TUTORIAL: FULL ICON
As requested by karabearblu for the icon style I used in the latest set of Secret Window icons.
Since I don't save .psd files for my icons, I can't show you exactly how I made any one of the Secret Window icons, but I'll make a brand new one showing you all the steps!
This effect works best if you have a dark image to begin with, since a lighter one will look washed out with the layer styles.
So, we have our base:
To make it a bit darker and more intense, I duplicated the background, desaturated it, and set it to soft light.
Next, I used a reflected gradient with #8DA538 on black, and set it to linear light.
I did use a lot of texture brushes on the Secret Window set, but I tried out a few with this icon and none seemed to fit since there wasn't much light area in which a dark texture would show up, and since it's a dark icon I didn't want to use a light texture. I find textures work best when there is some empty space you need to fill - which is not the case here.
So, let's move onto the border. To create a nice burnt aura, I like to use a grungy border (here I used one by teh_indy) and gaussian blur it slightly, and set the layer to overlay. I also always use a 1px black border.
Now for the text. I'll use a simple line from the movie, "I didn't steal that story." I used Georgia for the font. The top line is at 4pt with a letter spacing value of 400, and the layer style is normal at 50%. The bottom line is at 6pt with a letter spacing value of 0, and the layer style is normal at 100%. Both layers are underneath the gradient layer, and both have a 1px black drop shadow.
Lately I've been into adding very small, unreadable text for some spice. Here I typed "I didn't steal that story" several times at 2pt, with a letter spacing value of 400. The layer style is normal at 40%.
There you have it!
To go an extra step, I'll show you a few examples of how I use Variations, which I usually do on each icon.
Darker x2, less saturation x2:
More red, more yellow, darker x2:
Less saturation x2, more red x4, more yellow x2, darker x3:
Since I don't save .psd files for my icons, I can't show you exactly how I made any one of the Secret Window icons, but I'll make a brand new one showing you all the steps!
This effect works best if you have a dark image to begin with, since a lighter one will look washed out with the layer styles.
So, we have our base:
To make it a bit darker and more intense, I duplicated the background, desaturated it, and set it to soft light.
Next, I used a reflected gradient with #8DA538 on black, and set it to linear light.
I did use a lot of texture brushes on the Secret Window set, but I tried out a few with this icon and none seemed to fit since there wasn't much light area in which a dark texture would show up, and since it's a dark icon I didn't want to use a light texture. I find textures work best when there is some empty space you need to fill - which is not the case here.
So, let's move onto the border. To create a nice burnt aura, I like to use a grungy border (here I used one by teh_indy) and gaussian blur it slightly, and set the layer to overlay. I also always use a 1px black border.
Now for the text. I'll use a simple line from the movie, "I didn't steal that story." I used Georgia for the font. The top line is at 4pt with a letter spacing value of 400, and the layer style is normal at 50%. The bottom line is at 6pt with a letter spacing value of 0, and the layer style is normal at 100%. Both layers are underneath the gradient layer, and both have a 1px black drop shadow.
Lately I've been into adding very small, unreadable text for some spice. Here I typed "I didn't steal that story" several times at 2pt, with a letter spacing value of 400. The layer style is normal at 40%.
There you have it!
To go an extra step, I'll show you a few examples of how I use Variations, which I usually do on each icon.
Darker x2, less saturation x2:
More red, more yellow, darker x2:
Less saturation x2, more red x4, more yellow x2, darker x3: