Really Quick Face Retous (Adobe Photoshop)

In this tutorial we will try to correct imperfections and make better the skin of a face and make the eyes really expressive. This tutorial will show some tips and hints for making a really good amateur job. Of course, for professional results (like the ones in magazines), you will need apart from the photoshop some expensive add-ons.

1.  Open in Photoshop the photo of the face that you want to correct. I have chosen this one. 

2. With Ctrl-+ zoom on her face.

3. Create a new layer. You can press Shift+Ctrl+N. Rename the layer as ‘face’

4. We will use the Spot Healing Brush Tool (on the toolbar on the left). Although this brush is a very easy tool to use for retouching your photos, you have to be very careful, as it copies and replaces by itself the color that wants.

5. So, after selecting the tool, zoom in the photo to find the fault points that you want to disappear (Ctrl-+). Resize the brush suitably (with the [,] keys). Click and drag the brush on the selected points on the ‘face’ layer.

In the same way you can delete some of the wrinkles, by clicking and dragging a straight line on some of them.

For example, look at the picture below, to spot some of the touched points. 

6. Τry not to cover everything as you will end with a bad – edited photo. Nobody is perfect so for more realistic results, reduce the opacity of the ‘face’ layer to 75%.

7. Now we will focus on eyes. Go to Adjustments (Window>Adjustments) and select the Curves. Increase the RGB line of the curves by 25%.

8. Now on the newly created layer, click on the mask (the small white paper), select the Masks Tab (next to the Adjustments Tab, or go Window>Masks) and click the Invert. You will see that the small white paper turns to black!

9. Select the Brush Tool. Zoom in the photo, on the eyes. We will make the white part of the eyes more clear. Swipe with the brush on the white part of the eyes. (Try to have the black color selected). Try to cover all the red-blood points with the white color. If it is very intense, reduce the opacity.

Compare the result. Of course this result, comes only after only 5 minutes of retouching the photo. A lot of things can be improved. However, nothing is like a good make-up!!

10. To make the eyes more expressive, or if we want to change the color of them do the following. Create a new Adjustments Layer. Select Hue/Saturation. Increase Hue by Little. Select Masks. Press the Invert button. Make sure you have the White color selected. Select the Brush Tool and brush the inner of the eye (iris) with the brush. Now if you “play” with the Hue, Saturation sliders you will see the eyes to change color.

Look for example below. Same girls, blue eyes!