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HELP NEEDED: Glow skin / wet look / oil look


marvinslaats92

marvinslaats92

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Hey everyone,

It's been a while since I visited this forum, but I'm stuck on one of my projects.
I'm doing a lot of fashion and boudoir / lingerie photography at the moment, and there's a lot of retouching on each publication. But, there's this tiny detail that I can't figure out. See the picture I included as an example.

Glowskin.jpg

I'm not sure what it's called - calling it wetlook or skin glow right now.
When I'm shooting these models I normally work with make-up artists which apply something like baby oil on the model's skin. After doing that, the light coming of my studio lights will reflect on the skin to create some of that glow. But I want to blow up that effect in Photoshop like in the example. I've tried it with the default soft brushes, on different layer styles, with different blur settings applied. Unfortunately I'm not getting the perfect 'wet look' on the skin.

Is there ANYODY capable of creating this effect in Photoshop? Remember, it has to look perfectly realistic as it is for fashion (high-end) publications.

Thanks in forward,

Marvin
 
I would do it with a dodge and burn layer.

Open your image
New layer > fill with 50% grey > linear light.
Paint white lines with a soft brush of 5% opacity to lighten some parts,
Paint black lines with a soft brush of 5% opacity to darken some parts.
Apply gaussian blur to this layer.

dodge and burn.jpg

LEGS before.jpg

LEGS after.jpg
 
I have a question about ChrisDesign's solution to achieving the skin glow: Could you please explain the purpose of filling the layer with 50% Gray? Why wouldn't we get exactly the same result if we simply painted 5% black or 5% white on an empty layer set to Linear Light, blurring as necessary?

I do a lot of skin retouching (just as a personal hobby) and I usually paint with black or white on a layer set to Soft Light, and then blur and/or reduce the opacity to get a skin glow or shadow effect. The only time I ever seem to need 50% Gray is if I want to add noise or other texture onto a separate layer, in which case 50% Gray is required as a "base" on which to add the noise (and I generally use Overlay mode for adding noise).
 
The 50% grey layer allows you to make changes without affecting the layer you are working on. That is called non-destructive. If you don't like what you have done, you can delete the layer or use the burn tool to put the detail back. But I think it is better to delete the layer and start over.

If you don't make a duplicate of the original, you could ruin the dodge layer and stuck with mistakes. If you do insist on doing it directly on the image to test your own skills, be sure to make that dup of the original layer.

When you create the 50% grey layer, be sure to put it on soft light blend mode or overlay. This will cause the grey layer to invisible, but allow the burn and dodge tool to do its thing for you. Probably overlay ios the best as you want a brightness and that will be a better effect by a bit than soft light.

Hope this helps.
 
Another way to dodge and burn is do 2 x curves adjustments clip to the image if other images are in the overall comp.. one is to lighten the image using curves and one is to darken it, Then invert the layer masks, then paint the desired effect back in where you want it, you can of course adjust the curves afterwards to give the amount of dark or light as you want.

I find this type of dodging and burning more non destructive and also more easy to adjust than using a 50% Gray layer , although nothing wrong with 50% grey layers i just find the curves adjustments gets a better result, but again that depends on the image, and for models like this one the curves for me dos a better job.
 
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Thanks chris.. I find this method works on all kinds of images including manipulations , especially for changing the light direction from one area to another. it can take several curves adjustments on one image to get it right.. but i just love the way its done with this method, and as its a curves adjustments you can use it to dodge and burn on colours as well.
 
If you wanted the model to look even wetter... then make a copy of the overall image... then turn it into a smart object.. then apply the plastic wrap filter from the gallery playing around with the adjustments on the filter to give it a more subtle effect.. As you know with it being a smart object you can no invert the layer mask, paint over the model with soft brush in the areas that you want a really wet look, again due to it being a smart object you can then play around with the opacity levels on the mask for the overall effect . doesn't work on all images of models but is really affective when it dos.
 
I always use dodge and burn tools to get nice shiny and dark effects in order to make the skin look wet. But for that, you really need to be perfect. And yes little bit of curves adjustments.
 
I know this is an old thread Alan, but I was absent from the forum doing this time. It has been helpful to read of your techniques and I will definintely give them a try very soon. I have been back into Photoshop again doing my favorite thing, manipulations. (my enthusiasm dropped off when I was sick, but I'm fine now) And these always require changes to create similar color and light conditions.

Super advice duuuuuuude.:rolleyes:
 
Hello Ibclare... sorry to hear you have been sick....glad to hear your well again....only just seen the posts you did myself as i have been working away from home a lot just recently, together with moving home is being a challenge, glad your back.
 
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