Jump to content

How to fix large swaths of acne


Maria S

Recommended Posts

Hi Damien, 

I have been trying to find a realistic looking way to fix moderate to bad acne. I have tried the method in your post http://www.damiensymonds.net/tut_acne.html but I think after reading a few times (and trying to replicate what you're doing) that basically that would mean about 80000 healing brush strokes, which I have tried and makes a huge mess, particularly when the healing brush decides that there should be hair on an otherwise hair-free section of skin. I have tried various methods over multiple days and many hours and this poor guy's forehead just looks like a mess. I'm also concerned as I have a young friend who wants senior photos with fall foliage (probably this coming weekend) and her face has erupted into just layers and layers of acne. I saw her Sunday and I really don't think there is a decent patch of skin to even copy from. 

Is this a place and time for dust and scratches? Particularly on a guy, I don't want to make his skin stop looking like skin. 

 

 

 

 

acne dsc_4572-2-314.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you! Follow-up question - would you try to fix all the color issues first, or how would you handle that? I used dust and scratches, then found areas that I wanted to heal color-wise, but it seems like I need to have that all completed first (or I'm missing something) as some of it won't let me fix it after the filter. The only way I can think of to resolve this without going back to try to fix all the reddish spots first and then re-applying the filter would be to flatten the layer which obviously is not a good choice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok finally on new machine and trying again.  I'm still having the same problem. 

There are two separate issues:
- If I use dust/scratches, then try to clone, I can't clone anything that wasn't already in the mask/touched by dust/scratches.  
- I also cannot figure out how to handle multiple sections of the image that require different amounts of dust and scratches - this guy's forehead is significantly worse than his lip/chin/neck area. I tried duplicating the layer, which is obviously not a good idea, as it brings along the existing layer mask; however if I remove the mask, it leaves the full layer at the full dust and scratches filter.  

Attached are images of

- my layers

- his chin after dust/scratches and some cloning

- his forehead after the dust/scratches has been used on his chin (not enough dust/scratches for the forehead when I did what looked to me to be the right amount of fix for his chin. 

 

 

chin and lip need cloning or something more.JPG

forehead after dust scratches for chin and lip.JPG

Layers.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Maria S said:

 If I use dust/scratches, then try to clone, I can't clone anything that wasn't already in the mask/touched by dust/scratches. 

Do your cloning on a new blank layer above the D&S layer.

22 hours ago, Maria S said:

- I also cannot figure out how to handle multiple sections of the image that require different amounts of dust and scratches - this guy's forehead is significantly worse than his lip/chin/neck area. I tried duplicating the layer, which is obviously not a good idea, as it brings along the existing layer mask; however if I remove the mask, it leaves the full layer at the full dust and scratches filter.  

Why is it a bad idea that it brings along the existing layer mask?  Can't you just paint it more or less as needed?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

Do your cloning on a new blank layer above the D&S layer.

Why is it a bad idea that it brings along the existing layer mask?  Can't you just paint it more or less as needed?

I swear I answered this but it's not showing up for me now. I apparently misunderstood/ incorrectly perceived that changing the mask on the copied layer also impacted the prior layer.  Thanks very much and I'll try again! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...