Glenna's Latest Challenge

[glennab]

Hi Larry

That's great information!  Thanks.  I'm really dreading attacking those drapes, but I'll use your suggestions and everyone else's to get me through them.  I'm printing out the whole thread so I don't miss anything.

I'm so grateful for all the feedback I've gotten on this one.  I appreciate your expertise!

I'm taking a break tomorrow and going to an air show.  Gads, fresh air -- it'll seem so foreign!

Have a wonderful weekend. 

GG

[Ausimax]

Enough of this tomfoolery, going out and enjoying yourself indeed! :D

A break away will do you good Glenna, sometimes we get just too close and involved with these photos, and need to stand back a bit and see it with new eyes, I am having a bit of an enforced break, I haven't any photos to work on at present, I put in for one about Monday and am still waiting (Sunday).

It is hard to know what to do at times, they ask that you complete the photo's in one week, then if you want to be sure of having images to work on you really need to get 5/6 at a time, and there is no way you can get them all back in a week.

Have also been having an enforced break from posting, my satellite Internet service has been down for about 36 hours, has only just come back on, you don't realise how dependant you have become on the web until you don't have it, oh well not all was lost, got a bit of computer housework done at least.

You will do just great with your drapes Glenna, once you get started you will be wondering why you were worrying about it, and they are not the focus of the image, so if there are any bits you can't get perfect a hit with the blur tool will help.

Regards,

Max

[glennab]

Hey Max,

The air show was great, but the heat got so bad in the mid-afternoon that we had to leave early. The aerobatics were breathtaking and the displays of old aircraft and military gear are so enlightening.  Great way to spend the day! 

(You'll love this.  One of the vendors at the show was selling the most wonderful hats - from Australia.  My husband found one he really liked, and since he'd forgotten to bring one, he bought it to keep from getting sunburned.  He doesn't normally like hats, but he really appreciates this one.  He'll be wearing it when he goes to the races from now on.)

As far as getting the restorations back in a week - I haven't been able to do that but once, with the first one I was sent, which was an easy one.  The difficults are impossible for me to complete in such a short time, and no one has given me any grief over having 3 difficults at once for months.  I've checked with Mike several times, and he's been wonderfully understanding. My job takes the stuffing out of me every day, so I can't spend as much time as I'd like on the restorations, but it so enriches my life to do this.  Not only am I getting an incredible learning experience from doing the restorations, but it's been beyond wonderful to find myself with friends from all over the world who are also engaged in the same effort.

I'm not really agonizing over the drapes, but I'm a pain-in-the-tush perfectionist who has a hard time letting go of that.  I woke up this morning planning how I was going to get them done.  (Basically using techniques suggested in this thread, including yours, but it all came together in my mind.)  I do appreciate your encouragement.

Better get.  One of my cats is getting sick all over the house.  Fun!

Best wishes as always,

GG

[cmpentecost]

Are these the Blue Angels that you went to see today?  They came to Jacksonville every fall, and I loved seeing them.  I have to say that while FL has a lot of great things, I don't miss it for a second.  I absolutely love Montana.  We don't have the Blue Angels or the ocean or the year round warm weather, but we have 4 beautiful seasons, and wildlife galore.  Last night. we had about 150 elk 1/2 mile down the road from us.  This morning, as we were driving out our driveway, there were 3 bull elk running through a field together.  After snow yesterday, the mountains are absolutely gorgeous right now.  There are less people in the State of Montana than there are in metropolitan Jacksonville.  Ok....enough on MT!

Glenna, you must be seeing more damage in the curtains than I am.  The focus is on the 3 people standing in front of them.  I'd be careful not do spend too much time on them, as I don't think they are an essential part of the picture.  You've done a great job already, and I think you are close to having it ready to send home.

Cheers.

Christine

[glennab]

Hi Christine

Unfortunately, no Blue Angels.  But the Red Baron Bi-Planes gave a huge demo, and it was great.  There were a number of single engine planes and some choppers that blew my mind with their stunts.  We had a military assault on the beach just north of the airport and a very special tribute to our injured soldiers, many of whom got star treatment, a tent, front row view, etc.  That was the best!

I can understand your not missing Florida.  It sounds as if Montana is a lovely place.  And seeing all that wildlife -- doesn't get any better than that.  Most wildlife we see is road kill because all the animals are being chased from their environment by development.  It's obscene.  I won't even get started on that!

My sister lives in Maine -- another beautiful state.  She lived here for about 3 years and had enough.  As you well know, the heat is BRUTAL!  I loved it when I was younger.  My son & I camped and raced sailboats every weekend in the middle of the summer and it never bothered us.  But 30 years later, the old fogies are having a difficult time with the heat.  I sometimes wonder if I weren't married to a 5th generation Floridian if I'd still be here.  I was born in New Hampshire, and in some ways, New England still feels like home.

But I was very drawn to Florida.  I traveled the world when I was a kid (Navy brat) and didn't have a home when we came back to the states from Madagascar.  My first husband and I just decided to head south, and St. Pete seemed like a wonderful place.  It actually was, and still is in many ways.  It's just that the carpetbaggers are turning the state into another New Jersey.  All the things that make Florida extraordinary are becoming extinct.

I think we are fortunate to live in such a wonderful diverse, huge country that it's a gift that we can each find a place that's comfortable  for us.  And each place has its charms and its dangers.  At least we're free to choose where we want to live.  I'm so grateful for that.

