Tutorial: Full Icon #1
In this tutorial (my first!), I am going to teach you, step-by-step, how to go from...
this:
to this:
STEP 1: PICK AN IMAGE
First, open up the image you are going to use in Photoshop. I am using this image of Angelina Jolie, courtesy of AngelinaFan.Net.
STEP 2: CROP & RESIZE
The next thing we're going to do is crop and resize the image so that we get it down to 100x100 pixels. Always keep in mind what you want the overall image of the icon to look like and where you want to place your text/brushes.
There is a specific way that I crop my images for icons. When I first click on the crop tool (
) I go up to the Options Toolbar (underneath 'File, Edit, Image' etc...) and change the settings to this:
This makes it so that when you crop, you will always be able to resize your image to 100x100 without any hassle. Now, I am going to crop the image like so:
Now go to Image > Image Size and resize the image to 100x100 pixels. You should end up with something similar to this:
STEP 3: SHARPEN
I do this effect to most of my icons, seeing as how when I resize them they tend to become blurry. First, go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Depending on the actual image itself, sometimes I may repeat this effect. However, on this icon, I only used the filter once. I ended up with this:
STEP 4: LIGHTING
I myself have a tendency to like bright icons as opposed to darker ones. So, on most of my creations, I use the screen effect. First, duplicate the image twice. (You can duplicate an image by going to Layer > Duplicate Layer or pressing CTRL+J on your keyboard.) Then, in the layer palette, on the first duplicated layer (Layer 1 copy), set the property to 'Screen', like so:
Note: If your layer palette is not visible, go to Window > Layers.
The next thing that I did with this icon was to go to the second duplicated image (Layer 1 copy 2) and set the property to 'Soft Light'.
You should end up with something like this:
STEP 5: COLORING
When I looked at this picture, I knew right away that I wanted my icon to be based on "sensual" or "warm" tones and colors, such as red, yellow, etc. So the first thing that I did, on the second, screened layer (Layer 1 copy), was adjust the image variations. You can do this by going to Image > Adjustments > Variations. First you want to clear all previous adjustments by clicking 'Original' in the upper left-hand corner.
In order to get a red-orange tone, I clicked the selections in this order:1. More Red
2. More Yellow
3. More Red
4. More Red
5. More Yellow
6. Darker
7. Darker
I ended up with this:
Now, I like icons that have color, but for me this was a little too much of the SAME color. So the next thing I did was desaturate the top layer (Layer 1 copy 2). You can do this by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+U on your keyboard or going to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.
Next, I created a new layer (CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+N or Layer > New > Layer). I then filled it with #FDE8CB and set the layer property to Soft Light. After that I created another new layer and filled it with #080E31, setting it to Exclusion.
Here is my result:
STEP 6: LIGHT EFFECTS
I love to use light effects in my icons. But in order to create that effect, I first need to pick an image to use. Now, you can go off if you'd like and search through livejournal and find one that has already been created by someone else. But I would much rather prefer to create my own. Here's how you can do just that:
Creating a Light Effect
First off, you want to find an image that has, well, light effects. You can do this by going to sites that offer stock images (look at my list of resources if you need help finding any). For this icon, I went to TonyStone.Com and searched for "northern lights". I then looked around until I found the image that I wanted to use. I chose this one.
The next thing that I do is, using the same method before, crop and resize the image. I end up with this:
Since I want to keep the same colors as before and do not want to turn my icon blue, I desaturate the image. But, notice how by doing so I lose the overall effect of the lights. So, in order to bring back the contrast between the darks and lights of the image, I adjust the Levels. You can do this by pressing CTRL+L on your keyboard or going to Image > Adjustments > Levels. Here are the settings I used:
You now have your light effect! Here is what I ended up with...
Now what you want to do is copy and paste the light effect as a new layer onto your icon. After doing that, I set the layer's property to Screen and it's opacity to 60%. Since I didn't want the main part of the effect to cover Angelina's face, I rotated it by going to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90* CCW. Here is what I ended up with:
STEP 7: BRUSHES
In my opinion, brushes can add a lot to the overall image and feel of your icon. The brush that I used came from my own lipstick kisses set. After creating a new layer, I used the third to last brush (color #865468) in the upper left-hand corner. Since I didn't want the kiss to be the main focus of the image, I then changed the layer's property to Color Burn and the opacity to 60%. Here is what I came up with:
STEP 8: TEXT
I myself am a fan of tiny text as opposed to larger text. For this icon, I inserted text overtop of the kiss. I chose the default font 'Times New Roman' and used this set of lyrics, from the song 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None the Richer:kiss me beneath the milky twilight
The end result:
And now you have your icon! :)
Note that this icon, of course, is up for grabs. Just remember to credit.
this:
to this:
STEP 1: PICK AN IMAGE
First, open up the image you are going to use in Photoshop. I am using this image of Angelina Jolie, courtesy of AngelinaFan.Net.
