Coloring tutorial #1 and #2
Since my personal computer is broken AGAIN, and my pen drive also is, I not only lost my photos, my fan fictions etc. but also my colorings T___T so, since I'm really STUPID and I didn't do a backup of my files, now I just hope that someone can save everything...but I won't give up, tehehehehe. Despite I only have a Jurassic personal computer (512mb of RAM...Jeez), I found a portable version of Photoshop CS2 and I tried to make a coloring similar to what I used for my previous batch of icons (the AKB ones)...later I found the coloring of those icons, but I think the coloring I made is quite nice, especially with black and white images, so I decided to write two simple tutorials (even if I found the other coloring) because I tried to make a new icons batch but I'm not inspired (and I won't have time to do them anyway XD). Sorry if my English is inaccurate, but in this period I'm very busy and I don't write much. Btw, the tutorials are for Photoshop but translateable to Paint Shop Pro and Gimp (I think so, I'm not a Gimp user). Hope you will find them useful!
For Kanjani scans, thanks to Johnny's Sekai
We're going from
to
Remember that this tutorial doesn't work best for all the images :)
Step 1: Duplicate the base layer and set it to Color Burn (Burn for PSP users) and leave the opacity 100%. You'll change it later depending on how your icon will turn out.
Step 2: Create a color fill layer (Layer->New fill layer->Solid color) and fill it with #C5C5C5, set it to Saturation, but ONLY if you want a b&w icon. If not, set it to Screen at 60% opacity. Remember: if you want a b&w icon, then duplicate this layer and set it to Screen anyway (you will have two #C5C5C5 layers, one set to Saturation, the other set to Screen).
Step 3: Create another color fill layer and fill it with #838383, set it to Multiply 60% opacity.
Step 4: Create another color fill layer and fill it with #D0D0D0, set it to Color Burn 100% opacity.
Step 5: Duplicate the previous layer and set it to Difference, 18% opacity.
Step 6: Create a new Hue/Saturation layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Hue/Saturation/Lightness) and move the Saturation up to +10 (or maybe higher, depends on your icon).
Step 7: Create a new blank layer (Layer->New->Layer), fill it with black and pick a white soft and big brush (I think it works best around 60-80 px) and after you've made a sort of "glowing orb" go to Filter->Blur->Gaussian Blur, and move the arrow until you're satisfied. Then set this texture to Screen. The opacity may vary depending on your icon.
Step 8: Copy merged layers, or merge the layers, then sharpen a bit.
And you're done!
Another example of this coloring, this time b&w!
Here is the second tutorial :)
We're going from
to
Step 1: Duplicate your base and set it to Soft Light 100% opacity.
Step 2: Create a new curves layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Curves) and follow the instructions:
Point one: Input 86>Output 90
Point two: Input 125>Output 147
Point three: Input 250>Output 232 (for this point, move the point at the top right)
Step 3: Create a new color balance layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Color balance):
Midtones: +26 +9 +25
Shadows: -16 -4 +10
Preserve luminosity checked.
Step 4: Create a new brightness/contrast layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Brightness/contrast):
Brightness: +5
Contrast: -9
Step 5: Create a new fill layer (Layer->New fill layer->Solid color) and fill with #4E554E, set it to Lighten, 100% opacity.
Step 6: Create a new hue/saturation layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Hue/Saturation/Lightness):
Master: saturation +10, lightness +5
Reds: saturation +5
Yellows: saturation -5
Greens: saturation +5
Cyans: saturation +5
Blues: saturation +5
Magentas: saturation -5
Step 7: Create another fill layer (Layer->New fill layer->Solid color) and fill with #8E7991, set it to Exclusion, 22% opacity.
You can always duplicate the base layer, drag to the top and set to Soft Light if you think that the outcome is too faded, and you can delete or lower the opacity of the color balance layer if you think the icon is too blueish :)
Merge layers, sharpen a bit and you're done!
I can't provide another example of this coloring, because this computer is really slow :( sorry!
PS: When I have some spare time, I will work on an Ohmiya fanmix!
For Kanjani scans, thanks to Johnny's Sekai
We're going from
to
Remember that this tutorial doesn't work best for all the images :)
Step 1: Duplicate the base layer and set it to Color Burn (Burn for PSP users) and leave the opacity 100%. You'll change it later depending on how your icon will turn out.
Step 2: Create a color fill layer (Layer->New fill layer->Solid color) and fill it with #C5C5C5, set it to Saturation, but ONLY if you want a b&w icon. If not, set it to Screen at 60% opacity. Remember: if you want a b&w icon, then duplicate this layer and set it to Screen anyway (you will have two #C5C5C5 layers, one set to Saturation, the other set to Screen).
Step 3: Create another color fill layer and fill it with #838383, set it to Multiply 60% opacity.
Step 4: Create another color fill layer and fill it with #D0D0D0, set it to Color Burn 100% opacity.
Step 5: Duplicate the previous layer and set it to Difference, 18% opacity.
Step 6: Create a new Hue/Saturation layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Hue/Saturation/Lightness) and move the Saturation up to +10 (or maybe higher, depends on your icon).
Step 7: Create a new blank layer (Layer->New->Layer), fill it with black and pick a white soft and big brush (I think it works best around 60-80 px) and after you've made a sort of "glowing orb" go to Filter->Blur->Gaussian Blur, and move the arrow until you're satisfied. Then set this texture to Screen. The opacity may vary depending on your icon.
Step 8: Copy merged layers, or merge the layers, then sharpen a bit.
And you're done!
Another example of this coloring, this time b&w!
Here is the second tutorial :)
We're going from
to
Step 1: Duplicate your base and set it to Soft Light 100% opacity.
Step 2: Create a new curves layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Curves) and follow the instructions:
Point one: Input 86>Output 90
Point two: Input 125>Output 147
Point three: Input 250>Output 232 (for this point, move the point at the top right)
Step 3: Create a new color balance layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Color balance):
Midtones: +26 +9 +25
Shadows: -16 -4 +10
Preserve luminosity checked.
Step 4: Create a new brightness/contrast layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Brightness/contrast):
Brightness: +5
Contrast: -9
Step 5: Create a new fill layer (Layer->New fill layer->Solid color) and fill with #4E554E, set it to Lighten, 100% opacity.
Step 6: Create a new hue/saturation layer (Layer->New adjustment layer->Hue/Saturation/Lightness):
Master: saturation +10, lightness +5
Reds: saturation +5
Yellows: saturation -5
Greens: saturation +5
Cyans: saturation +5
Blues: saturation +5
Magentas: saturation -5
Step 7: Create another fill layer (Layer->New fill layer->Solid color) and fill with #8E7991, set it to Exclusion, 22% opacity.
You can always duplicate the base layer, drag to the top and set to Soft Light if you think that the outcome is too faded, and you can delete or lower the opacity of the color balance layer if you think the icon is too blueish :)
Merge layers, sharpen a bit and you're done!
I can't provide another example of this coloring, because this computer is really slow :( sorry!
PS: When I have some spare time, I will work on an Ohmiya fanmix!