Who would like a Kattie virtual makeover

[Kathryn Philips]

Unfortunatellly I don't think I will ever be able to dress fully and wear full make-up and a wig to become on the outside the woman that I am on the inside. To get around this I have developed my own virtual makeover tools for my PC. The picture posted here (together with the original image) is an example of what I can achieve. In fact I think this is the first true picture of the woman inside me. I was just wondering if I got a real makeover I could actually look like this? After all, I have just covered my original image with semi-transparent layers of color and that is the same as what the various make-up products are doing on one's face. I was also wondering if any of you ladies, who like me are not able to get fully made up, would like me to give you a Kattie virtual makeover. I will be able to apply foundation, trim eyebrows, put eye shadow, lisptick, a nice wig from a wide selection and in some cases, earrings. If you like you could send me a private message giving some ideas on your desided look and a little about yourself. I will then give you my email address where you can send the original and some instructions. If I get an avalanche of requests please bear with me. Each makeover can take up 1 hour to perform and I can only do this late in the evenings when the wife has gone to bed.

[Julie York]

That looks very impressive. Getting someone to send you a 'before' photo might be a challenge though.

[Barb Valentine]

I agree
What a great look

[Robin Leigh]

Very impressive work, Kattie. :thumbsup: It'd take me much more than an hour to acheive what you have! It is great fun doing this sort of thing. Digital cleavage creation (by shading) is pretty cool, too.

My avatar was made from a very low-res B&W shot, smoothed a little to remove beard shadow, converted to sepia-tone & then hand colourised to restore my makeup.

You said that you have developed your own virtual makeover tools. That's pretty impressive! I've written some image processing software, but nothing like this. How much of this virtual makeover is automated, and how much do you do by hand?

I am really impressed with the quality of your work, but I hope you don't mind a little constructive criticism.

Firstly, there seems to be a few stray pixels from the wig off to the left side, which don't look like they should be there.

I think you've gone a little too heavy on the forehead area, which makes it look flat. When I do this sort of work, I keep blending the current version back with the original (or a grayscale version) to avoid these sorts of problems. Get rid of the heavy lines, by all means, but you do need some darker shading at the sides of the head to prevent that flat look.

The throat region is excellent; the transition to the chest could be a little smoother, but it's no big deal. The beard cover is almost perfect, but the colour matching isn't quite right. You could probably get away with a tiny bit more bluring on the beard region, as well.

The shiny spot on the nose could be softened a little, but by and large you've done an excelllent job of retaining the skin translucency, and getting rid of all the shine would undermine that. I think the shiny spots just need to have the edges blurred a bit, and maybe reduce their brightness a tiny bit.

I wish you all encouragement with this, Kattie!

:hugs:

Robin

[Stephanie Stephens]

Kathie - I just love what you have done - if I wasn' to chicken I would send you my photo to fem for me. Is there a way a Novice like me can do this?

thanks - Stephanie

[sherell]

Love the look I've tried before it is time consuming

[Trinni]

That is very impressive work. I'm curious, is you work done on a PC or a MAC. It doesn't make a difference in the work but I know MAC's are better for those kind of things, So I've heard.

[Kathryn Philips]

Nice work. I have done this in the past with "Cosmopolitans Virtual Makeover" program! It is so much fun!
I haven't used Cosmopolitan's software but in the one that I purchased none of the hair styles fits the shape of my face and then there is the problem of the beard shadow. The following picture is an example showing the sort of results I could achieve from the same original.

[celeste26]

You probably underestimate the effects of a good makeover specialist. There really isn't anything like them and then you can learn to do it yourself and you can be free as a bird.

Except for the fear of being found out, but that is another storyline.

[Jacqui]

Hi, Kattie, your look is great! You inspired me to play around with some makeover tools on the web and update my avatar. I even found a new body to stick my head on. Wish it was this easy!

Jacqui

[paris1975]

I am taking a new picture of myself and going to find out how i look, transformed :) Thanks for doing me katie :)

[paigestg]

I think the key to the Cosmo makeover software is you need to start with a super hi-resolution picture first. Having a tablet for your PC (you can get a cheap one for like $50) helps too. But you could always touch it up in Photoshop or something like that. Just my 2c.

