The face is the center of attention in portrait photography. The makeup artist uses hair accessories and makeup to modify the face, the fashion designer uses clothing and accessories to beautify the face, the photographer uses light and shadow to shape the perfect face, and the post-production designer uses the liquefy tool in Photoshop to modify the face. In this issue, we will use the PS Liquify tool to modify the character's face, and use the Curve tool to add shadow effects to the character's face to beautify the character's face.
The effects before and after adjustment are compared in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
1. Adjust the face shape
In the original film, the character looks like he is looking up, and his face looks like a Chinese character. First, we use the liquefaction tool to modify the model's face according to people's aesthetic standards (note: do not over-modify. When modifying, you must master the proportions of the facial features and the distribution of highlights and shadows).
Operation steps: First, circle the parts that need to be liquefied. Use the Rectangle tool to select the area that needs to be adjusted. As shown in Figure 3.
Execute the "Liquify" command (shortcut key Shift+Ctrl+X). Select the "Freeze Mask" tool in the dialog box and smear the surrounding areas that need to be liquefied, keeping them in a locked state so that they will not interfere with other areas during adjustment. As shown in Figure 4.
With the Forward Warp Tool selected and the tool options set, push the sides of the chin and cheeks inwards. As shown in Figure 5.
Note: This step is very important and requires repeated practice by the operator. The control of the mouse is very demanding, otherwise the cheeks will appear uneven. During this operation, pay attention to the overall coordination of the face shape and avoid excessive liquefaction.
After the above adjustments, the basic modification of the face shape is completed. Use the same method to adjust other parts that need to be modified.
2. Adjust the expression
The character's expression is relatively indifferent, and we use the liquefy tool to change her expression.
Also use the "Rectangle" tool box to select the area that needs to be adjusted. As shown in Figure 6. Execute the "Liquify" command, select the "Freeze Mask" tool in the opened dialog box, and freeze all positions that do not need to be adjusted so that they are locked. As shown in Figure 7.
Select the "Forward Transform" tool to adjust the image (you can use the shortcut keys "[", "]" to adjust the brush size). Because the mouth area is relatively small and needs to be made finely, the brush size should be set smaller. Push the corners of the mouth upward slightly to make it look like a smile. Be sure to pay attention to the coordination and authenticity of the modified effect with the overall face. As shown in Figure 8.
Next, modify the eyebrows. Also use the "Forward Warp" tool in the "Liquify" filter to push the model's right eyebrow slightly upward. Do not adjust the area other than the eyebrows when adjusting. Then make the same adjustment to the left eyebrow to make it appear upward. The modified image effect is shown in Figure 9.
3. Change the light and shadow structure of the face to adjust the face shape
The beautification of a character's face also depends on light and shadow. Different light will show different face shape, texture, fatness and thinness. Now we use PS to modify the light and shadow on the face of the image to change the face shape and fatness of the character.
Start by darkening the sides of the character's face. Start by creating a path with the Pen tool and convert it into a selection. And use the "Feather" command to feather the selection to avoid harsh transitions. As shown in Figure 10
Note: The feathering value is determined by factors such as the size of the image, light intensity, and light angle. You need to test it several times before determining it.
Execute the "Curves" command on the layer palette, select the highlight points in the curve, and deepen it. When adjusting the curve, you need to display the "Information" palette in the work area and check the numerical changes of the sampling points while adjusting. This can ensure that there will be no problems when the film is produced later.
