Skin/Facial Retouching Tip

I use this same Technique but instead of the gaussian blur ...I use Median Noise set it to about 15-20% and opacitiy of around 40% maybe they are the same effect. I've always just stuck with the Median Noise technique. However instead of just erasing away..I use a layer mask set to HIDE all...that way I can paint in the areas I want soften and the areas I dont...LAYER MASK is your friend!! your not damaging anything except the mask, if make a mistake..just reverse the foreground and background colors and paint it out.
if I want to get really picky....Ive learned a technique using channels..
you basically use a new blank layer above your original. Set your Clone tool to 25% ..then go into channels on that layer and turn off everything except the GREEN channel on caucasian women...make sure you Clone stamp is set to USE ALL LAYER, then Select a smooth part of the skin area and begin smoothing...this does not destroy the Texture of the skin.
takes a bit to get the hang off....but I like it.
These Techniques I learned from Suzette Troche-Stapp Aka GlitterGuru
she does some really cool work.

[Vipergq]

I actually Airbrush Facial Features and skin tones on a separate layer and then change opacity values and erase key spots.

[Bonner]

Thanks Jim for the technique. I will give it a try next time.

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

While your method works just fine it is way more complicated that it needs to be. You have to do a lot of erasing the way you're doing it. Here is the fast way to get the same results (you can do this on a layer also, and then use blend modes, but I'll give the method without a layer):

1. Fix image as desired, WB, healing brush, curves.
2. Apply Gaussian blur that looks best for face and skin.
3. Click in the History Palette the step right above where you did the blur (the blur goes away at that point).
4. Select History Brush (choose opacity to taste). Put a check mark in the little box in the history palette right in the gaussian blur step.

5. Paint the face and skin where you want the softening to show up.

The end. So you can see how much faster this is. Instead of painting with the erase brush about 1/2 or more of an image, you simply paint the skin areas you want. You can paint again it you need more, using a higher opacity.

Here is a marked up version showing some of the spots for editing. I did a blur on the whole face using the above technique, but with low opacity. You must be careful not to apply to much or it will start to look unnatural.



Cheers,
rfs

[GKruts]

Here's my first attempt at skin smoothing. We seem to each have our own way of doing the same thing.

1. Duplicate the original layer.
2. Use the wand tool to select the larger areas of skin, don't worry about getting stuff you don't want. De-select contiguous, and click the Add to selection. Change the Tolerance to smaller numbers, I usually stop around 15.
3. Using the paint brush and eraser tool set to Normal, 100% and 100%, toggle between "marching ants" selection and quick mask. Paint to add to the mask, erase to remove the mask. Red is UN-MASKED. Start with a large radius and work your way down. Toggle between Quick and Standard modes using Q to make sure you have everything.
4. When you have all the skin you want smoothed, switch to Standard mode and Save your selection.
5. Feather the selection. The amount depends on the size of your image.
6. Apply your preferred smoothing method.
7. At this point, you might see you feathered too much or too little. If so, you can step back, reload the selection and modify you mask selection or change the amount of feather.

Filter settings used here:
On Bottom Layer:
Unsharp Mask: Amount 150%
Radius: 0.9
Threshold: 1
On Top Layer:
Gaussian Blur: Radius 1.3
Layer Blend: Normal
Opacity 75%

Before:

After:


Cheers!
Glenn