Glenna's New Challenge 3/25/07

[glennab]

Kurt & Gerlinde,

Thanks so much for jumping in.  I gave myself a day off, because he still didn't look right to me and I was hoping to get more input from my experts.  You've both nailed a couple of things that I noticed last night when hubby and I were studying him and others that I missed.  I know the shading needs more work (that's one of my weakest "talents"), and Kurt, I'll try the original hair and left eye again and see if I can keep them as true as possible.

Since I wanted to step away from my little guy for a while, I started on my Adobe Total Training DVDs for Photoshop PS2 (just in time for PS3 to be released!).  I have two sets, so there's about 30 hours of lessons.  Maybe once I finish, I'll have a better handle on the software's tricks.  Thing is, I think most of my challenge is knowing when to stop "restoring" and how to keep the photos more natural.  I'm pretty handy with Photoshop, but  one can always learn more!  I need an art teacher!

Have a wonderful day.  I'm going to have at my munchkin again this evening and see if I can get him ready to go home.

You're the best!

GG

[glennab]

Hi,

Just an update.  Have had to take a small hiatus to get over another nasty bout of bronchitis.  Missed two days of work.  My whole office sounds like a TB ward.  Everyone has it.  Nasty, nasty bug!

All of your points were well taken, and the only way I could see to make him look more realistic was to start his face over.  I spent several evenings studying the original and trying to gather my brain cells to determine if I could salvage what I'd already done. I figure that since the background and his clothes seemed okay on the restoration, I'd just put the original darling little face over the "restored" one and give it another try.  So far it's looking much better, but I'll probably be at it for another evening or so before I'm ready to post him again.

You've given me great feedback, and now I think I'll have a restoration that doesn't look "painterly."

As my hubby says, "Pwactice, pwactice, pwactice!!"

Thanks again for the wonderful, honest assessment.

G'night!

Glenna

[GP]

Glenna,
hope you are feeling better soon. Good luck with your little guy.

Gerlinde  :loveit:

[glennab]

Thanks, Gerlinde

I'm heading back to work today and hope I can get through the day without feeling as if I'm going to keel over.

I think I've got the techniques down for my little boy.  I'm feeling confident he'll be much better this time.  I've had to start every restoration over at least once, so I'm used to the re-do.  As with everyone else, I'm amazed at the quantity of debris and my inability to get it on the first try.  But I keep on going, still hoping the squeegee key will finally be discovered!  And I love what we're doing!

Appreciate the encouragement!

Have a wonderful day!

Glenna

[glennab]

Hi!

My eyes are falling out of my head, but I've made pretty good progress on my little guy tonight.  Here's the latest.  Comments appreciated!



Original for reference:




Glenna

[klassylady25]

It's so hard with what we do to not make it look like a painting.  The last little girls that I worked on were so faded......... that's an understatement!  But we all do the best that we can.  He's looking more handsome each time I view.    :up2:

Candice

[cmpentecost]

Hi Glenna,

It's looking really good.  Perhaps a bit of dodging and burning with his sweater, giving him some creases, shadowing from the collar, etc.  Is his collar really yellow?  In the original, it appears to be white, but....you've probably gotten a better close up view of it than I have.  Otherwise, nice job!

Christine

[glennab]

Candy & Chris --

Thanks, ladies, for taking a look.  Candy, do you think he still looks too painted?  I'm having a hard time judging.  At this point I'm thinking about half and half, and I'm not sure how to get more realistic because of the damage.  Tips?  Tricks?

Chris, I wasn't sure about the shirt.  It looked yellow to me, but then there's such a yellow cast to the original that I may be off-base on that one. I'll take another look when I'm a little less burned out.  I couldn't even tell what color his outer garment is -- whatever it might be.  I electronically knitted the sweater for lack of a better idea (good thing knitting is one of my hobbies!  Never thought I'd be creating a sweater in Photoshop, though).

