Solstice Photo wrote:

Woohoo!

Did you meet Pascal Dangin?

Hahah you're good   Yeah, he's amazing!

Traciee D wrote:
self taught and lots of damn practicing.  And i'll continue to keep doing so because I think we all should strive for better no matter what it is we are doing.  I do however love watching other people retouch and what have you.  So fascinating to see how many ways ONE thing can be done.

So true!

We should record and post up clips of us doing so - it would be very helpful to all of us!

Pedro P Polakoff III wrote:
Other than a photography class in high-school, self taught

Same here. Started to go to art school in the 80s. Took up serious drinking instead. Gave that up later.

Elite Digital Design wrote:
Studied at college, but I am self taught in every technique I use, so college was a waste of time for me.. I learnt nothing apart from how to change the colour of a car and blur skin

I do feel the best way to learn is through trial and error. That way you don't just "copy" other peoples techniques.

That trial and error part... Does that extend to things like setting up a custom color separation using the density matrix tool? That would be a pretty expensive trial and error laden process.

Learning how to spot knock a pimple is a pretty easy process, trying to teach yourself the heavy duty stuff can be a bit daunting, especially when you have no idea what it is, let alone what it does.

Robert Randall wrote:

That trial and error part... Does that extend to things like setting up a custom color separation using the density matrix tool? That would be a pretty expensive trial and error laden process.

Learning how to spot knock a pimple is a pretty easy process, trying to teach yourself the heavy duty stuff can be a bit daunting, especially when you have no idea what it is, let alone what it does.

Hmm, I see your point. At the end of the day you are going to have to go into photoshop and TRY for youself, but with the heavy duty stuff if you have no idea where to start then tutorials/books/lessons would come in handy There's just so many to choose from.
I know I still have a LONG way to go until I get to where I want to be.. So I guess I'll  be turning to books sooner or later

James_B_II wrote:
I was born with a pencil in my hand and a skill that separates me from photographers and photo shoppers.  Streaming from a long line of artist on my mother and fathers side I am both classically trained through watchful eyes, questions, grade school, college, and experimentations in my on going pursuit to reach perfection.  What was the question?  Oh yeah,  Other mediums,  I specialize in pencil and paper, but I don't limit myself to any one particular medium.  I do photography, digital graphics, video, etc.  It would be easier to list what I don't do.  I am not to handy with a spray can.  I just never got the hang of that.  I think I will put that on my bucket list.

I sensed a great deal of pride and a certain arrogance in your post, so I went exploring to see what you're all about. I didn't find any of the art you spoke of, but I did find that you are turning Fresno into the next Hollywood, and your ad agency is producing ads with iStock watermarks all over them.

I would love to see some of the art that you were born with, but I don't want to see any iStock watermarks on it.

I've learned that as you get older you make fewer mistakes.

Elite Digital Design wrote:

Hmm, I see your point. At the end of the day you are going to have to go into photoshop and TRY for youself, but with the heavy duty stuff if you have no idea where to start then tutorials/books/lessons would come in handy There's just so many to choose from.
I know I still have a LONG way to go until I get to where I want to be.. So I guess I'll  be turning to books sooner or later

Maybe Rick Miller is lurking in here and he can point you to a book that covers the custom sep matrix. What I know about it I learned from Dan Margulis, but he doesn't really discuss it in his books, you have to go to class with him to learn it. Up until now, I've never seen anything about it in a book.

I use the tool to make seps that help me to isolate colors in order to make better masks more quickly.

Robert Randall wrote:

Maybe Rick Miller is lurking in here and he can point you to a book that covers the custom sep matrix. What I know about it I learned from Dan Margulis, but he doesn't really discuss it in his books, you have to go to class with him to learn it. Up until now, I've never seen anything about it in a book.

I use the tool to make seps that help me to isolate colors in order to make better masks more quickly.

Oh right, I'll keep an eye out thanks and have a look around for some books.

WG Retoucher wrote:
I'm self taught. Can you tell from my portfolio?

I can.

SCRetouching wrote:
I am, but I don't want to be, I want to learn the whole technical side  Im thinking of just getting a huge loan and going to uni ..  but im not sure if certain books could give me just as much info needed..

THATS HOW I FEEL! I am self taught, but I wanna know more and I wanna understand the technical part that I dont have access to learn, like studio Im not a pro at that or anywhere close to knowing everything. I know we are always learning, but I sometimes wanna go to a fun school. Like Interntional Academy of Design and Tech.