When retouching portraits, the key to natural-looking wrinkle removal lies in choosing the right approach for your image. Complete wrinkle elimination can make subjects appear artificially smooth, while subtle reduction maintains character and authenticity.
This tutorial demonstrates two distinct methods: one for complete wrinkle removal and another for natural-looking wrinkle reduction that preserves skin texture and maintains realistic aging.
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Practical Tips
Master these key techniques for professional wrinkle retouching that looks natural and realistic.
- Size your brush slightly larger than the wrinkle itself to capture both the line and surrounding shadows and highlights
- Use "Current and Below" sampling when working on new layers to ensure proper blending with underlying image data
- Sample skin texture from areas immediately adjacent to wrinkles for the most convincing results
- Work on a duplicated background layer when using blend modes to ensure the effect processes correctly
- Choose wrinkle reduction over complete removal to maintain natural skin character and avoid the "plastic" look
Related Articles and Tutorials
Explore these additional portrait retouching techniques for comprehensive skin enhancement workflows.









