Hi again,
two more retouched portraits





Before/After:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7rf2qhwf1gkr … kBPI7bzh2a


Thank you

GOOD:  Looks like you have the skill set and the know how of the actually program. You just need to study pictures and refine your techniques. I like the color you selected to adjust the background to and like how slimed the model down can't tell you how seasoned retoucher still don't get that part right.


BAD: excess blurring/ or painting on the skin, Skin texture has been reduced significantly hair still needs more work..excessive sharpening  not enough variation in skin tone..Face looks flat on both images ...
Color correction is still needed for the skin ..Face looks painted -----Bad



THINGS TO POINT OUT: Work on keeping texture

Thank you very much Rafael!

can you see from those magnifications (zoomed out) that she doesn't look human anymore?

My suggestion is look in a magazine and look at the editorials and ads. 

It looks like you may have the skillset needed to be a retoucher, but where you're lacking is technique and style. 

A lot of retouchers can technically retouch, but it takes nuance, a good eye, and restraint to retouch at a high level.

Thank you for advices Paul Snyder

I'm relatively new to MM and I only offer my reply as a suggestion, but mostly as a compliment.

I think you've rendered the hair in both these images, extremely well - the hair is nicely shaped, thick with great highlights and tidy without being 'too tidy'; the fly-aways are just nicely there to make it organic... as a former hairdresser turned retouch artist, it grinds my gears to see some of the excessive retouching made on hair models, even by the experts.

I really like your choice of colour too. My only thought is that the skin does look a bit 'painted'; although, in truth, I haven't practiced much with Asian skin tones and makeup as yet in retouch work and I'm curious to try it myself.

Keep up the great work.

NJC x