Numbers for skin tones

[caligula]

What are good numbers when taking a reading for "average" caucasian skin tones? Does one use different numbers for a male rather than female caucasian subject?. If the subject is older, do you use different numbers? I am trying to adjust the individual channels in curves to correct and balance the skin tones. Thanks a lot. Any guidance is appreciated.

[NEMESIS]

Hello buddy :)

Well you are interested the most in red channel since it is most sensitive to light and contains a lot about skin tone information. So what you have to do is to set the sample point and go ti Info palette/panel and take a look what does it says in CMYK how much percents of each color you have. So to color correct the image by numbers ratios between colors should look like this:

CYAN: is one third to one fifth of Magenta or Yellow channel
MAGENTA: magenta and yellow are close to each other
YELLOW: is higher then magenta
K: is zero

So for example number relationship between channels would be like this:

CYAN = 15
MAGENTA = 45
YELLOW = 48
K = 0

Note that this isn't actual numbers. It is number relationship or ratio between channels for correct color skin tone.

So if skin have denser tones those numbers will be higher.

So now i am going to elaborate practical use;

Assuming that you have opened up image in Photoshop. Let's say a portrait and you need to color correct that image before retouching so after the retouch you can send it for printing. With Eyedropper tool Shift click on image where is some diffused highlight to set up the sample point. If you are correcting some fashion photography avoid heavy makeup areas.
In Info palette change your readings to CMYK and evaluate your numbers. Caucasian color correcting skin tone ratios is above (already explained). So in Curves change R,G,B till they match ratio i have explained before.
Note that sample size of Eyedropper tool matters a lot since it evaluates a region of the skin and gives info to Info palette/pannel so depending on resolution of the image you set that Sample Size. And make sure that isn't bellow 5 x 5 average. So in that case it will get 5px x 5px and it will average that color and it will represent the color information in Info palette expressed in some percentage. And in most cases Magenta will be higher then Yellow so you can take advantage of technique that i have described you to color correct skin tones for caucasians.

Cheers my friend :)

[mitzs]

Go to Adobe TV, and look for photoshopcafe tv. Colin has just posted a video doing that with the channels.

[mitzs]

HI there nemesis. I didn't even see you there.

[NEMESIS]

Mitzs i am invisible and i am striking when you least expect me :D

[mitzs]

Mitzs i am invisible and i am striking when you least expect me :D

Oh don't you threaten me with a good time! :p

[caligula]

Thanks for steering me to Collin Williams/ photoshop tv, Mitz. I will check it out. Thanks Nemesis for your very thorough explanation. I can't wait to apply the results of your explanation to my images. My only question to you so far Nemesis is what do you mean by " If skin has denser skin-tones the numbers will be higher? Does that mean that if the numbers are significantly higher in the image, you should adjust the individual channels in curves using higher numbers, but preserving the proportional ratio you suggested between channels?

[mitzs]

Thanks for steering me to Collin Williams/ photoshop tv, Mitz. I will check it out. Thanks Nemesis for your very thorough explanation. I can't wait to apply the results of your explanation to my images. My only question to you so far Nemesis is what do you mean by " If skin has denser skin-tones the numbers will be higher? Does that mean that if the numbers are significantly higher in the image, you should adjust the individual channels in curves using higher numbers, but preserving the proportional ratio you suggested between channels?

I see you know who I am talking about because I did not even know his last name.:) Just don't forget to give a honest rating after you watch it. I went to his site when I was done and he was asking people to rate it when they were done. He said someone had been going around giving all his stuff a bad rating. If it is bad, then that is what he should get, but if it is someone just being a jerkoff, welll I just think that is wrong. I liked it so he received a good one from me. ;)

Another good one to watch while you are there is julie kost. I think I spelled her first name wrong. She has 2 on photoshop. One is about making your own templates in ps.

[NEMESIS]

Hello Caligula :)

Yes, depending on image numbers you have to get numbers by percentages i have described you before. What i meant with denser skin tones is that every value for CMYK will be higher in percentage. But to properly color correct skin tone just use recipe :D i have provided you above.

Anyways if any questions you know where to find me :)

Cheers buddy :)