When we talk about retouching, we do not restrict ourselves to objects or items for sale. Skin retouching plays a crucial role in the fashion industry. Nobody is born with a perfect skin. Blemishes, wrinkles, dark spots and sun tan are all a part and parcel of a human body. Portraying photographs of a model with all the flaws will make the photo look dull. This is where skin retouching helps.
It is important to retain the natural texture along with modifying and rectifying flaws in the skin. You will realize that there are a variety of skin types that require different kinds of treatments. Choosing the right tool for the right skin type is imperative. Remember, the crux of the matter is to be realistic and not to make the person look artificial.
Skin retouching has become an integral part of digital photography. Even experienced photographers opt for getting their pictures retouched. Let us look at some of the basic requirements for skin retouching.
Basics of Skin Retouching
Photoshop offers a variety of tools for retouching. As a retoucher, it is your duty to know when to use which tool.
- Patch Tool – This tool is used to address large areas of texture that you would like to rectify. It works in the source and destination modes. Select the area that you want to change, drag to find a texture that you would like to replace with the original selection. This tool is used to remove wrinkles from a picture.
- Spot Healing Brush – It is used to address small areas of texture for example, hair and blemishes. You can change the size of the brush and also increase its hardness. It works well on foreheads and cheeks, but you should have a control on the brush.
- Healing Brush – It is similar to the spot healing brush tool but here, you have to select your sample point. Select the good texture that you want to use, and paint the problem area. Keep selecting new sample points so that you are able to add an appropriate texture.
- Red Eye Tool – Red eye happens when a photograph has been clicked using flash in low light. Select the red eye tool, click the image to draw a box around the red eye and brush away the color. It is the simplest tool in Photoshop.
- Touch-up Layer –This is the easiest way to deal with blemishes, marks and spots. It works well if you use it for removing makeup, dust, strands of hair and other unwanted spots. It is advised to use a small brush at 50% to 75% hardness depending on your photograph.
- Frequency Separation –It works well for tiny spots, blemishes, wrinkles, red patches, flaky skin and oily patches. It is ideal for working on the under-eye area and also for smoothing wrinkles and touching-up the overall skin.
- ByRo Method –This is a very quick and effective way of rectifying the flaws on the skin along with retaining its texture. It is used for making skin tone even, correcting make-up and brightening the picture. It is important to maintain the natural tone of the skin without giving it a plastic look.
The entire process of skin retouching requires proper knowledge of Photoshop tool. Practice is the only way to master the tool and create a name in the retouching and clipping path industry. Fashion photo retouching and manipulation are becoming very common these days. It is the basic requirement of fashion industry. Retouching is the only way in which you can add glamour to your photographs. It plays a vital role for a successful high-end fashion campaign or a fashion magazine. Remember to keep your pictures flawless while keeping its original texture. Simplicity and glamour should go hand in hand.
