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This tutorial is made for the ask the maker activity at icon_talk . It was requested by partitioning.
Tools used under Photoshop CS6:
- brightness/contrast
- gradient map
- smudge tool
- gaussian blur
- paint brush
Textures
by scoobyatemysnax | by violateraindrop | by justmyb0nes
STEP 1
I resized the picture. I went to Image -> Resize. Be sure to have "constrain proportions" ticked to keep your aspect ratio right (screencapture here). Then, I opened a 100*100 pixel base. I slided the resized cap to the base.
STEP 2
Then, it was time to put a little light in the icon. In order to do that, I created a texture using a brush.
Layer -> new -> layer
Then, with a brush in white, size 5, paint where you want light. In this case, on the bottom right. After that,
filter -> blur -> gaussian blur
Blur the layer as much as you want considering the effect you want. My result was :
I let the layer set to "normal" to give some light on her face.
STEP 3
I wanted to make a very dark icon with only a bit of light on her face so I decided to use this texture and set it to multiply to make the icon darker. With the smudge tool, I erased the right dark line.
STEP 4
I decided to not bother with the coloring yet. I opened a brightness/contrast layer to work on the light instead. I wanted to make her face more clear so I had to increase the contrasts and the light.
Layer -> New Adjustement layer -> brightness/contrast layer
brightness : +75
contrast : +94
STEP 4
The coloring is now, well, awful. The problem there was that a color balance layer couldnt do anything as the contrasts enhanced the red. So i decided to do a black and white gradient.
Layer -> New Adjustement layer -> Gradient Map
STEP 5
As the icon was part of a challenge where I had to get out of my comfort zone, I decided to to the opposite of what I would usually do. So, I used this texture and set it to screen.
STEP 6
The texture made everything really busy (in my taste) so i duplicated the base and set it to soft light at the top of the layers in order to have the contrasts back.
STEP 7
I loved the coloring at this point but I wanted more contrast so I opened a gradient layer again. They have the capacity of making the icon looking deeper which was exactly what I was looking for at this moment.
Layer -> New Adjustement layer -> Gradient Map
STEP 8
Still in the aim of increasing the contrasts, I duplicated the base again and set it to soft light at the top of the layers. In that way, I had a coloring I liked and the deep contrasts I wanted.
I merged all the layers and saved into a .png file.
- Don't even think about asking for a .PSD.
- Fell free to ask all the questions you want!
- You can ask a tutorial of everything posting in that comm.
- Sorry for any spelling & grammatical mistakes.
- Keep in mind those settings may not work on your pictures!