#18 Tutorials Part 1
These are my first fills for the latest round of Ask the Maker at icon_talk. More tutorials will follow as soon as I can feel my fingertips again. Please point out any broken links or if my explanations are incomprehensible.
Tutorial requested byabsolutelybatty
From
to
original:
For close crops I usually reduce the size of the source image to between 400 and 500px in height, depending on the pic's original size and how much space the subject's face (or what else I want to icon) takes up of it. Then I drag it onto a 100x100px canvas and start reducing the layer's size with edit >> transform >> scale. I always use the options palette and adjust the parameters there to keep the correct aspect ratio.
In order to find the best position and size for the crop I basically go by the rule that eye(s), nose and mouth only have to be partly visible if at all, I often even aim for that. It gives greater focus and allows closer crops.
I also try to avoid cropping foreheads, which is a personal icon pet peeve of mine.
In this example I wanted to focus on Lucifer's injuries around his eye.
I was careful to keep some very thin shadows around his nose so that it won't look empty.
Duplicate the base layer, set to screen 23% and add this curve to lighten the image and a tad of contrast.
Lucifer looks awfully boring and I want a vibrant icon. So I added another curve to up the cyans and blues and also a smidgeon towards purple.
There are plenty ways to fix the contrast but I wanted to change the colors as well and in one step, so I added a levels layer with the red channel 15/1,00/255, the green channel 65/1,00/217 and the blue channel 32/1,00/206.
How it would look like with a curve or a contrast and saturation layer.
and
The coloring is way to harsh now for me and I don't like this beard on the right side. So I add this texture by drankmywar set to screen 100%.
I add another level because the shadows aren't deep enough. RGB 15/1,00/255
The levels layer didn't have the desired effect on anything but his eye, still the shadow around is dark enough but not purple enough. It's time to add some textures. This by lookslikerain set to screen opacity at 17%. The right part of the texture is slightly too light, so I mask it with a soft default brush, then I set the layer mask to 69% and filter it with a Gaussian filter at 25 pixel.
>>
>>
It's too light now, espcially around the edges. Adding another texture by lookslikerain set to soft light opacity at 44%.
I want more contrast around the nose and a more even lighting. Adding my go to texture by eamesie set to soft light at 86% opacity and mask at the lower left corner because the effect is a bit too strong. Then I duplicate the texture without the mask, flip it horizontally and lower the opacity to 31%.
It's still too light and I don't like the depth of color at the bottom and the right side of the icon. I don't want to use another texture, so I just create a new layer and paint over the parts with a soft round default brush at 25% opacity and the layer set to soft light at 100%.
>>
At this point it looks pretty much ready to sharpen, I just want to make the colors pop more with a selective coloring layer.
Adjustments: reds -23 +11 0 0
blues 0 +15 +47 0
magentas 0 0 -25 0
whites -6 +6 0 0
neutrals 0 0 +3 0
blacks 0 0 0 +28
Copy + merge everything and duplicate this top layer once. Now sharpen the copy+merged layer with filter > sharpen > sharpen and put a Gaussian blur with a radius of 1 pixel on the top most layer. Set this layer to 30%. The sharpening layer doesn't need any masking in this icon, which is pretty rare.
After sharpening I'm not quite satisfied with the sameness of the purples and magentas, so I add another layer and start painting with a soft brush set to 25% opacity and the layer set to soft light at 75% opacity.I use the color drop tool and pick a soft blue that is slightly on the purple side and a soft pink.
>>
Layer palette
Tutorial requested byxxmannequin
From
to
original
This is my favorite Merlin cap, the angle and the soft tone in tone color is perfect for the kind of icons I like to make. I cropped this the same way I crop all of my icons: down sizing the cap to 400x711px, pasting it onto a 100x100px canvas, then editing it with edit >> transform >> scale and moving it around until I like what I see.
Duplicate the base set to screen fill at 30% and add this curve to lighten the image and add contrast.
By now, if you watch this comm then you've guessed it, I know that I want a purple-ish icon, but I don't want to lose the softness of the cap, which means starting slowly with a selective color layer to give the coloring a nudge.
