Retouching advice

I've never been one for overly retouched portraits. Usually all I do is brighten eyes, whiten teeth and take out any spots/blemishes.

Anyway, I was watching the video posted yesterday and decided to have a mess around with the liquify tool - something I've never used before.


Problem is, although I like what I've done in terms of the shape of her face and nose etc. It looks fake. What have I done that's made it look wrong. Is the skin too smooth? How can I fix it?

Original...

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

I think it's the eyes ... they have way too much contrast. You've got much blacker blacks and whiter whites than realism would dictate. Same for the mouth.
(Actually, at first glance, I thought the original photo was the "worked" one - it's a strange image, all right!)

very strange image, ( J.M) your edited ver is little bit over contrast/exposed
on her face, this is my ver.

Ahhh ok

So it wasn't that I'd smoothed the skin too much then?

I didn't actually do anything to the eyelashes themselves other than up the the contrast when I did the image as a whole.

Heres my take. A few subtle changes, and a Hi Key effect

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Damo77 wrote in post #3197361
I think it's the eyes ... they have way too much contrast. You've got much blacker blacks and whiter whites than realism would dictate. Same for the mouth.
(Actually, at first glance, I thought the original photo was the "worked" one - it's a strange image, all right!)

Eyes?
What eyes?

Edit: Ups, sorry, there are some eyes in this picture!

My try:

I So Wish I could do that! I watche the video, but I am new to CS3 and liquify. I want to learn it so bad! Good job!

Teeny

Not entirely sure which photo you were talking about, Teeny ?

Yours Swift 1.

Teeny