I'm not at all happy with his hair, so will probably do considerably more on that.  Was getting tired and frustrated last night, so I had to let him go for a while.  My kingdom for an art degree and more time!

The weather's cooled off again, so it was great working on my little guy last night with cat companions everywhere, the windows open and Marc Broussard cranking on I-Tunes.  If I hadn't already put in my 8 hours of computer time at work, I would have loved to have spent more time on him.

Once again, I so appreciate the feedback.  I want to get him finished and ready for last comments in the next few days.

Tomorrow is a day off.  Have a birthday party/barbeque to attend.  I haven't seen my two closest friends in months.  It'll be wonderful to spend time with them.

Major hugs!

Glenna

[klassylady25]

As I look back and forth, as you did for me, think about softening him just a bit around the edges or just a touch of sepia, though not much.  Perhaps I'm thinking of ageing the picture.   Gosh, I wish I were home,  I would show you my thoughts.  Also agree about using the dodge and burn as Christine suggested.   

BTW, loved the thought of the EasterBunny outfit!  Will hide goodies for our grandson tonight.  Son-in-law is cooking veggie stirfry... care to join us?

Hugz,
Candice

[Johnboy]

Glenna,

He is looking better. I downloaded the images and looked at them side by side. I am wondering if the lip at the left corner needs to be narrowed slightly. I am more or less making a comparison with his right mouth corner. The lip appears to narrow more at the right corner than the left in the restoration.

I wonder if you need to bring the hair line down in front of the ear some, and also along the temple. I noticed in the restoration channels (green & blue) that there appears to be some texture there that I am assuming to be hair. There appears to be some texture in the original too along the hair line.

Any way my 2 cents.

JB

[glennab]

JB -- appreciate your 2 cents -- worth much more than that.  Yes, his hair definitely needs work.  I haven't yet figured out how to integrate what there is of the original hair, which is filled with little white spots and purple areas and create something that looks real where the hair is missing.  Channels are great -- and I don't think I checked them too closely.  I'll keep working on it.  I've become quite attached to this chubby-cheeked little cherub!

Candy, softening his overall look is probably a good idea.  He looks a little stark to me, too.  Great observation. Thanks.

Oh, yes, the bunny suit.  I could write a book.  It belonged to my crazy art director, a woman considerably smaller than Lon, but she insisted that he take it to wear when giving the girls their Easter baskets.  Of course, because it was too small, he talked in a squeaky voice the whole time he had the suit on.  The girls screamed and laughed -- I about busted a gut!  When the guy decides to be funny, he goes all-out!  (As I mentioned before, he's a Marine -- they're never "ex" -- and he can be extremely serious and intimidating; but he has the zaniest sense of humor -- we all adore it and him!)

What time do we eat?

Have a wonderful Easter.

Glenna

[klassylady25]

Glenna, I see an ear on the right side - stage right that is.  Mind you it is a portion of it because he is turned but it's there.  I've circled it... but then I could be crazy!! :D

[glennab]

Hey Candy --

No, you're not crazy.  I thought that was an ear, too -- and it may be.  I couldn't get any detail, so I figured it could also be part of the little plump face.  I'm going to have to really do some more channel scanning and verify what I think is actually there.  Time for eye drops!

I hope you're having a wonderful Easter.

Hugs!

Glenna

[Dave]

Glenna,

I think that the photographic integrity of this image can be saved through cropping. I think the painterly look is being caused by your valiant efforts to save what's not there and then blending it with the information that is less damaged.

Personally, I would crop in from the top into the hairline and up from the bottom to the point of the v-neck. Doing so isn't going to help you achieve perfection, but I think it will go a long way to maintaining image integrity.

Dave

[glennab]

Hi Dave

Thanks so much for your observations.  I hadn't  considered cropping the photo, but since you're suggesting that I do so, I will.  It'll take away some of the strain of trying to create something from nothing.  I'll crop it proportionately so it can still be a standard size.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter.

Glenna