Week 17 – Dynamic Skin Softener in Color Efex Pro 4
Image by © Tony Corbell
The Dynamic Skin Softener filter softens details in an image based on color. When you select a particular color in the image, it softens similar colors throughout the image based on Color Reach and detail size without affecting other objects in the image.
Let’s begin by taking a look at the filter controls, and how we can use these to achieve the desired effect.
There are two methods that you can use to select a color:
1. Choose the eyedropper tool and then click on your image to select a color. For portraits, we recommend selecting a color on the forehead between the eyes.
2. Click on the color patch to open the color picker for many different color options.
Example of selecting the eyedropper or color patch
There are several different methods available that will control how much softening will be applied to the selected color.
Color Reach: Color reach controls the range of colors that will be softened. Moving the slider to the left will narrow the color range and therefor remove softening from the image. Moving the slider to the right will increase the range of colors effected, increasing the softening present in the image.
The following sliders can be used to control the amount of softening applied to the image. At 0%, no softening will be applied. Moving the slider to the right will increase the amount of softening.
Small Details: Applies the softening effect to the small details in your image.
Medium Details: Applies the softening effect to the medium details in your image.
Large Details: Applies the softening effect to the large details in your image.
Different methods of applying the amount of softening to your image
Tip: The Dynamic Skin Softener filter is not just for portraits! You can use this filter on any color in an image that you would like to soften. For example, a flower, clouds, feathers, etc.
© Laurie Rubin- Example of using Dynamic Skin Softener on feathers
Mark, these videos are excellent. For the Dynamic Skin Softener, can you explain why you added the plus control points at the very end of the video? Also, in general with any filter, which control point takes precedence where minus and plus control points overlap? Thanks!
Thank you for your comments George! The plus Control Point will ‘add’ the filter effect selectively to the image while the minus Control Point will ‘remove’ the filter effect. In this video, Mark used the plus Control Point to add the Dynamic Skin Softening filter to her face to soften the skin. As far as which Control Point takes precedence, that would be the last Control Point that was added. Hope that helps!
The way I understood it was: he first applied a minus control point on the eyelashes. Their color is similar in color of the shadow side of the nose and thus it applied to that side of the nose too, since the size of that control point was large enough to cover it. The plus CP reverted that action on the shadow side of the nose
Not sure if this is a proper procedure, but I’ve found that the standard settings are way too strong for my liking. So, instead of tweaking the small, medium and large sliders, I’ll immediately put a negative control point on the same point where I selected the color and put it at 50% plus or minus depending on what degree of softening I like. In group shots, I’ll put a negative on all guys, or in some cases a 5-10 percent just to soften them up a tad. I also will dial back (or set at zero) on children’s faces since their skin is already perfect! It’s quick and gives nice results. But, if there is a better or more accurate process, do tell!