Paint Shop Pro Retouch Tool Tutorial
Using the Push Mode to Alter a Face in Paint Shop Pro 7
The technique of retouching an image by “pushing” came of age in the U.S. during the 1990‘s as grand juries scratched their heads at Clinton administration testimony. Graphic hacks were not idle. Remember the Bill Clinton Pinocchio pictures that were going around the Internet? The tool that is the politician’s worst enemy can be the narcissists best friend. For those times when you want to look your absolute best and don’t have time for plastic surgery or dieting, you need a tool that can smooth those wrinkles like no makeup ever could. Paint Shop Pro’s Retouch tool allows you to blend skin and stretch and smooth body parts as in the above image. Let’s jump right in!
Step 1 - Open Image and Choose Retouch Tool
Right-click on the left below image called “face1.jpg” and save it to your hard-drive (”save picture as”). Open the image in Paint Shop Pro, then click the Retouch toolbar icon pictured below.
Retouch Tool
After doing this, you should see the Retouch Tool Options Palette. If it doesn’t appear after clicking the retouch tool on the toolbar (the finger above), go to the Paint Shop Pro menu bar and choose:
View > Toolbars > Tool Options Palette
Step 2 - Setting the Retouch Tool Options
Make sure tab 1 is selected and choose the settings below:
 |
||
| Shape: | Round | |
| *Size: | 60 | |
| Hardness: | 0 | |
| Opacity: | 100 | |
| Step: | 1 | |
| Density: | 100 | |
| Retouch Effect: | Push | |
*The size setting of the brush varies with image size.
Step 3 - Performing the Push
This man injured his nose at the dinner table. Let’s help him.
 |
 |
|
Before Push (face1.jpg) |
After Push (face2.jpg) |
Place the tool on the tip of the nose and push the nose slightly to the right while holding down the mouse. Experiment a bit and you will behold the power of the push tool. Try not to get into a tug of war with the nose, but if you do get carried away, be sure and use the Undo function under Edit. Also, use the Retouch tool’s Soften mode for smoothing and blending areas of the skin. The end result should show a straightened nose somewhere between Michael Jackson and Cyrano de Bergerac. It will never be perfect, but it’s cheaper than a makeover.
