the negative, this is my proposed final rendition of this restore. I am including the original to get the true before and after...
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/bd416967812f4b28af14c233a5903aec) (http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/0d672fa74bc149b5a7f24a14f172f262)
Gary, I think you have done a great job with this one! The only problem that I see is that you are approaching this more as a creative retouching than trying to do a restoration based on the original. If the lady's blouse had been missing so much information that your only option would have been to rebuild from scratch, then what you did would be understandable and would be the your only option. This original blouse does have a pattern and does not look like your finished rendition. Hannie pointed this out earlier that you were headed to a more painted look and others offered ways to get the original brought back.
Margie
Maybe some help on the blouse pattern. I think Hannie already mentioned it. The blouse is made up of large diamonds made up of smaller red diamonds and gray diamonds. These large diamonds appear to be framed or separated by white diamonds. Below are the three channels from a cmyk copy. They definitely show that the diamonds are not all one color.
(http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/kiskaopr/pattern.jpg)
Pray forbid one forget a detail in the excitement of accomplishing something! Thank you Kiska for you kind assistance, and Hannie a corrected version is on its way home.
Here is the final version, added a 2 pixel blur to the blouse to help blend it in with the rest of the picture.
(http://api.photoshop.com/home_c865cc22f3514db7b779d72475e7b5ff/adobe-px-assets/ec68594904744e38b1ea07a2c3b6dc1b)
Hope you get the next polka dot picture. You did such a fine job on this one!
:up:
Great job!