The Internet as a learning tool? Pshaw!

Lately I've found myself using YouTube more and more for video-tutorials on Photoshop and complicated video-editing software, as both are hobbies of mine, but in the process I stumbled across a very interesting video from Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty.

It shows a not-extraordinary looking woman (I'm trying to be diplomatic withh my choice of words here) being transformed into something you'd usually find on the front of a magazine, or in this case, a billboard... Just watch it and you'll see what I mean, it won't take a minute (it'll actually take a minute and a quarter).



Staggering, yes? Seems there has been videos like this on YouTube before this ad surfaced, (which may have been where Dove got the idea) but you can see something even more extreme happening here - although it's done in a more technical style, so you'd probably be more interested in the final comparison shot.

Lastly, and just as an aside, because I personally found this hilarious - it being the kind of response I'd post to this new YouTube fad; somebody spoofed it! Here it is...

I was always aware that photos in magazines were being airbrushed, erasing blemishes and other such imperfections, but I never considered the kind of manipulation that's apparrent here! Stretching out necks? Shrinking and curving shoulders? Enlarging a girl's eyes? I'm a little ashamed that I can find a girl with such cartoon-like features attractive!

These videos also evoke a sense of jealousy from me - I want to be that good at Photoshop! Maybe then the pics on this blog will be more Calvin Klein, and less Shrek!