Anyway, to the restoration.  I actually got a good portion on the left side of the drapes completed this evening, and I think they look fine.  I'm going to use the same technique to do the rest on both sides, and then it's just a little more clean up and I'm going to be ready to send them home.  As tough as this restoration has been, I think I've learned more than in any of the others I've done.  And you, especially have helped me to give up the perfectionism.  I have a job that demands that, so I bring it home with me.  But I'm letting go, and you're all so right.  The drapes aren't perfect, but they look just fine.  There!  I said it!

Better head for the sack.  I have a sick kitty that'll probably have to go to the vet in the a.m., and it's been another headache day.  Hate 'em!

Have a great week, my friend!

GG

[cmpentecost]

I'll look forward to seeing the final product, as I'm sure it will look great.  I know there was some damage to those flowered drapes, which probably created a bit more challenge in the repair. 

The coyotes woke my husband and I up last night, as they appeared to be howling and barking right outside our window.  It's such a cool, yet eerie sound.  I know what you mean by the wildlife in FL.  Development and growth is so rampant in FL that the remaining wildlife have nowhere to go.  It's sad.

Have a great day!

Chris

[glennab]

Hi!  Here's the latest and greatest (?).  Got the left drapes done and some of the flowers and debris in the center.  Any opinions?

Best to all of you!

GG

[Kenny]

That made a HUGE difference!  :up:

The man's suit still looks a bit blotchy to me. I know the pinstripes have given you fits, but maybe if you can burn the lighter parts a little?


Kenny  :)

[glennab]

Hey Kenny -- thanks for the feedback!  I didn't do a lot on the suit yet -- just a little touch up here and there.  I'm going between the people, the drapes and the flowers to keep from getting too burned out on any one area. It's so good to see it coming together. I want to finish, because I need to get back to my Army friend and his wife.


Gads, Chris -- coyotes -- moose, mooses (meese, whatever)!  Can I move up with you????  Sounds like heaven up there!  It's wonderful that you appreciate where you are.  That can make life soooooo good!.

Have a wonderful  day!!

GG

[glennab]

Hi gurus

I'm a little behind.  A very sick cat that I've had to monitor all weekend and an assignment to assess our upgraded web site for work.  NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY!

Anyway, here's the latest.  I still need to work on both suits, but I'm finding that careful use of the healing brush is helping with progress on the pin-striped suit.

Please be super critical.  I want to wrap this up, and I'm so burned out that I'm afraid I'm missing things.  As usual I'm grateful for any feedback!

Have a wonderful new week!

GG

[GP]

Glenna, this looks fabulous :up2:
I don't know if you should do more than that, it does not hurt to leave a little of the damage behind. Unless you want to be super perfect.... I think you can send it back ::)

[Kenny]

Looks great, Glenna!  :up:

One note about the healing brush. Sometimes it won't darken a light area very well. What I usually do in those instances is use the clone tool a little bit to darken it, then the healing brush right over that to blend it back in. It usually does that trick.


Kenny :)

[glennab]

Hi Kenny and Gerlinde

Thanks for the input.

Kenny, I'm getting the hang of the healing tool, and have discovered exactly what you mentioned. The darker areas do heal quite well, but the lighter areas are awful.  I'm not going to try to get it perfect, but there are some VERY light areas, especially around his lapels, that I want to work on.

Gerlinde - Unfortunately I'm a compulsive perfectionist trying to learn to not be quite so much so.  Thanks for your positive feedback.  I'm not going to put too much more time into it -- just some clean up.

Have a wonderful day!

GG

[Ausimax]

Hi Glenna,

Haven't caught up with you for a few days, you are going great, looks good with the drapes done, you are really on top of it now, just a little tip I picked up on another forum, the faces of the lady and man (dark suit) look a little flat, try a fuzzy burn brush (55% hardness) at 8% opacity and about half the size of the face, centre it on the face and give it a click, you may need 1 or 2 clicks, I tried it on your photo and I think it looked better.

See, I haven't just been sitting around eating chocolate and getting fat, I've been other places trying to learn more and improve my skills. :funny:

Have fun and keep the cats off the keyboard, by the way Lucy my avatar turned 16 yesterday.

Max

[glennab]

Hi Max

Good to hear from you.  I was thinking about the flatness of some of my restoration, i.e. the woman's arms, etc. and was wondering about the best way to remedy that.  I did try burning, but it was too extreme (too much opacity!).  I'll try your numbers and see what I get.  Thanks!

Lucy is definitely a senior citizen!  Give her a big hug for me (if she allows hugs).  My opinion is there's nothing in the world more wonderful than a cat!

I have a sick one now that we're having to keep in isolation.  The only place we can do that is our bedroom, so we've cleared out anything he could break and have turned it over to him.  We have a door with a round knob to keep him closed in (we thought!).  The first night he was left alone, one of my other smarties who's figured out how to open doors (he walked in on a friend of mine in the bathroom one day -- freaked her out!) let him out and the rest of the crew in.  They were having a blast until we spotted Aaron Neville (the sick one) wandering around the kitchen.  Now we have 2 doors on the bedroom.  I'm beginning to think they're smarter than we are!

Anyway, thanks again for the info and feedback.  I'm hoping to wrap it up in the next couple of days.  I have to take a few hours and watch garbage TV or read or something when I get home so I can wind down from work.  Then it's to the restoration for me!

GG