Reds 0 +8 -11 0
Yellows 0 0 +25 0
Whites 0 0 -35 0
I want to bring out the blues and magentas in the shadows and to a lesser extent in the midtones of Merlin's face while lighting the image more. This curve does it.
The icon is still too dark and red, so I add a color balance layer and this texture by pandavirus set to soft light, smudged beyond recognition and with a mask set to 36%. If you set the sliders for shadows and highlights to complete opposites the coloring effect for the midtones will be cleaner, instead of just changing the midtones.
Shadows +30 +34 +43
Midtones -40 -19 +6
Highlights -20 -19 -24
To get some yellow hues on Merlin's cheeks and a slight yellow touch on the negative space I slap on two color fill layers both with the color #fcf9e6 (or any other light yellow depending on your source image) and with the first set to soft light at 31% opacity and the second set to color burn at 90% opacity. Together they add a yellow touch without lighting the image further. The contrast on his face is way too low, so I add this texture by unknown (if you know who made please let me know) to get stronger shadows and fresher colors. Set it to color burn at 34% opacity.
I've had it with poor contrast and add a contrast layer b: 0 and c: +39
Mow the icon is too cyan, so I add a dark purple (#6f4074) color fill layer set to screen with a 13% fill and a color balance layer. This time I leave the highlights alone because I like their hue after playing around with the shadows and midtones.
Shadows +31 +9 +24
Midtones +43 +13 -6
Looks kinda fuzzy now. Adding clarity in form of two soft violet color fill layers. The first #e7dfe6, set to color at 14% opacity and the second #ccc7de set to soft light 100%.
The general color scheme is alright, but contrast and lighting aren't done yet. Adding this curve to give depth.
Next I added two selective color layers and a curve to make the colors I have stand out more. You could do the same thing with a vibrancy layer, but this method gives me a more nuanced result.
Selective color 1: reds 0 +8 -11 0
whites 0 0 +12 0
blacks 0 0 0 +100
Selective color 2: whites +11 0 +10 -17
I don't like that his eye is basically just a black blotch right now and the contrast between the right side of his lower lip and the middle is too strong. I create a new layer and make two dots (#e7dfe6) with a soft round brush over his eye and lip. Blur it and set it to soft light.
Still there is no distinction between is iris and the shadow between his eye and the bridge of his nose. Add another dot on a new layer, this time white, and set it to soft light.
I want to change the blacks to a more bluish tone to make the coloring softer. Adding a selective color layer with the blacks -17 +11 -38 +10.
To give it the last touch I add a soft grey-green (#dde2d2) dot on a new layer and cover the dark middle part of his lower lips. Set it to multiply 100% to give it a less pinkish look. Then a final curve to lighten it more and add a bit of contrast.
Merge + copy everything and duplicate this layer once. Sharpen the first layer with Filter > sharpen > sharpen leave it at 100%, but mask the left side of the eye. Blur the top most layer with Filter > blur > Gaussian blur radius 1px and set it to 30%.
Layer Palette
Tutorial requested bynavi_glow andtor_na_do
From
to
I cropped this icon the same way I did the two above, focusing on negative space and a center crop.
The colors are very washed out, so I add two vibrancy layers set to +46 and +61 respectively.
Then up the contrast and the saturation. Settings are contrast +19 and saturation master +10.
I want to get a soft blue tone as a base for this icon, make it lighter and yet more contrast, which I usually do by adding these two default curves that I have saved.
Now I want to add yellow to give the icon a more natural look, but not let it over power the blue tone, which is why I add two different color balance layer sets.
Color balance 1: shadows +28 +41 +20
midtones +23 -39 -75
highlights -10 0 -10
Duplicate this layer.
Color balance 2: shadows +30 +34 +43
midtones -40 -19 +6
highlights -20 -19 -24
Also duplicate this layer at 50% opacity.
Adding more blue in the shadows and midtones, more yellow in the highlights and more contrast with this curve.
The overall color scheme is like I want it, only a few touches left. Now making the colors more prominent with a selective coloring, hue/saturation and vibrancy layer.
