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Career Details : Photographic Retouchers and Restorers

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Description

Retouch or restore photographic negatives and prints to accentuate desirable features of subject, using pencils, watercolors, or airbrushes.

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Education

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Tasks

  • Shades negative or photograph with pencil to smooth facial contours, conceal blemishes, stray hairs, or wrinkles, and soften highlights.
  • Trims edges of print to enhance appearance, using scissors or paper cutter.
  • Examines drawing, negative, or photographic print to determine coloring, shading, accenting, and changes required to retouch or restore.
  • Cuts out masking template, using shears, and positions templates on picture to mask selected areas.
  • Paints negative with retouching medium, to ensure retouching pencil will mark surface of negative.
  • Applies paint to retouch or enhance negative or photograph, using airbrush, pen, artist's brush, cotton swab, or gloved finger.
  • Wipes excess color from portrait to produce specified shade, using cotton swab.
  • Mixes ink or paint solutions, according to color specifications, color chart, and consistency desired.
  • Inks borders or lettering on illustration, using pen, brush, or drafting instruments.
  • Rubs eraser or cloth over photograph to reduce gloss, remove debris, or prepare specified areas of illustration for highlighting.

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    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
    • Consequence of Error
    • Indoors

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