Skin retouching can seem like a daunting task if you are a beginner. What brush do you use, what layer do you apply, and how do you smooth the skin? And above all, you have to remember all the steps involved. So how does Infinite Guide make the whole process so simple?
Infinite Guide just one of the Photoshop plugins from Unlimited tool range was developed by photo retouchers, photographers and programmers to make the entire editing process simpler to learn and understand, and to unleash creativity.
Pratik Naik has developed a carefully crafted step-by-step plugin to teach you how and why, while eliminating frustration in the learning process as skin retouching and using it couldn’t be simpler. For intermediate users, you have a pre-made workflow in the form of a plugin that allows you to cycle through the editing process in your own style, depending on the results you are looking for.
Plugin Dashboard
The panel itself includes two start tab options: get started and steps. The Start option guides you through each step, creating layers for you and applying the correct brush to each step in the process, and explains what you must do to create the desired result. The Steps option lets you pick and choose the edits you want to make, and again, this panel creates layers and brushes, simplifying your workflow.
Steps
Table of steps for those who are new or relatively new to the skin retouching process. It walks you through each edit while creating the layers, brushes, and masks needed to complete it. As you can see from the image above, there are six final layer edits grouped. Each of these can be edited to your own personal taste as you work your way through, and once you’ve completed the entire sequence you can always go back and edit them further.
With each step explained what you are doing and why, this will speed up your understanding if you are new to the process. Each time you move through the steps, the necessary brushes are automatically created and set up for you for flow and opacity. You still have the ability to change these to your own preferences as you would if you did it from scratch in Photoshop.
I won’t go into each step here in this article, because visually, it would be too repetitive considering all the edits are applied to an image. The whole process is carefully done to include finishing touches to the skin including frequency separation, anti-redness, contouring, lip softening and hair shading, to name just a few.
Helpful tips are also included along the way, and although the experienced among you will be familiar with these, the beginners may not have considered some of them yet. For the more experienced, there are other plugins from Infinite series that will enhance your editing skills, like Infinite editing, For example.
If you are experienced in this type of editing, all this may seem like nothing new, but for the beginners, this considered sequence will help you learn and easily achieve your goals. his final edits immediately.
The final result below, although subtle, includes replacing the background using a different panel in Infinite Tools’ plugin panels, Infinite textureswhich I’ll cover in another post, because background replacement is just one of many things it can do.
Inference
This plugin is really easy to use and guides you through everything you need to do to edit your portrait photos in simple steps. This will speed up your workflow should you decide to use it, as its pre-programmed actions allow you to focus on editing rather than what you need to do to create your edit. . This is a great tool and tutorial with a very low learning curve, even for the newest editors, as it explains what to do and why you do it at every turn. Sure, you can still go overboard with your edits, but at least you know why and where you overstepped, and you can go back and adjust layers to fix the problem.
With pre-programmed brushes and brush settings for each retouch, this also helps you decide what to use and at what intensity. More experienced editors will know what to use, but for a beginner or intermediate editor, only this will speed up your workflow.
I’m really glad I had the opportunity to try the tutorial, as I would recommend this to the students I teach. With Infinite Guideyou develop muscle memory and become more talented editor very fast.