Selective color: reds -11 +4 +29 0
yellows -19 +3 +23 0
greens +100 -100 -100 +100
neutrals 0 0 -10 0
Saturation: master +10
Vibrance: +100
To fix the background I filled up the empty space above the subject with white and added a cloud texture set to darken at 100%. For this icon no masking is needed.
I want draw the focus to the subject in the center by adding this texture and masking it where it covers the two.
When I made the original icon I copy merged everything and sharpened the top layer, but I now I think that lowered the icon's quality. So I will copy merge everything and blur instead with Gaussian blur and a radius of 1px, set it to 30%.
instead of sharpened
Layer palette
Tutorial requested bytor_na_do
From
to
I cropped this one with a bit of empty space at the top, ergo extending the background with the smudge tool. First duplicate base and set to screen 100%. Important: don't extend vertically, try to emulate the angle of the grain of the wooden wall behind Anna and Mary.
90% of the time smudging and/or extending backgrounds is an annoying trial and error procedure, so make sure to keep an untouched copy of your base. I haven't done myself far too many times.
>>
Adding depth and lightening the image with this curve.
I rarely use more than one or two textures on an icon, but in this one I went overboard with them. I added all of them to change the lighting of the scene and to emphasize the motion. A bit of coloring happened coincidentally.
First batch of textures and two gradients to add "sun rays" and lighten the image.
This texture set to screen at 14%.
This gradient set to soft light at 100% and -98,13° linear.
This texture set to soft light at 100%. Masked the bottom right corner covering Mary's lower body.
This texture set to soft light at 38%.
This gradient set to soft light at 100% and 90° linear. Layer mask to mask away the black over Anna's and Mary's lower bodies.
This texture by erzsebet set to darken at 100% and the same set to soft light at 100%. Both layers are heavily masked. Please check out the layer palette at the bottom.
This texture by eamesie set to soft light at 67%. Anna's hair and Mary's upper body are masked.
Selective coloring layer to put a first soft emphasis on the two women.
Reds 0 +12 -8 0
Yellows 0 0 +22 0
Cyans +53 0 0 0
Blues +29 0 0 0
It doesn't look like much but these subtle changes are the basis for later adjustments.
Now the second batch of textures plus color and contrast adjustment.
This texture by vividtruth set to soft light at 45%.
This texture and by this texture by vividtruth set to soft light at 100%.
Had I not added the selective coloring before their hair colors and clothes would be tone in tone with the background. Now I have source colors to work with and build on.
I could have done that with more extensive masking but like this I can preserve the soft look better.
Adding this curve for contrast and darkening the icon.
Adding more red and yellow with selective coloring.
Reds -17 0 +66 0
Yellows -20 +4 -35 +17
Whites -11 +13 +30 0
Neutrals -8 +5 +14 0
Blacks 0 0 0 +17
By making the yellows bluer and more purple and adding yellow with the whites and neutrals I can achieve the more subtle effect I'm aiming for. I masked the left side and Anna's jacket because I want a less monotone coloring than usual.
Adding another selective color layer to bring out the cooler colors on the left side.
Greens +100 -42 -100 0
Cyans +100 -100 -100 0
Blues +100 -24 -100 0
Neutrals +5 -3 -9 0
Mary's eyes and mouth are barely distinguishable from her face. So I add two 1px dots over her eyes and a deep red 2px dot over her mouth, blur once and set the layer to soft light 100%.
The light is coming from the top right corner and while I want to make the effect even stronger I don't want to bottom left corner too dark.
Solution: I paint around the edges with a light yellow-green (#ececd7) on the left side and a light beige (#f7e3cf) on the right, set to soft light 100%. Layer on a black background.
Then a black to white gradient, set to soft light 100% and 42,71°.
Vibrancy abuse follows. Two layers with vibrance at 64 and 100 respectively. It works for this icon and coloring, but I've found more often that not it ruins my plans for the coloring I have in mind. Just try out one of these layers on the Merlin icon (or the Lucifer one for that matter) above at any point and see what happens
I want the background and especially Anna's hair more firey. Adding color balance and masking Anna's jacket and Mary except her hair.
Midtones +12 -22 -56
Also decided to add a tad more contrast and light with this curve.
