Retouching a pet portrait and a human portrait have quite a bit in common, even though the subjects are quite different.
Cleaning Up Imperfections
It’s important to remove distractions from portraits. Acne, blemishes, and stray hairs are removed in human portraits. Eye goop, flyaway fur, and scratches are removed in pet portraits.
In both types of portraits, the background often needs to be cleaned up. It’s also necessary to ensure the colours, contrast, and brightness are accurate and pleasing.
Enhancing Natural Beauty
Both humans and pets should look their best while still looking natural. Human retouching involves smoothing skin, brightening eyes, and evening out skin tones. Pet retouching may require smoothing fur, brightening eyes, and removing dirt or drool.
Facial Features and Expressions
We’re wired to recognize subtle emotions in expressions. Retouching often enhances the eyes and mouth, which are our two most expressive features. Similarly, in a pet portrait, the eyes and smile(?) are also emphasized. Animal expressions also come from the ears and posture but the eyes are the most important in a portrait.
On the other hand, there are definitely some differences when between retouching a pet portrait and a human portrait.
Human Skin vs. Fur
Human skin has a relatively smooth texture. Retouching often involves subtle smoothing, blemish removal, and evening out tones.
Animal fur/hair/feathers is complex. It is directional, layered, and textured. Smoothing is not required but instead it has to be cleaned and enhanced.
Unlike pets, humans can have shiny skin, wrinkles around their eyes and mouth, dark circles under their eyes, and perhaps a double chin. All these may need retouching.
Clothing and Accessories
Pets don’t usually wear clothes but they may need a collar or leash removed from a photo.
Humans often need retouching to fix wrinkled clothing, crooked collars, loose ties, or a missing button. Humans may also need reflections removed from eyeglasses.
Retouching Tolerance
People are very sensitive to over-retouched skin. It is very easy to notice bad retouching.
With pets, there is a bit more creative freedom, as long as you don’t make the animal look too cartoonish.
