Damaged Photo = need a bit of help please

[PK]

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/8367/thumbs/DamagedArea.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=405233&title=damage-on-photo&cat=8367)
Damage on Photo (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=405233&title=damage-on-photo&cat=8367)


Need help in working out the best way to fix this damage on this photo.

It appears to me that the damage was a scratch or loss of image surface at that point, which someone at some point in time has coloured in with either pencil or pen.

Anyone got any digital suggestions as to how to go about fixing this spot?

Thanks

[Lora]

PK, Do you have the original photo that you can scan at a higher resolution...maybe at least 200 to 300 ppi? If you can scan it that way and send it to me, I will fix it for you :) Then you can print it out.

This is what I added to the comments in the Gallery Photo:

It will need to be done by hand with the cloning tool and adjusted in a few layers.

Unfortunately, Content Aware will not fix it.
Content Aware is a pretty neat tool, but it is also very limited (IMO) because it does not add the gradient of color or pattern correctly when filling in.
The Content Aware tool was not a selling point for me at all, I just wanted CS5 for the Mixing Brushes LOL

[PK]

Thanks for your offer of fixing it Lora - I really would like to do this myself if possible though - I've fixed some pretty bad damage in the past, but nothing that goes over such a large portion of a critical feature.
I have it scanned at 300ppi but it has a lot of noise as well as scan lines - it's really strange in that respect - and I havent yet worked out how to tell my scanner to scan at a different resolution.

[PK]

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/8367/thumbs/James_Ada_wedding-adj_web.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=405344&title=damage-on-photo-repaired&cat=8367)
Damage on Photo Repair... (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=405344&title=damage-on-photo-repaired&cat=8367)


I think I've got it to a good point.
I did go further but then it started looking weird - here is just looks old and slightly damaged

[Lora]

OH! You did a great job!
Looks awesome to me!