Sharpening as usual with one sharpening layer and one blurred layer on top set to 30%. I had to mask the sharpening layer.
Layer palette
Tutorial requested byabsolutelybatty
From
to
original:
For close crops I usually reduce the size of the source image to between 400 and 500px in height, depending on the pic's original size and how much space the subject's face (or what else I want to icon) takes up of it. Then I drag it onto a 100x100px canvas and start reducing the layer's size with edit >> transform >> scale. I always use the options palette and adjust the parameters there to keep the correct aspect ratio.
In order to find the best position and size for the crop I basically go by the rule that eye(s), nose and mouth only have to be partly visible if at all, I often even aim for that. It gives greater focus and allows closer crops.
I also try to avoid cropping foreheads, which is a personal icon pet peeve of mine.
In this example I wanted to focus on Lucifer's injuries around his eye.
I was careful to keep some very thin shadows around his nose so that it won't look empty.
Duplicate the base layer, set to screen 23% and add this curve to lighten the image and a tad of contrast.
Lucifer looks awfully boring and I want a vibrant icon. So I added another curve to up the cyans and blues and also a smidgeon towards purple.
There are plenty ways to fix the contrast but I wanted to change the colors as well and in one step, so I added a levels layer with the red channel 15/1,00/255, the green channel 65/1,00/217 and the blue channel 32/1,00/206.
How it would look like with a curve or a contrast and saturation layer.
and
The coloring is way to harsh now for me and I don't like this beard on the right side. So I add this texture by drankmywar set to screen 100%.
I add another level because the shadows aren't deep enough. RGB 15/1,00/255
The levels layer didn't have the desired effect on anything but his eye, still the shadow around is dark enough but not purple enough. It's time to add some textures. This by lookslikerain set to screen opacity at 17%. The right part of the texture is slightly too light, so I mask it with a soft default brush, then I set the layer mask to 69% and filter it with a Gaussian filter at 25 pixel.
>>
>>
It's too light now, espcially around the edges. Adding another texture by lookslikerain set to soft light opacity at 44%.
I want more contrast around the nose and a more even lighting. Adding my go to texture by eamesie set to soft light at 86% opacity and mask at the lower left corner because the effect is a bit too strong. Then I duplicate the texture without the mask, flip it horizontally and lower the opacity to 31%.
It's still too light and I don't like the depth of color at the bottom and the right side of the icon. I don't want to use another texture, so I just create a new layer and paint over the parts with a soft round default brush at 25% opacity and the layer set to soft light at 100%.
>>
At this point it looks pretty much ready to sharpen, I just want to make the colors pop more with a selective coloring layer.
Adjustments: reds -23 +11 0 0
blues 0 +15 +47 0
magentas 0 0 -25 0
whites -6 +6 0 0
neutrals 0 0 +3 0
blacks 0 0 0 +28
Copy + merge everything and duplicate this top layer once. Now sharpen the copy+merged layer with filter > sharpen > sharpen and put a Gaussian blur with a radius of 1 pixel on the top most layer. Set this layer to 30%. The sharpening layer doesn't need any masking in this icon, which is pretty rare.
After sharpening I'm not quite satisfied with the sameness of the purples and magentas, so I add another layer and start painting with a soft brush set to 25% opacity and the layer set to soft light at 75% opacity.I use the color drop tool and pick a soft blue that is slightly on the purple side and a soft pink.
>>
Layer palette
Tutorial requested byxxmannequin
From
to
original
This is my favorite Merlin cap, the angle and the soft tone in tone color is perfect for the kind of icons I like to make. I cropped this the same way I crop all of my icons: down sizing the cap to 400x711px, pasting it onto a 100x100px canvas, then editing it with edit >> transform >> scale and moving it around until I like what I see.
Duplicate the base set to screen fill at 30% and add this curve to lighten the image and add contrast.
By now, if you watch this comm then you've guessed it, I know that I want a purple-ish icon, but I don't want to lose the softness of the cap, which means starting slowly with a selective color layer to give the coloring a nudge.
Reds 0 +8 -11 0
Yellows 0 0 +25 0
Whites 0 0 -35 0
I want to bring out the blues and magentas in the shadows and to a lesser extent in the midtones of Merlin's face while lighting the image more. This curve does it.
