"Non Restore" Cha!lenge!

[bjtx]

After all of the yellow color cast was eliminated, I found that both ladies have gray hair.  I'm calling it finished & plan to move on to Challenge #2.  However, I plan to lighten the darks - blacks

I found this challenge very time consuming & difficult,  mainly because of the damage on the middle face.



Looking forward to more entries from the long-time members, as well as the newer volunteers. 

btw: I will try to answer any questions about my processing, if there are any.  :)

[bjtx]

Athol, thanks for your latest tutorial.

Betty

[G3User]

Thanks Judy and Tori

In retrospect I think my description was probably back to front.

I was attempting to describe the two methods I have used to repair/replace backgrounds/flat surfaces ie clone and heal or gradient and I included an example of each.

For the first example using the clone/heal brushes, the curve allowed me to easily pick clone sources of appropriate brightness to continue the gradual change due to the use of flash. It also allowed me to see the typical noise in the undamaged parts of the original and to use those parts as source for the healing brush to achieve uniform noise/texture.

For the second example I used a gradient which gives a smooth transition between dark and light. The result has no texture and I added blurred noise as an example, using the curve allowed me see noise in the undamaged parts of the image and try to match it.

These methods work whether a zig zag curve is used or not, the zig zag curve is just a tool to allow you to look very critically at brightness in the image. The very small differences show up as changes in colour and is initially confusing. I have been using on all restorations for some years and have forgotten where the original suggestion came from.

As a suggestion, create the curve and use it to compare one or two of your repairs to the original. See what find.

Thanks Betty. At least you got to the end of it, I didn't. Only comment is that you have lost a bit of texture and I think the two dividers are parallel so the papers on the front one shouldn't be square and the base should match.

Athol

[bjtx]

Athol, I see what you pointed out :up2: ---  I'll make some corrections & then off to Challenge 2 :D

[seekingoz]

Hi Athol,

I finally tried the zig-zag method. I didn't get the same results you did but I can see where it could become a very important tool for repairs. I copied the wall results and blended them with my original repair. The changes look minor to me but I did put back a bit of the reflection on the white board and I got some texture in the walls. I didn't do any extra work on the middle face.

Great technique. I'll definitely be doing more with it. Thanks again.

Judy

[glennab]

Hi all

Since I haven't been up to attacking this monster, I've been keeping track of your progress, and it's phenomenal.  It does seem to me, however, that all of this extra work should be compensated in some fair manner.  My suggestion is to determine what you feel is a reasonable charge for your effort and put it on Margie's BILL!

Cheers and hugs
GK

[Sloop]

Hello.  I'm a brand new volunteer and I'm hoping there are easier images than this one to work on!  Here is my WIP.  I think the Lady In Red's face is beyond my abilities, but I may at least give it a shot.  I think I can see what she looks like, I just haven't been able to turn her back into her old (natural-looking) self again.

Marty
Monterey County

[Mhayes]

Hi Marty, kudos for taking on one that tests your abilities as you will gain a lot of experience. Yes, these are all hard and they are ones close to being classed as non-restores. The reason these are being posted is so that we can all gain something by getting different ways to approach the hard ones. There will be no easy ones on the challenge, but once we get photos back from NY you will have ones that fit your comfort zone and should you run into problems, then we'll be here on the forum to help.

Hang in there!

Margie

[Hannie]

This challenge has shown some amazing techniques to recover detail that seemed to be lost, thank you all for sharing these tips and posting your work!

I truly think think from what I have seen so far that this restore is very close to being done.  What if we all post our final version of this restore within the next 7 days or so?  Feel free to "borrow" parts of other volunteer's work to complete your own if need be.  That way this challenge would be a real group effort.  :)

Hannie

[Tori803]

Marty, I'd like to borrow your whiteboard for my final version. Do you have a full-size copy available?

Tori

[Hannie]

This is fun, we get to pick the good parts and merge them in our own restore!
Just like going shopping.   :)

Hannie

[Sloop]

Marty, I'd like to borrow your whiteboard for my final version. Do you have a full-size copy available?

Tori

Hi Tori. 

I'd be honored.  Here is a link to the full size copy: http://s1307.beta.photobucket.com/user/haircut11/media/millerl20164x6_edit_zps12868a0c.jpg.html

I hope you can download it from there.

Marty

[Tori803]

Thanks Marty! I was able to download it. I planned to finish up today, but was called in to work to fill in for someone, so it may be another day or two.

[bjtx]

Hannie, this is a reduced size image with my final changes.

Hopefully, some of the parts will be useful. 

Thanks for the challenge.
 


editing notes fwiw:  the blue channel was helpful for a guide.  However, I used it sparingly on the middle face, since the channel contained so much grungy damage.

[bjtx]

ORIGINAL:



I made a couple of changes.  Final version (I hope)




Hannie, please let us know if we managed to complete a image which can be considered a restoration.

Thanks