I'm wondering if similar pin-up effect e.g. these pin-up examples or as shown in this Photoshop tutorial is possible to achieve with CNX2/CEP3 or one has to stick to Photoshop or other similar software? And if it is possible which I hope, how to achieve similar effects with CNX2?

cheers
PiotrAF

I can't seem to open the links.

Bob Baldassano
My Nikonians Gallery

"Nikonians membership - My most important photographic investment, after the
camera"

Retirement is a gift of time - Don't waste it!

Bob,
I don't know how to help in that the links are properly pasted and working in my browser. Just google grpahics e.g. pin-up and forget the ones that aren't photos and the typical backgrounds used on most of them i.e. I'm aware I can't change a background or merge photos in CNX2, and of course I'm aslo aware that most of them are colorized as a final touch. The closest of what I seek is shown in http://www.planetphotoshop.com/pin-up-effect.html which you say you can't open. Maybe google "Corey Barker pin-up" and it should be the first one you get. I just seek help to avoid reinventing the wheel

cheers
PiotrAF

I don't know what happened the other night, but the links are working for me tonight. I think this is basically doable in CNX2, especially if you have Nik filters for CNX2 in addition to the usual tools. Since this technique is using a selective blurring of the face and features and then is using selective blending modes, that much for sure can be done in CNX2 especially if you make use of the the Nik filters. Here is a quick attempt by me. This is not the best result, but when I have time I will try one where I do more to follow the PS steps which as I noted in watching the video are Surface blur to take out detail, Smudge tool to remove detail from hair, copy and overlay blend, Select highlights and blend with vivid light, another copy of highlights filled with white and blended with soft light, sketch filter blended with multiply, color blend of eye and cheek color, add grain. In the image above I already had an image where I used a NIK filter to smooth skin, so I just added a gaussian blur to the hair and a bit more to the face to reduce detail further. I used a few curves to effect highlights and used solarization to mimic the sketch effect and I added grain. Like I said this was not a rigorous application as I just did a quick what can I do trial. If I took my time, which I don't have right now, I am sure I could get closer to the look you saw.

Bob Baldassano
My Nikonians Gallery

"Nikonians membership - My most important photographic investment, after the
camera"

Retirement is a gift of time - Don't waste it!

I'd have to have an original and do some experimentation, but I suspect that a combination of Nik filters would come close.

Jon Kandel
A New York City Nikonian and Team Member
Please visit my website and critique the images!

Jon,
I don't have any original to test at this time. I'd love to find even a photoshop tutorial on this with the example before after - that always helps in learning.

cheers
PiotrAF

Googling "pin-up photo retouch before after" I found something like this:
http://www.katefield.net/retouching.cfm
the third example - "Lady Medusa" and few below are good examples of what I'd like to achieve, of course apart from the obvious impossible to achieve in CNX2 things like backround replace or straightening her fringe on the forehead etc.

http://content.bandzoogle.com/users/katefield/images/content/22A.jpg?2
http://content.bandzoogle.com/users/katefield/images/content/22B.jpg?2

cheers
PiotrAF

Hi there, I saw this thread from the link to my page - it may not help as you wish to use CNX2 but I do all my work in Photoshop, mainly using a 50% grey layer to dodge and burn to fix problems.


>Googling "pin-up photo retouch before after" I
>found something like this:
>http://www.katefield.net/retouching.cfm
>the third example - "Lady Medusa" and few below are
>good examples of what I'd like to achieve, of course apart
>from the obvious impossible to achieve in CNX2 things like
>backround replace or straightening her fringe on the forehead
>etc.
>
>http://content.bandzoogle.com/users/katefield/images/content/22A.jpg?2
>http://content.bandzoogle.com/users/katefield/images/content/22B.jpg?2
>

>Hi there, I saw this thread from the link to my page - it may
>not help as you wish to use CNX2 but I do all my work in
>Photoshop, mainly using a 50% grey layer to dodge and burn to
>fix problems.

Thanks for that tip I'm hoping that Adobe will continue the pricing policy exposed with the dropped down to 50% price of Lightroom4 and I might go for CS6 if that will happen

cheers
PiotrAF

Piotr,

Not sure if this is what you're looking for.. but here's the way I do it:

In Corel Draw Graphics suite.. (sorry, know it's almost sacrilege here, but not an adobe fan.. been using Corel since Warp OS/2).
Create a good photo with a white background.. (I use seamless paper with two softlight strobes on the sides, blocked to prevent light spill) and another softlight for the mainlight), looking for a soft, almost flat lighting.
Create a duplicate layer, overlay it to add contrast. merge and create another duplicate layer, use a slight gaussian blur (two to three pixels, as a rule, but mainly to your taste) and then a smudge brush to give some of the features (example, the hair) a "paint" effect.
Merge the layers together again, then using NIK, I use a old photo effect to create a Elgren/Vargas effect, grain to zero and brightness as I like.. hope that helps.
(BTW, Corel Paint Shop Pro X4 also allows the same thing and even includes the full Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 filters)
http://www.corel.com/corel/product/index.jsp?pid=prod4220093

Very quick and simple.. and it's a great fun addition to a "boudoir" or "glamor" session.

Original Image:
85mm 1,4G ISO 200 D700


Final Image after processing:

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