REMOVE BLEMISHES IN PHOTOSHOP
Posted on 10. May, 2009 by Olson in Photo Editing
 In this tutorial we are going to use The Spot Healing Brush to removing blemishes. We can greatly improve a portrait by removing skin imperfections which are rarely a desirable feature in a photograph. |
| In previous versions of Photoshop, you could use the Clone Stamp tool or the Patch tool for this task. Photoshop CS introduced the Healing Brush, which is even better for repairing certain skin imperfections. The Spot Healing Brush can be found in the fourth row on the toolbar, and looks like a plaster. The Spot Healing Brush is now the simplest tool to use for removing blemishes. The key to using the Spot Healing Brush is to choose a brush size that is just slightly larger than the blemish and to work in stages on separate layers. |
Roll Over Image
With the image open, drag the Background layer over the New Layer icon to duplicate it.
A Background copy layer is added, but the screen does not change.
Click the Zoom tool.
Click Resize Windows To Fit.
Click and drag over the blemish areas to zoom in.
The image is enlarged and fills the screen.
Click the New Layer icon to add a new blank layer.
A new layer is added in the Layers palette, but the screen does not change.
Click the Spot Healing Brush.
Click Sample All Layers.
Click here to open the Brush Picker.
Click and drag the Diameter slider to adjust the brush size.
Note: The brush size should be just larger than the blemish that you want to remove.
Click each of the worst blemishes of a similar size first.
Photoshop removes the blemishes and blends the surrounding skin area.
Click the New Layer icon to add another blank layer.
Repeat steps 8 to 10, clicking the other blemishes.
Layer 2 should be highlighted in the Layers palette.
Click here and drag the Opacity slider for Layer 2 to the left until the skin looks natural.
Press the ALT key and click the New Layer icon.
The New Layer dialog box appears.
Type a name such as Skin Tone in the Name field.
Click here and select Overlay for the mode.
Click Fill with Overlay-Neutral Color (50% Gray).
Click OK.
A gray layer in Overlay mode appears in the Layers palette.
Click the Brush tool.
Click here and select a small soft-edged brush.
Click here and reduce the brush opacity to about 5%.
Click here to reset the default colors to black and white.
Click here to reverse the colors, making white the foreground color.
Paint over any dark spots in the image to smooth the skin.
The skin tone appears smoother. Continue painting over any dark areas, adjusting the size of the brush tool as necessary.
Click here and drag the Layer Opacity slider to the left to reduce the effect for a more natural look.
Click the Visibility icon for the gray layer off and on to compare the image before and after the adjustment.
The skin tone is smoothed and appears natural rather than over-corrected.
Select all the layers except the original layer by holding down The Shift Key and clicking on all the layers, than go to Layers Merge Visibles or hit CTRL-E.
Now click and drag the Merged layers to the Create New Layer button to make a copy of the layer.
Select the copied layer and go to Filter-Blur-Gaussian Blur enter 1 pixel for the radius.
Click OK.
Select the Eraser Tool.
In the brush option select a soft edge brush.
Start erasing the important areas of the images so the viewer’s attention is drawn to the spots.
Lower the opacity to 30% now the image looks more natural.
Click the Levels Button.
Play with the settings until you get the desired result.
| That’s it guys for this tutorial try experimenting with the settings and see what works best with your images. |
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Eric
10. May, 2009
Thanks for this easy to follow tutorial, keep up the very well done work
JessicaGag
10. May, 2009
Great! Thank you very much! I always wanted to write in my blog something like that. Can I take part of your post to my site? Of course, I will add backlink? Regards
damsuy™
11. May, 2009
good…☺☺☺
Ghada
11. May, 2009
Great tutorial, I love photo retouching. Thank you pretty much.
barbara
11. May, 2009
The best I have seen so far!!! Thank you
Tanya
11. May, 2009
Thank you I’ve always wondered about natural looking skin retouching this was great
Narcarsiss
12. May, 2009
Used Here
http://narcarsiss.deviantart.com/art/My-Girlfriends-Work-Portrait-122277202
Olson Mino
12. May, 2009
thanks guys for you kind words, they keep me motivated all time
Tania van Hoof
22. Jun, 2009
Great Stuff!!!
I need some exercises though on this tutorial to perfect it!
Thank you!
ain
05. Jul, 2009
awesome!!!
izalin
15. Jul, 2009
good tutorial!
Daniel
22. Jul, 2009
bloody hell so easy to follow, the best tutorial on how to REMOVE BLEMISHES….thanx buddy 4 sharing..
Andreia
31. Jul, 2009
Hi, what’s your photoshop version? In my version I try but I can’t do this :\
Olson
23. Aug, 2009
@Andreia For this tutorial we are using Photoshop cs4…
The good news is that in the next couple of days we are going to publish a new tutorial which uses a more traditional way to accomplish this effect and of course it can be done in older photoshop versions as well..
Bosarame
31. Aug, 2009
Good, but you forgot to tell how to go to Blur-Gaussian Blur.
Kurniawan
16. Dec, 2009
fantastic.thanks!!! that give a new inspirations.
Shereen
19. Feb, 2010
This is awesome!! I’m so glad you shared this with us! Its great for professional portraits…THANKS A MILLION
Daniel Meadows Professional Retouching
01. Mar, 2010
Good to see someone advocating fresh layers for healing. I’ve seen so many blogs advising straight to background pixel destruction I want to eat my wacom
Danny
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10. Apr, 2010
[...] Removable Blemishes in Photoshop [...]
Sais
15. May, 2010
Thank you so much. its 1 am in NY and I just finished retouching an image thanks to you