The icon is still too dark and red, so I add a color balance layer and this texture by pandavirus set to soft light, smudged beyond recognition and with a mask set to 36%. If you set the sliders for shadows and highlights to complete opposites the coloring effect for the midtones will be cleaner, instead of just changing the midtones.
Shadows +30 +34 +43
Midtones -40 -19 +6
Highlights -20 -19 -24
To get some yellow hues on Merlin's cheeks and a slight yellow touch on the negative space I slap on two color fill layers both with the color #fcf9e6 (or any other light yellow depending on your source image) and with the first set to soft light at 31% opacity and the second set to color burn at 90% opacity. Together they add a yellow touch without lighting the image further. The contrast on his face is way too low, so I add this texture by unknown (if you know who made please let me know) to get stronger shadows and fresher colors. Set it to color burn at 34% opacity.
I've had it with poor contrast and add a contrast layer b: 0 and c: +39
Mow the icon is too cyan, so I add a dark purple (#6f4074) color fill layer set to screen with a 13% fill and a color balance layer. This time I leave the highlights alone because I like their hue after playing around with the shadows and midtones.
Shadows +31 +9 +24
Midtones +43 +13 -6
Looks kinda fuzzy now. Adding clarity in form of two soft violet color fill layers. The first #e7dfe6, set to color at 14% opacity and the second #ccc7de set to soft light 100%.
The general color scheme is alright, but contrast and lighting aren't done yet. Adding this curve to give depth.
Next I added two selective color layers and a curve to make the colors I have stand out more. You could do the same thing with a vibrancy layer, but this method gives me a more nuanced result.
Selective color 1: reds 0 +8 -11 0
whites 0 0 +12 0
blacks 0 0 0 +100
Selective color 2: whites +11 0 +10 -17
I don't like that his eye is basically just a black blotch right now and the contrast between the right side of his lower lip and the middle is too strong. I create a new layer and make two dots (#e7dfe6) with a soft round brush over his eye and lip. Blur it and set it to soft light.
Still there is no distinction between is iris and the shadow between his eye and the bridge of his nose. Add another dot on a new layer, this time white, and set it to soft light.
I want to change the blacks to a more bluish tone to make the coloring softer. Adding a selective color layer with the blacks -17 +11 -38 +10.
To give it the last touch I add a soft grey-green (#dde2d2) dot on a new layer and cover the dark middle part of his lower lips. Set it to multiply 100% to give it a less pinkish look. Then a final curve to lighten it more and add a bit of contrast.
Merge + copy everything and duplicate this layer once. Sharpen the first layer with Filter > sharpen > sharpen leave it at 100%, but mask the left side of the eye. Blur the top most layer with Filter > blur > Gaussian blur radius 1px and set it to 30%.
Layer Palette
Tutorial requested bynavi_glow andtor_na_do
From
to
I cropped this icon the same way I did the two above, focusing on negative space and a center crop.
The colors are very washed out, so I add two vibrancy layers set to +46 and +61 respectively.
Then up the contrast and the saturation. Settings are contrast +19 and saturation master +10.
I want to get a soft blue tone as a base for this icon, make it lighter and yet more contrast, which I usually do by adding these two default curves that I have saved.
Now I want to add yellow to give the icon a more natural look, but not let it over power the blue tone, which is why I add two different color balance layer sets.
Color balance 1: shadows +28 +41 +20
midtones +23 -39 -75
highlights -10 0 -10
Duplicate this layer.
Color balance 2: shadows +30 +34 +43
midtones -40 -19 +6
highlights -20 -19 -24
Also duplicate this layer at 50% opacity.
Adding more blue in the shadows and midtones, more yellow in the highlights and more contrast with this curve.
The overall color scheme is like I want it, only a few touches left. Now making the colors more prominent with a selective coloring, hue/saturation and vibrancy layer.
Selective color: reds -11 +4 +29 0
yellows -19 +3 +23 0
greens +100 -100 -100 +100
neutrals 0 0 -10 0
Saturation: master +10
Vibrance: +100
To fix the background I filled up the empty space above the subject with white and added a cloud texture set to darken at 100%. For this icon no masking is needed.
