Retouches

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To make small adjustments or enhancements to an image or artwork to improve its appearance; to apply minor edits or repairs in order to refine or alter the visual elements of a creative work; to revise or update elements of a project with precision and care to achieve a desired outcome
2. To carry out subtle modifications to enhance the quality of a photo or painting; to perform delicate fixes that renew and beautify artistic creations; to adjust various aspects in preparation for a final presentation
3. To implement slight changes to improve aesthetic features in visual media; to conduct careful refinements on art pieces or photographs; to amend components of a work for better clarity and impact

Etymology: "Retouches" is the third-person singular present of the verb "retouch" (and the plural of the noun), so it is the same word in its plural and verb forms. The base word "retouch" was borrowed from French "retoucher", meaning to touch up or go over again, built from "re-" (again) and "toucher" (to touch). The French verb itself comes from the same root as English "touch", so the word is essentially a repeated touching. In English the sense stayed close to its literal origin: to go over a finished piece again with a brush or tool. The use in photography and printing, where it means correcting or improving an image by hand, came later and extended that original idea of retouching a painting. The modern sense of making small improvements to visual media is a direct continuation of this painterly meaning.

Synonyms: touch-ups, revisions, edits, alterations, improvements