Enhancing sky without artifacts

i have been given bunch of old pictures & asked enhance them. changing levels, & using autofix works of them many of them need sharpening. 

 

the sharpening tool 'unsharp' works on areas of picture expect sky can make obvious artifacts. 

 

what best way fix skys?  possible start magic want & blur or there better way?

 

thanks in advance

there better ways. here

 

is one:

 

download

 

the free return eden cloud brushes adobe studio exchange.

 

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensiondetail&extid=1041011

 

to use these, set foreground color chip white, click apply them - don't paint

 

a light sky color c7d7ea. darker sky color 628dc0  (zero)

 

1. duplicate background layer
2. use magic wand tool select old sky, delete it
3. fill selection replacement sky using 1 of above colors, or  if prefer
4. open blank layer @ top of stack , add clouds. can use bracket keyes change size of clouds

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