Coloring tutorial [requested]

[akira_nya]

Requested by ritsuka182 <3

We'll go in 6 steps for this tutorial.

Here is my basis, got it at gazette_daily


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Some instructions:

Layer > new layer > new fill layer.
Layer > new layer > new adjustment layer.
The polygonal tool can be found in the tool area, at th top.

I use Photoshop CS3.

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1.

Here I used the selective coloring. It's pretty helpful, I use it most of the time. Basically, you can use it following your instinct, trying with more or less cyan under the red category, put more blue under the neutrals category....
For this icon, I did:

selective color 1

REDS

cyan -100
magenta -23
yellow 0
black +22

WHITE

cyan +100
magenta +98
yellow +100
black -1

NEUTRALS

cyan +27
magenta -3
yellow -9
black 0

BLACK

cyan -12
rest 0

2.

To make it prettier, let's highlight it a bit.

Brightness/Contrast

B +41
C +34

3.

I found it too reddish, so in that case, you should balance with some blue. I created a new fill layer ---> color is 8ffffb.
I set it to soft light, 100% (of course, you put the % of your choice, depending on the red/blue balance you want).

4.

Well, too much blue now! XD Uru's lips are more appealing than that right? So I circled them (the selected layer at this moment should be the latest, but if you prefer you can make it on the basis, and drag the layer which will appear later on on the top). Then I made a Hue/Saturation layer, at +45 under 'master'.

5.

The lips are fine, now onto the eye! You repeat the circling thing, and the Hue/Saturation layer, with Master +58.

6.

The adjust the blue and add more harmony in the icon, you can instead of the selective coloring, use the Color Balance. It focuses on the general space of your graphic/icon, and one color at a time. The difference with the selective color is the 'selective', it focuses on one particual color area on the picture.
So here:

SHADOWS
+33; +9; -11

MIDTONES
-14; +9; +14

HIGHLIGHTS
-9; -14; -6

DONE :P

If you need more details/explanations, comment. I'll try to light up your mind ^^P

***If PSD wanted, join the comm first.