Model Makeovers - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/02/2008 07:44:33 AM · #1

Are you supposed to of unselected one of the layers while you were working? That way only the top layer was being used? Turn the eye off or something? I'm confused.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

11/09/2007 10:42:29 AM · #2

Very nice!

bennettjamie

Canon EOS-6D

11/09/2007 09:31:06 AM · #3

Brad - I have really used this tutorial more so than the others here. Thank you for that. Im still having problems with it though. I might PM you to ask you a couple of questions.

Thanks again!!!

bgslaw

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

11/09/2007 03:23:23 AM · #4

Originally posted by TooCool:

Nice tute! Much here that I will use but, I must say that in your example (and in MHO) you have taken it a step or two too far. What is wrong with a lady having some texture in her skin? Women do have pores and such after all...

But ask those women if they would rather show their pores in that special wedding photo and you've got another answer.

soon

Nikon D3

11/09/2007 02:01:19 AM · #5

Excellent step by step.

bdenny

Sony DSC-H5

06/19/2007 01:28:01 PM · #6

Isn't it, though?!

Everyone give it up for Brad!

carolyn

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/19/2007 01:11:25 PM · #7

I just want to say that this is the best step by step learning experience I have gone through. You did a WONDERFUL job.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

02/15/2007 04:07:56 PM · #8

The opacity slider on top is the same as adjusting the blending in the layers palette from what I can tell. The advanced blending slider on the bottom when in the layers palette is configurable for R G B specifics. I've never used the bottom one, and just opened a shot, made a new layer via copy , tweaked the daylights out of the saturation, then went to the blending mode in the layers palette. The opacity on top was global adjustment, then if I wanted more red out of it, could uncheck the G & B (green & red) and lower the red values only.
Seems that is what it's for, after watching what was happening.

levyj413

Nikon D7100

02/15/2007 03:29:51 PM · #9

Originally posted by Brad:

Thanks for the feedback & kind words everyone.
This particular instance was an "extreme makeover", very similar to what we've seen in magazines and such, which we know isn't the real word.

Yep. For me, anyway, most of learning these techniques is just being aware of what can be done. It's then up to me to decide how far to go.

Before I learned about curves and levels, for instance, I just didn't even know what was possible. That doesn't mean it's good to always use huge curve adjustments.

Brad, I'm curious about how you adjust opacity. Is opening that window and doing it there different from just selecting the layer in the layers panel and using the opacity slider at the top?

Also, do you know the difference between the two opacity sliders in the layers panel?

Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Zuiko Digital Zoom

02/15/2007 02:20:55 PM · #10

Thanks for the feedback & kind words everyone.
This particular instance was an "extreme makeover", very similar to what we've seen in magazines and such, which we know isn't the real word. In the final product (last image), there is still texture there, though smoother than what one would expect to see in real life and/or normal editing.
There is a work-around for going too far in all this, and that is simply do it, then copy it and paste it over the original, adjusting the blending percentage/opacity. That method gives infinite range of adjustment.

fireserpent

Olympus E-3

02/15/2007 01:42:46 PM · #11

For an entry level "how to" I think this is a very good tutorial. I don't care for the appearance of the final product but a couple of your other edits look a lot stronger with this... yet others look plastic or over-processed.

I prefer to use selective blurring using masking. Then I lower the opacity of the layer in order to bring in some of the textures that I'd like to keep.

levyj413

Nikon D7100

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

02/15/2007 12:05:51 PM · #12

HOLY COW, what a tutorial. For anyone looking for a model (looks in mirror) on how to write one, this is it.

It comes with a ribbon guarantee, right? Or at least a contract with a fashion magazine?

manish

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/13/2007 08:47:30 PM · #13

Thanks Brad for your comments and a detailed feedback. In fact i always had a phobia of using photoshop as i thought its a bit too complicated but here at DPC i feel ican learn it right

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

02/13/2007 02:27:38 PM · #14

And the first of many experiments I hope. Each time, you learn more about what works and what doesn't.

