"airbrushing" like in the magazines?

dreadpyrat · Jan 2, 2004

Hi,
Nowadays, I think magazines use Photoshop to do "airbrushing" of their models. I'd like to learn this technique, can anyone point me to a tutorial about this? Mags like Maxim and FHM seem to have this down to a science (to say nothing of Playboy, the originators, I imagine!). How is it done? What are the tricks?
Thanks!

vonnagy · Jan 2, 2004

dreadpyrat, welcome to the forum

There are some many ways to touch up skin!

1. the 'clone stamp'. this is the major tool tool that all touch up artists use. essentially, it takes a sample of one part of the photo and you can 'paint' over the wrinkle, mole, acne, scar, ect of the model in question. I would say this is the most commonly used, though its very time consuming.

quick and dirty tutorial:
a. get you photo in photoshop
b. select the clone tone
c. holding down the ALT on your keyboard, find the nice part of the skin that you would like to sample and click.
d. now go over the the nasty pock marked acne area and click

2. Blur Tool. Use the blur to soften the skin. While most of us are trying to sharpen, sharpen, if you want soft looking skin blurring is another nice option that i use more than the clone stamp. You can use the blur tool to smoothly edge out wrinkles. hehe, thats why i look so young, mate! I've found the fountain of youth. Anyways just use the blur too like a brush. try different pressures, etc for the the blur tool.

3. Gaussian Blur. same idea as the blur tool but more control.

the quick and dirty
a. open up pic in pshop
b. duplicate the layer of the ugly model
c. go to the duplicated layer
d. go to filters->blur->gaussian blur
e. experiment with the settings (I find that 1px is enough - but try others)
f. change the opacity of the duplicated layer to you like
g. now here is the fun part, the picture will look too blurry, but there is a cure!
e. snag the erasor tool, make sure the options are airbrush and low pressure
f. erase around the hair, eye lashes, eyeballs (not the saggy bit under the eyes), and lips
g. you've essential created a mask with the duplicate layer. the skin is now oh soo smooth, but you still see the important features like the eyes, mouth and hair because the bleed through from the bottom layer.
h. you can now play around with the opacity of the duplicated layer to get the effect you need.
i. now you have created the girl (or bloke) of your dreams in photoshop

4. Diffuse Glow. This is the least utilized filter i think in photoshop, but its the most magical. Those does wonders with b & w photography (can create infra feel), skin, and can cure mild forms of cancer. just kidding on the last bit. It puts and ethereal glow around objects. Great, great, great for softer looking skin. works better than moisteriser.

the quick and dirty
a. open up ugly pic in pshop
b. on the toolbar, the Background colour will the become the glow colour. Most of the time you will leave this white, I just find it works best but do experiment with other colours
c. duplicate ugly model pick layer
d. go to duplicated layer
e. filter->distort->Diffuse Glow
f. put the graininess to 0, unless you want it grainy
g. Experiment with glow and clearness, don't worry if you over do it the glow
h. apply
i. change the opacity of the duplicated layer
j. like the above, erase bits that may be to 'glowy' on the duplicated layers
k. change the opacity of the duplicated layer to your liking if needed.

A Sample

below is sample of layer masking i did good ol' "W". I gave him red skin, but you can give him smooth skin, purple skin, rough skin or what not. Its a bit overdone, but it demonstrates what I like to do. I call this the "burning bush":

the orginal:

the final:

the duplicate layer over the orginal layer at 75% opacity:

oooooooo- spooky

this i what i did:
1. duplicated the original 'w'
2. adjusted image->adjust->hue and saturation and changed the hue to something a bit more palatable
3. took my eraser tool, erased the duplicate layer around the eyes and other bits
4. adjusted the opacity of the duplicated layer

Hope that helps!