[Kathryn Philips]

Very impressive work, Kattie. :thumbsup: It'd take me much more than an hour to acheive what you have! It is great fun doing this sort of thing. Digital cleavage creation (by shading) is pretty cool, too.

My avatar was made from a very low-res B&W shot, smoothed a little to remove beard shadow, converted to sepia-tone & then hand colourised to restore my makeup.

You said that you have developed your own virtual makeover tools. That's pretty impressive! I've written some image processing software, but nothing like this. How much of this virtual makeover is automated, and how much do you do by hand?

I am really impressed with the quality of your work, but I hope you don't mind a little constructive criticism.

Firstly, there seems to be a few stray pixels from the wig off to the left side, which don't look like they should be there.

I think you've gone a little too heavy on the forehead area, which makes it look flat. When I do this sort of work, I keep blending the current version back with the original (or a grayscale version) to avoid these sorts of problems. Get rid of the heavy lines, by all means, but you do need some darker shading at the sides of the head to prevent that flat look.

The throat region is excellent; the transition to the chest could be a little smoother, but it's no big deal. The beard cover is almost perfect, but the colour matching isn't quite right. You could probably get away with a tiny bit more bluring on the beard region, as well.

The shiny spot on the nose could be softened a little, but by and large you've done an excelllent job of retaining the skin translucency, and getting rid of all the shine would undermine that. I think the shiny spots just need to have the edges blurred a bit, and maybe reduce their brightness a tiny bit.

I wish you all encouragement with this, Kattie!

:hugs:

Robin

Thanks Robin, for you constructive critisism.

The software I have written is very automated and is all achieved through clicking outlines or control points and entering parameters such as color, brightness, contrast and opacity.

So far I have written software modules to perform the following:

1) Remove beard shadow
2) Shape eyebrows
3) Apply eyeliner
4) Apply eyeshadow (any colour)
5) Apply lipstick (any colour)
6) Put virtual glasses on
7) Wear any virtual wig
8) Wear pearl studs or hoop earrings

All alterations to the image are performed on a pixel by pixel basis and no bluring or smoothing occurs. So, in effect, I am retaining an element of the original image in every pixel. It all boils down to choosing the right overlay colour with the correct amount of transparency (or opacity).

The foundation color is based on the average color of he skin in the covered area and transparency gradually is increased to 100% towards the edges of the foundation cover. This ensures that no abrupt changes in colour appear.
In the original picture posted my foundation covered the entire forehead rather than 1inch abober the eyebrows, hence original skin texture and shading is lost leading to a flat appearance.

I have received 4 requests for a Kattie makeover and have replied to all the interested girls with some guidelines (size, quality, etc.) on the original picture they must send me. I am now waiting for for th first originals to be sent.

In the meantime, here is another picture of the real me. Note, the earrings you see were part of the hair Image I have used. Unfortunatelly my ears are not pierced...

[Robin Leigh]

Thanks Robin, for you constructive critisism.

The software I have written is very automated and is all achieved through clicking outlines or control points and entering parameters such as color, brightness, contrast and opacity.

So far I have written software modules to perform the following:

1) Remove beard shadow
2) Shape eyebrows
3) Apply eyeliner
4) Apply eyeshadow (any colour)
5) Apply lipstick (any colour)
6) Put virtual glasses on
7) Wear any virtual wig
8) Wear pearl studs or hoop earrings
Very impressive!


All alterations to the image are performed on a pixel by pixel basis and no bluring or smoothing occurs. So, in effect, I am retaining an element of the original image in every pixel. It all boils down to choosing the right overlay colour with the correct amount of transparency (or opacity).

The foundation color is based on the average color of he skin in the covered area and transparency gradually is increased to 100% towards the edges of the foundation cover. This ensures that no abrupt changes in colour appear.
I see. But I think it would be useful to use some blurring in some cases, like beard shadow & line removal, if that can be incorporated in your software system. Not a simple blur, though. I'd suggest using something like the non-linear filter in pnmnlfilt (http://netpbm.sourceforge.net/doc/pnmnlfilt.html).


I am now waiting for for the first originals to be sent.Oh well, I guess we're all a bit shy. :)

:hugs:

Robin