You did a pretty darn good job of cleaning up the blemishes. The skin on her cheek is a tough one due to the fine hairs that were there. One thing I noticed switching back & forth was the lack of the cheekbone shadow, and without it, it has a tendency to make the cheek look fuller than it is (gotta' be careful to flatter, not add on a couple pounds - easy to get slapped that way) ;)

Her eyes had to be tough, one, having the flash red-eye, and not much can be done other than sponging the color out of the red part and burning them darker. The irises are a touch dark in comparison to the whites of here eyes, and the whites are a tiny bit too white in comparison to the lighting and skin tones. The eyes are wicked tough sometimes to make them look great, and yet be plausible.

Keep on playing - you're on the right track, and a far better job than I did on my first try. After a while, you'll find out what works and what doesn't - it's what I did being self-taught.

Message edited by author 2007-02-13 14:32:06.

manish

Canon EOS-7D

02/13/2007 02:14:26 PM · #15

Just tried to follow the tutorial, I would appreaciate if you can comment on my first experiment here

Original

Edited

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/13/2007 02:04:46 PM · #16

That be very nice, Brad! One of these days I'll do another self portrait and send it to you for fixin'. :-)

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

02/13/2007 11:56:23 AM · #17

Following the same basics in the tutorial, here is a before & after,
but without the extras steps to turn it into a complete magazine ad makeover.
The end results are infinity variable, from mild to wild.

-- into this -->

(Open each in a new window and switch between
them in the task bar to see the changes)

Message edited by author 2007-02-13 12:00:13.

renefunk

Canon EOS-5D

02/12/2007 08:31:12 PM · #18

making over is absoloutly necessary

kteach

Nikon D50

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6

02/12/2007 08:23:36 PM · #19

Wow! A wealth of information there Brad! Thanks for taking the time to write this one up for all of us! :)

02/12/2007 08:04:55 PM · #20

Originally posted by Brad:

Originally posted by wavelength:
Brad, I know you're an Old Retired Dude�, but you have 3 step 9's ?? :P

ROFL!
Darn thing was so long and was coding the html in a 10-yr old DOS-based editor, and I didn't even see that - oops!
Guess I should send a SC member a "help me not look like a fool" ticket huh?

Then again, I look like a fool most of the time anyway... :P

Thanks for fixing it Langdon!
Now I be looking more professhinal.
:P

02/12/2007 02:09:21 PM · #21

Originally posted by TCGuru:

I was having a problem with the blur (too much) and the healing brush (I can't figure out how to get mine to self sample)

CS2?
Healing Brush Tool, make sure the type is set to proximity match in the top tool bar.
It's not a perfect tool, but does a pretty darn good job most of the time.

You can always right click on it and select the Spot Healing Brush as well, and mouse click to select the sample point manually, just like the clone tool.

Message edited by author 2007-02-12 14:13:17.

TCGuru

Canon EOS-40D

02/12/2007 01:46:06 PM · #22

Originally posted by Brad:

Originally posted by TCGuru:
....?

Had to wait till I was able to look on a decent monitor here at work before I said anything.
First impression is overall, the shot looks so much better, brighter and good color levels. Her eyes seem a little too bright for the levels of her face. That's the real hard part - getting them to pop while being plausible/realistic. Her face also kinda' doesn't look real, even for a glamour magazine cover look. (I know - kinda' hard to know when to stop isn't it.) Often I will be looking at something too long and not realize how far it went, and offer a suggestion: At some point, minimize it or walk away for a while, then come back and look and get a first impression. It's often then I see better what needs to be done.

I took your original, and found something in between:
--> --compare to-->

One of the first things I did was to do an Image, Adjustments, match color, then jacked the luminosity up to get something to start with. After that, was much of the same in tutorial. I did adjust the one eye, not both.

I like it! A lot! It looks more real... I was having a problem with the blur (too much) and the healing brush (I can't figure out how to get mine to self sample)

Thanks for the edit though :0)

LOL the ...? was just to bump this up for the morning readers... sorry if it came across as harsh ;0)

I really don't like to type bump LOLOLOL

Hey, thanks again :0)