I want draw the focus to the subject in the center by adding this texture and masking it where it covers the two.
When I made the original icon I copy merged everything and sharpened the top layer, but I now I think that lowered the icon's quality. So I will copy merge everything and blur instead with Gaussian blur and a radius of 1px, set it to 30%.
instead of sharpened
Layer palette
Tutorial requested bytor_na_do
From
to
I cropped this one with a bit of empty space at the top, ergo extending the background with the smudge tool. First duplicate base and set to screen 100%. Important: don't extend vertically, try to emulate the angle of the grain of the wooden wall behind Anna and Mary.
90% of the time smudging and/or extending backgrounds is an annoying trial and error procedure, so make sure to keep an untouched copy of your base. I haven't done myself far too many times.
>>
Adding depth and lightening the image with this curve.
I rarely use more than one or two textures on an icon, but in this one I went overboard with them. I added all of them to change the lighting of the scene and to emphasize the motion. A bit of coloring happened coincidentally.
First batch of textures and two gradients to add "sun rays" and lighten the image.
This texture set to screen at 14%.
This gradient set to soft light at 100% and -98,13° linear.
This texture set to soft light at 100%. Masked the bottom right corner covering Mary's lower body.
This texture set to soft light at 38%.
This gradient set to soft light at 100% and 90° linear. Layer mask to mask away the black over Anna's and Mary's lower bodies.
This texture by erzsebet set to darken at 100% and the same set to soft light at 100%. Both layers are heavily masked. Please check out the layer palette at the bottom.
This texture by eamesie set to soft light at 67%. Anna's hair and Mary's upper body are masked.
Selective coloring layer to put a first soft emphasis on the two women.
Reds 0 +12 -8 0
Yellows 0 0 +22 0
Cyans +53 0 0 0
Blues +29 0 0 0
It doesn't look like much but these subtle changes are the basis for later adjustments.
Now the second batch of textures plus color and contrast adjustment.
This texture by vividtruth set to soft light at 45%.
This texture and by this texture by vividtruth set to soft light at 100%.
Had I not added the selective coloring before their hair colors and clothes would be tone in tone with the background. Now I have source colors to work with and build on.
I could have done that with more extensive masking but like this I can preserve the soft look better.
Adding this curve for contrast and darkening the icon.
Adding more red and yellow with selective coloring.
Reds -17 0 +66 0
Yellows -20 +4 -35 +17
Whites -11 +13 +30 0
Neutrals -8 +5 +14 0
Blacks 0 0 0 +17
By making the yellows bluer and more purple and adding yellow with the whites and neutrals I can achieve the more subtle effect I'm aiming for. I masked the left side and Anna's jacket because I want a less monotone coloring than usual.
Adding another selective color layer to bring out the cooler colors on the left side.
Greens +100 -42 -100 0
Cyans +100 -100 -100 0
Blues +100 -24 -100 0
Neutrals +5 -3 -9 0
Mary's eyes and mouth are barely distinguishable from her face. So I add two 1px dots over her eyes and a deep red 2px dot over her mouth, blur once and set the layer to soft light 100%.
The light is coming from the top right corner and while I want to make the effect even stronger I don't want to bottom left corner too dark.
Solution: I paint around the edges with a light yellow-green (#ececd7) on the left side and a light beige (#f7e3cf) on the right, set to soft light 100%. Layer on a black background.
Then a black to white gradient, set to soft light 100% and 42,71°.
Vibrancy abuse follows. Two layers with vibrance at 64 and 100 respectively. It works for this icon and coloring, but I've found more often that not it ruins my plans for the coloring I have in mind. Just try out one of these layers on the Merlin icon (or the Lucifer one for that matter) above at any point and see what happens
I want the background and especially Anna's hair more firey. Adding color balance and masking Anna's jacket and Mary except her hair.
Midtones +12 -22 -56
Also decided to add a tad more contrast and light with this curve.
Sharpening as usual with one sharpening layer and one blurred layer on top set to 30%. I had to mask the sharpening layer.
Layer palette