STEP 2: CROP & RESIZE
The next thing we're going to do is crop and resize the image so that we get it down to 100x100 pixels. Always keep in mind what you want the overall image of the icon to look like and where you want to place your text/brushes.
There is a specific way that I crop my images for icons. When I first click on the crop tool (
) I go up to the Options Toolbar (underneath 'File, Edit, Image' etc...) and change the settings to this:
This makes it so that when you crop, you will always be able to resize your image to 100x100 without any hassle. Now, I am going to crop the image like so:
Now go to Image > Image Size and resize the image to 100x100 pixels. You should end up with something similar to this:
STEP 3: SHARPEN
I do this effect to most of my icons, seeing as how when I resize them they tend to become blurry. First, go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Depending on the actual image itself, sometimes I may repeat this effect. However, on this icon, I only used the filter once. I ended up with this:
STEP 4: LIGHTING
I myself have a tendency to like bright icons as opposed to darker ones. So, on most of my creations, I use the screen effect. First, duplicate the image twice. (You can duplicate an image by going to Layer > Duplicate Layer or pressing CTRL+J on your keyboard.) Then, in the layer palette, on the first duplicated layer (Layer 1 copy), set the property to 'Screen', like so:
Note: If your layer palette is not visible, go to Window > Layers.
The next thing that I did with this icon was to go to the second duplicated image (Layer 1 copy 2) and set the property to 'Soft Light'.
You should end up with something like this:
STEP 5: COLORING
When I looked at this picture, I knew right away that I wanted my icon to be based on "sensual" or "warm" tones and colors, such as red, yellow, etc. So the first thing that I did, on the second, screened layer (Layer 1 copy), was adjust the image variations. You can do this by going to Image > Adjustments > Variations. First you want to clear all previous adjustments by clicking 'Original' in the upper left-hand corner.
In order to get a red-orange tone, I clicked the selections in this order:1. More Red
2. More Yellow
3. More Red
4. More Red
5. More Yellow
6. Darker
7. Darker
I ended up with this:
Now, I like icons that have color, but for me this was a little too much of the SAME color. So the next thing I did was desaturate the top layer (Layer 1 copy 2). You can do this by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+U on your keyboard or going to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.
Next, I created a new layer (CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+N or Layer > New > Layer). I then filled it with #FDE8CB and set the layer property to Soft Light. After that I created another new layer and filled it with #080E31, setting it to Exclusion.
Here is my result:
STEP 6: LIGHT EFFECTS
I love to use light effects in my icons. But in order to create that effect, I first need to pick an image to use. Now, you can go off if you'd like and search through livejournal and find one that has already been created by someone else. But I would much rather prefer to create my own. Here's how you can do just that:
Creating a Light Effect
First off, you want to find an image that has, well, light effects. You can do this by going to sites that offer stock images (look at my list of resources if you need help finding any). For this icon, I went to TonyStone.Com and searched for "northern lights". I then looked around until I found the image that I wanted to use. I chose this one.
The next thing that I do is, using the same method before, crop and resize the image. I end up with this:
Since I want to keep the same colors as before and do not want to turn my icon blue, I desaturate the image. But, notice how by doing so I lose the overall effect of the lights. So, in order to bring back the contrast between the darks and lights of the image, I adjust the Levels. You can do this by pressing CTRL+L on your keyboard or going to Image > Adjustments > Levels. Here are the settings I used:
You now have your light effect! Here is what I ended up with...
Now what you want to do is copy and paste the light effect as a new layer onto your icon. After doing that, I set the layer's property to Screen and it's opacity to 60%. Since I didn't want the main part of the effect to cover Angelina's face, I rotated it by going to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90* CCW. Here is what I ended up with:
STEP 7: BRUSHES
In my opinion, brushes can add a lot to the overall image and feel of your icon. The brush that I used came from my own lipstick kisses set. After creating a new layer, I used the third to last brush (color #865468) in the upper left-hand corner. Since I didn't want the kiss to be the main focus of the image, I then changed the layer's property to Color Burn and the opacity to 60%. Here is what I came up with:
STEP 8: TEXT
I myself am a fan of tiny text as opposed to larger text. For this icon, I inserted text overtop of the kiss. I chose the default font 'Times New Roman' and used this set of lyrics, from the song 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None the Richer:kiss me beneath the milky twilight
The end result:
And now you have your icon! :)
Note that this icon, of course, is up for grabs. Just remember to credit.