I've barely started on this one, but I'd appreciate your input on the color correction. :)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x475/ordinariestcitizen/original.jpg)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x475/ordinariestcitizen/working.jpg)
Ohfer,
I think you are spot on for the color correction. You channels are good in all three channels and there is no clipping. When I did the original, I cam very close to yours with my wall maybe a shade darker, but extremely close. This photo is so mess up with all the lines going through it You're doing a great so far and look forward to seeing it when you are done.
Margie
Great job so far, Lynette!
Great job Lynette, all those lines of the table and cake are a real nightmare, you are so brave!
:up2:
Hannie
Thank you, everyone!
Margie, I have a feeling you may be seeing this a few more times before it's done. ;D
I need a break from that tablecloth so started on the lovely ladies on the right. Does their hair look okay? I've still got a fair bit to do but wanted to make sure I'm on the right track before I put more time into it. The pic does look a little different on Photobucket--the horizontal lines in the hair of the lady on the far right aren't actually there in my working copy.
I'm nowhere near done with the tablecloth but I would appreciate your opinions on that as well. Cleaning up the mesh part is going to be a lot of fun ...
EDIT: Oh yikes, I just saw I left a bunch of leaves off one of the flowers on the tablecloth. I've looked at it a hundred times and never saw it until now. :D
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x475/ordinariestcitizen/original.jpg)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x475/ordinariestcitizen/working7.jpg)
I don't normally jump around between parts of a photo like this, but I find with so much white in the tablecloth and cakes that after a few minutes I get a strong afterimage burned onto my retinas and I literally can't see what's there, so I have to go work on another part for awhile. :D
I'm out of my depth with the water damage on the right (no pun intended). I have never worked on this kind of damage before and am clueless. Is there some way I can fix it without making the color look flat? The lady in black's face is starting to look flat and fake to me (I've been using a clone stamp at between 15-30% opacity; same with her arm, which needs more work as well). If there is a tutorial, could someone point me to it?
Criticism is welcome! I have multiple stages saved, so if I need to go back to an earlier save it's no problem. Thanks!
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x475/ordinariestcitizen/original.jpg)
(http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x475/ordinariestcitizen/working9.jpg)
That kind of damage is really difficult. I use the Patch Tool at the biggest enlargement possible and replace one tiny spot at a time. Tedious as that sounds, it goes pretty fast. I like the Patch Tool because you can see exactly what you're replacing it with. But if you try to use the Patch tool on larger areas, some blurring and loss occurs.
After the damage is repaired and areas are smoothed without blurring, you can use a New Layer in Soft Light and paint in highlights and shadows using the Brush Tool with Black and White at 8-22% opacity. Much better than the Burn and Dodge Tool.
You're doing a beautiful job on this one. Your patience and devotion are greatly appreciated!
Bambi
Lynette, you have done a lot of hard work on a difficult image.
these are some things which I do that might be helpful to use along with your methods.
1. first, eliminate bad colors on the skin (anything that is not skin colored) by using the reduce noise filter's remove color noise option
-- increase the 'remove color noise' option considerably (all other settings are set at 0) except the 'remove jpeg artifact' option - or use any preferred method to eliminate bad colors.
2. remove noise by using the same reduce noise filter and increase strength amount to high, set all other options to 0; -- or try surface blur with gua blur.
3. repeat step 2 until artifacts are blended away.
4. use a mask on the reduce noise layer & paint in smoothness where needed,
5. if artifacts are still a problem, place a blank layer above for healing; try setting the mode to lighten or darken, whichever is needed. The patch tool is also useful.
6. Small Gua blur the layer which was used for healing.
7. select some skin tones from the repaired area & use low opacity brush on a separate layer to add hue or color if needed. Small amt of Gua blur on the painted layer. Add a mask & paint in where needed. merge.
8. use http://www.photoshopsupport.com/photoshop-blog/09/cs4-02/skin-texture-photoshop-tutorial.html to add some texture.
9. Tonal variation might be lost doing the above edits, if so, use curves (or dodge & burn) to restore some highlights, etc. Might even try match color, using the skin of another which has good color & tones. (add a mask to the layer & paint in color and/or tone where needed
I hope some of the tips above help.
If you have a question that I might be able to answer, please send a pm.
Keep up your good work. :up2:
BJ
Thank you, Bambi and BJ. I really appreciate your help!
Bambi, a little more close-up pixel-by-pixel work won't hurt me--I think 7 pixels is the biggest clone stamp I've used on everything but the wall and their hair. I actually find it oddly soothing, which is probably just as well with this one. :)
BJ, I've got an old version of Photoshop (8.0) so I may not have the capability to do everything you've listed, but I'm definitely going to check it out. Thanks so much for posting it.
some general restoration tutorials by Janine Smith
http://www.tipsquirrel.com/index.php/author/landailyn/ (http://www.tipsquirrel.com/index.php/author/landailyn/)
Thanks BJTX, this is by a great site by Tip Squirrel with tips from Janine Smith and others.
Margie
Thanks BJTX, its another wet day and I needed something interesting to read.
Athol