Best approach for this image?

[claycrowell1956]

I'm not quite ready to admit defeat but I'm getting close on this one. I'm having difficulty removing all of the damage covering their faces. You can see most of the features of the faces behind these smudges but they are so thick that they remove all texture. I've tried several approaches but the one that seemed most promising was using another face to capture texture but I'm still running into issues with shaping and contouring the face (noses and eyes mostly) and I don't want it to end up looking like someone else. I'm a photographer, not a painter so I'm not happy with my results. I've erased most of my attempts because the image has morphed too much into a face that doesn't look close enough to the original so I'm just posting the original with color correction.

I thought I would at least post it before admitting defeat to see how others would have approached this image.

KernionB_5_6_8x10_before_after by Clay Crowell, on Flickr

[philbach]

 :D
Well there doesn't seem to be a torrent of suggestions for good reason.   Personally I don't know if I could restore this but if I was stuck with this problem this is how I would proceed. 

First the only good news is that this is a painting so you can get away with restoration a bit more. 
Second I would plan on restoring the luminosity alone first and color in later. 
So the first step I would do is to place a blank new layer above the original layer and use apply image to put the green channel above the background layer.   Then just work on the green channel.

Use levels or curves adjustment Layer on the green channel to get the proper contrast.
Stamp a new layer above the levels layer.
Copy the layer and put a layer mask on the newly copied layer to select the trio.
Below that layer put a new background solid color of some kind to focus on the subjects.
Later on color.

The first photo is using Apply Image on a new layer above the background layer
The Second Photo is after using a layer mask to isolate the subjects and applying a white background layer underneath to focus on the subjects

[Hannie]

Very difficult restore! 

Phil's suggestion to work on luminance and add the color later sounds good. 

You can also use the Dust and Scratches filter in Photoshop.  Bring both sliders all the way to the left and then bring the top slider to the right a couple of steps until most of spots are gone.  Then move the bottom slider to the right to get detail back in without the spots reappearing.

Hannie

[Candice]

I'm applauding you who take on these works.  Though I can see what needs to be done, I feel that my skill level is lacking!  Kudos to you brave souls!

Candy

[Mhayes]

Clay, you are brave to take this one on. Work a little at a time and post your progress. Hang in there.

Margie

[claycrowell1956]

Brave or something less flattering. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try some of the other suggestions and see what happens.

[Mhayes]

We'll go with brave because otherwise all of us would come under the "less flattering."  :cool:

Margie