Face-Shaping recommendations

[Ronnie B.]

I need help!

The deeper I get into post processing, the more I find out how much an at least rudimentary knowledge of makeup and painting would help me. Especially when it comes to shaping a face through makeup (before a shoot) and through d&b in post. Yet I find hardly any resources on this topic. Where do I light eyes to make them bigger, darken the cheeks to narrow the face, stuff like this. I know pretty well how to do it, but where is tricky, if that makes any sense.

Are there any good books or tutorials you can recommend? Doesnt have to be for photogs, if its for painters or MUAs its just as good. Or do I have to stick to trial and error and adopt makeup tips from womens magazines?

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Ronald M]

Photoshop Mamma on You tube.

Many others. Put skin softening and portrait retouching and digital make up in the search field, one at a time. Be prepared to spend a long time.

If you don`t know photoshop, learn that first otherwise you can not follow.

With make up, darks recede, lighter colors attract. I would start with You Tube again

 

[Electromen]

I would suggest looking at local schools for Photoshop training. Also look at personal training by local professionals.

First I went to a local college for a 3 credit course in Photoshop.
Next I attended three - one day instructional seminars for skin softening and photo enhancement put on by a local wedding photographer.

The trick is to keep it looking natural. Too much of what I see in magazines and on billboards looks so fake. It's just not for women, sometimes I use it on men.
Here's an example, look at his neck and eyes. These are crops of the photos.

original

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final

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[Ronnie B.]

Thanks for the replies! Nice job on the neck Electromen! Although I am pretty sure noone would notice, the baby is way too cute hehe

The technical aspect really isn't the problem. I think I am "ok" in photoshop. I have done a few workshops on retouching and I have briefly touched the Kelby stuff. Thats great for 20' retouching, but doesn't look even nearly as good as a 10h retouch close up. He actually said that himself. I don't get to shoot as much as I would like to so I am not flooded with pictures. Meaning I have no problem doing the 10h version to make the best out of what I have! It won't make much of a difference on FB and such, but it sure does when printing beauty stuff A4+ imo.

I have watched a lot of tutorials on youtube, like the ones that tell you to "soften skin" or apply makeup for effect. I don't want that, I want everything as subtle as possible while maintaining all structure. The only good stuff I found so far is by Natalia Taffarel, who is like several leagues above everyone else and which I use now (or try, she is like "out of reach" good). Unfortunatly she doesn't really cover what I am looking for.

I guess people who know how correctly shaping a face with dodge and burn works don't think about it because it is not part of the technical stuff they teach. They just do it. And when asked reply "I just do it, no clue how, but it works", "I used to paint before picking up a camera", "I worked as a designer for 20 years", "I am a girl, we know this stuff", etc etc.

In the MAC shops they have folders with overlays that "apply" makeup to pictures, something like that would be great. (They don't sell it, I asked :tongue. There must be books on this. Not on how to apply makeup (as in, "use a brush, in PS or in RL), but the visual effects of it and where to apply it. I guess I will have to take classes for MUAs and just watch...

 

[Electromen]

Thanks for the replies! Nice job on the neck Electromen! Although I am pretty sure noone would notice, the baby is way too cute hehe

The technical aspect really isn't the problem. I think I am "ok" in photoshop. I have done a few workshops on retouching and I have briefly touched the Kelby stuff. Thats great for 20' retouching, but doesn't look even nearly as good as a 10h retouch close up. He actually said that himself. I don't get to shoot as much as I would like to so I am not flooded with pictures. Meaning I have no problem doing the 10h version to make the best out of what I have! It won't make much of a difference on FB and such, but it sure does when printing beauty stuff A4+ imo.

I have watched a lot of tutorials on youtube, like the ones that tell you to "soften skin" or apply makeup for effect. I don't want that, I want everything as subtle as possible while maintaining all structure. The only good stuff I found so far is by Natalia Taffarel, who is like several leagues above everyone else and which I use now (or try, she is like "out of reach" good). Unfortunatly she doesn't really cover what I am looking for.

I guess people who know how correctly shaping a face with dodge and burn works don't think about it because it is not part of the technical stuff they teach. They just do it. And when asked reply "I just do it, no clue how, but it works", "I used to paint before picking up a camera", "I worked as a designer for 20 years", "I am a girl, we know this stuff", etc etc.

In the MAC shops they have folders with overlays that "apply" makeup to pictures, something like that would be great. (They don't sell it, I asked :tongue. There must be books on this. Not on how to apply makeup (as in, "use a brush, in PS or in RL), but the visual effects of it and where to apply it. I guess I will have to take classes for MUAs and just watch...

What you're describing sounds like Cosmetology. Maybe take a look at that. Also, look at traditional airbrush shading. Maybe study them both and apply your Photoshop skills to it. Like you I haven't seen any specific training for it on the net.

Do you Airbrush in PS?
I took Airbrush Techniques back in college in 1977 using a traditional airbrush. It helps seeing how light and shadows can affect an image.

If you haven't tried it, this will give you the idea.
In PS, Copy the layer (ctrl+j)
Select a soft brush and adjust flow and opacity to 50%.
Hit alt for the color picker and select a skin tone you want.
Shade the area with the airbrush.
Adjust layer opacity to your liking.

Using selection tools with feathering and airbrush can get very creative.

 

[Ronnie B.]

Airbrush shading is a great idea, I didn't even think of that! I really wasn't thinking out of the box enough. I've looked at a few tutorials now and its pretty much what I was looking for! Also I started looking at comics. Shadows are purely functional there and are way simpler to study than in photos.

So I just ordered a book on drawing comics. Might sound weird (my photos are quite a bit away from looking comic'y) but I am pretty sure I can adopt that to improve my photo-editing.

Thanks again!