pf removal of car, bin, telephone booth, power lines, pipes etc

[Sarah_]

Hi Damien,

I'm completely butchering this image with all the stuff that needs removing. It will be cropped in fairly tightly around the building.
Please help! How can I make the brick wall on the right look more natural?

 

[Damien Symonds]

Oh gee, I wish you'd asked my advice earlier.  I would have recommended correcting the perspective as well as rotating, before starting all the cloning.

Still, what you've done is freakin' amazing!  Well done.

Does it have to be brick?  What's wrong with the shop window that's already there?

[Sarah_]

Thanks! Didn't want to be lazy! 
It doesn't have to be brick but thought it would be easier to extend the brick when removing that 'Form 2 Lanes' sign.  The plan is to crop just outside of the blue signage  so extended it as cleanly as I could. Mostly tedious clone work I'm afraid.

Ok - should I start again?

[Damien Symonds]

There just isn't enough brick to work with, is there?

[Sarah_]

Not really.
Can I mask out the brick work cloning and keep the rest of the layer?

[Damien Symonds]

Yep!

[Sarah_]

Great. How would you suggest extending the window? By making the window one flat colour?

[Damien Symonds]

Yeah, I reckon.

[Sarah_]

Would a solid colour layer work-  or something more sophisticated? The left edge is going to be the issue where it joins the brickwork.

[Damien Symonds]

Honestly, yes, I'd use a solid colour layer, then a D&B layer clipped to it to add a bit of shape.

[Sarah_]

Just realised this is supposed to come later - after levels. Can this layer be kept and moved on top of levels layer, or must it be scrapped?

[Damien Symonds]

Sorry, what's supposed to come after Levels?

This looks excellent.

[Sarah_]

The grey window on RHS - solid colour layer. Kept the sign pole for the window edge. Quite handy really!

[Damien Symonds]

That is part of the pixel editing - it definitely goes below the Levels layers.  You're doing everything just right.

[Sarah_]

Dodge & burn attempt on solid colour window on right. Too subtle?

[Damien Symonds]

Yep, good.

Once you're happy with all your pixel editing, please post it in the Levels Class for me, so we can discuss the first steps there.

[Sarah_]

Windows- would I use the same solid colour and D&B technique? Or is there a better way to not interfere with the blue text (on windows)? It would be nice if there was still an element of shine.

[Damien Symonds]

Oh gee, is it your intention to put fake windows in the Physio building?  I'm nervous about this.

[Sarah_]

I was hoping to minimise the reflections - pretty sure I positioned myself out though. If you think it's ok as is - then I'll leave it and move into Levels.

[Damien Symonds]

I would definitely clone out the red taillights.

And I would probably minimise the car in the far left window, it's the strongest.  But apart from that, don't lose any sleep over it.

Can we talk about the latter, and everything else, in the Levels Class now?

[Sarah_]

Yes!
So clone work will do later with all the other shots.

[Damien Symonds]

What clone work is left to do?  It seems you've done a pretty comprehensive job to me.

[Sarah_]

Tail lights cloned gently.

[Damien Symonds]

Good.  Now let's Levels this sucker.

[Sarah_]

*happy dance!