airbrush effect? Options

[turniphead-stuff]

hi. i am looking for a tutorial that will give me this kind of effect. i really like the flawless, shiny airbrush affect.
i've looked through all the old forum topics and the tutorials here on createblog, but i haven't found anything that helps.
does anyone know where i can kind a tutorial to do that flawless/airbrushed look?
i used photoshop cs3 extended.
i also have cs2.
i would eve be willing to use a psp tutorial and try it out on ps..
thanks to anyone who could help...

[Gigi]

There are several ways to do this. I'm sort of writing this from memory so forgive me if some of the names are wrong.

1. Using "Gaussian Blur" and the lasso tool:
This is probably the way that will look most similar to your example. First, duplicate the image layer and set to "Soft Light" or "Overlay". Merge the two layers. Choose the lasso tool, and set feathering at about 10-20 px. Select parts of the skin you'd like to be airbrushed (this usually means the cheeks, forehead, and other flatter areas. You want to stay away from any edges). Then, apply the Gaussian Blur filter at around 5 pixels. Only the parts you selected should be blurred.

2. Using the blur tool.
This will give you the same sort of results as the first one (might even look better because you pay more attention to detail), but it takes longer. Again, duplicate the image layer and set to "Soft Light" or "Overlay". Merge the two layers. Select the blur tool (under the eraser tool), and start blurring the areas you'd like to be airbrushed. You can change opacity and brush size here to create a more natural look.

3. Using the "Smart Blur" filter:
This is the fastest way to do it, but it doesn't look as good. Again, duplicate the image layer and set to "Soft Light" or "Overlay". Merge the two layers. Apply the Smart Blur filter; usually the default settings are fine. Smart Blur blurs an image at low-contrast areas and retains edges on high-contrast areas. In other words, it blurs the surface while retaining edges.