How to Remove Pimples & Wrinkles With Photoshop

Photoshop is a must-have computer program for graphic designers. Designers love it because are numerous things they can do to a photo in Photoshop. Many people get their pictures taken but have one huge pimple or embarrassing wrinkle that they wish wouldn't appear on the photo. It is fairly simple to remove pimples and wrinkles in Photoshop to give people the peace of mind that their photos look just perfect.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe Photoshop CS3
• PC

Instructions

1. 

   Open Photoshop. Under the "File" tab at the top select "Open," or press "Ctrl" + "O" on your keyboard to find the photo that you wish to touch up.

2. 

   Zoom in on the face by clicking on the magnifying glass icon on the "Tools" palette. (If the Tools palette is not open, go under the "Window" tab at the top and "Tools.")
   Press down the "Alt" key (or let go of it) on your keyboard and click on your picture to zoom in (and out) of the photo. You can also click on the area you want to zoom in on (while holding down the "Alt" key) and drag a box around that area.

3. 

   Use the "Clone Stamp Tool" to remove unwanted pimples, wrinkles, highlights and more. The tool is the fifth tool down on the left side of the "Tool" palette. Once you click on the "Clone Tool," the bar at the top will change and reveal a "Brush" control palette. If you click on the number next to "Brush," you can change the size of the circular stamp area that you will be using, as well as the hardness of the stamp. You normally want a feathered area around your stamp when removing things from a photo that has a lot of different shades to it. Otherwise, your stamped areas would be noticeable.

4. 

   Pick a brush size and move your pointer over to an area you want to fix up. Hold down the "Alt" key and your circlular pointer turns into a target. Click down on the area next to the zit or wrinkle that you want to cover the unwanted feature with. The clone then fills with that shaded area. Then, let go of the "Alt" key and click your circular pointer on top of the zit or part of the wrinkle. That area has now been covered with the shading you chose. Continue to hold down the "Alt" key, refill the "Clone Stamp Tool" with a color, let go and click, until the entire zit or wrinkle is covered.

5. 

   Remove wrinkles, blackheads or unwanted facial hair or highlights the same way. Remember to change the brush size to fit in the area you are working on. The "Clone Stamp Tool" was used on the sample photo to get rid of the highlights and wrinkles under the eyes. Be sure not to get rid of things that are needed in a photo, such as eyelashes. Change the brush stroke size to get in between the lashes. You can also change the opacity of the clone stroke if you need to lighten up the resulting coverup color so it blends better.

6. 

   Zoom back out to your full picture (using the tool that looks like a magnifying glass or "View" and "Fit on Screen"). See if the covered up areas look natural and look for other distracting areas of the photo that might need some touching up.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember it is better to remove a little at a time on a photo. You can take things off easily, but it may be harder to get things back after they are removed. It is possible to overwork a photo.

• Using the "Clone Stamp Tool" takes practice. Be sure to zoom out and look at your picture often to make sure the changes you make look natural. You will get better at achieving the desired effect with every photo you work on.

• It is important not to take away too much from a photo. Be sure not to remove moles or other distinguishing features that makes a person recognizable. Also, do not go crazy removing highlight after highlight. These are needed in a photo to create dimension.