2 tutorials + PSD
Howdy guys!
Here I am writing another couple of tutorials, this time asked by ansera (sorry for the delay! D:)! As usual I hope you like them and sorry for any mistakes :D
Tutorial 1
From
To
1) Smudge Tool, my best friend. <3
Take your picture and paste it in a new 100x100px canvas. With the Smudge Tool and some spots of color, create a solid background, erasing the hand too. The tecnique I used is still the one I mentioned here but as usual any method is fine.
>
2) Sharpening.
First of all, create a new layer filled with #453a35 (any washed-brown is fine, I took mine from his coat with the Eyedropper tool). Set the layer on Hard Light and drop the opacity if you like. I usually start the coloring after the sharpening, but in this case I think that the contrast is better preserved in this way.
Now, let's add some sharpeness! My steps are the same as always (I mentioned them in my previous tuts, if you want to take a look). Copy-merged and use the Gaussian Blur filter (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) with 1,7 px of radius and drop the layer opacity (mine is at 56%).
Copy-merged again and use the High Pass filter (Filter > Other > High Pass) with 2,0 px of radius. Set the layer on Soft Light and drop the opacity if you like. Copy-merged for the last time and use the Sharpen (Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen). Drop the opacity a bit (mine is at 75%).
3) Coloring.
My idea was to make an angst-ish (?) icon and since no facial expression is involved, the coloring must be focused 'on the right mood', so let it be dark and gritty.
As usual open a new Curves layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves) set on Auto to improve the contrast and the brighteness. If it doesn't work, try to play with the Red, Green and Blue curves without touching the RGB one (my curves).
Now, add some textures!
(by tinebrella) Invert it (Ctrl+I) and set it on Multiply (opacity at 49%)
(by tinebrella) Set it on Screen (opacity 100%, fill 54%). With a soft brush, clear the brighter spots of the texture. Duply it and move it until the brighter brush is on the top of the icon. Low the opacity and the fill at 28% and clean the edges with the soft brush.
(by tinebrella) Set it on Soft Light (fill 51%).
With a Color Balance layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance), bright up the icon a little.
Midtones: +24 | +8 | -29
Shadows: -3 | +6 | -3
Highlights: -26 | 0 | +36
Add some dark tones on the bottom of the icon with this texture (by fuuurs) set on Multiply, opacity 50% fill 78%. With the soft brush, clean the Doctor's face.
The icon is reddish, so open a Selective Color layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color) and gets some cyan.
Reds: +14 | -4 | -5 | 0
Yellows: 0 | 0 | +36 | +3
Magentas: +16 | 0 | +30 | -12
Neutres: +6 | 0 | +1 | 0
Blacks: 0 | -3 | 0 | +1
Add some brightness with a Brightness/Contrast layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast), increasing both the parameters (mine are respectly +20 and +5).
4) Text.
The coloring is quite good but the icon is a little empty for my tastes, so let's add some text.
(if you know the maker please write it to me :D) Set it on Screen. With a very soft brush clean a bit of the texture that covers the Doctor.
Now add some text. I suck with it so all I can say is to check this wonderful guide, for a better help. ;)
Anyway, in this case, I choose a basic font (AGaramond LT, but if you don't have it a Times New Roman will be fine) colored with #b9a494. I tend to avoid the black and the white tones for a text because I usually prefer a softer outcome. Drop the opacity a bit (mine is at 89%).
5) Final steps.
Add some brightness with a a Brightness/Contrast layer (my parameters are +16 and +6) and a new layer filled with a cream color (mine is #dccead) set on Multiply, fill 68%.
Add now some darker tones with two B/W Gradient Maps, one set on Normal (opacity 30%, fill 16%) and the other on Soft Light (opacity 39%, fill 84%).
Copy-merged and use the Sharpen filter once again. With a soft brush, erase the pixellated areas like the text and most of the texture. Drop the opacity and the fill until you're satisfied (mine are 82% and 85%).
And the icon is done!
Tutorial 2
From
To
1) Blending.
The blending itself is a very easy one because the two pictures have some nice dark spots, but before this step we need to extend and soften the backgrounds. Use the Smudge Tool or any other tecnique.
>
>
Select Auto Contrast (Adjust > Auto Contrast) for each picture and then drop the first cap above set on Screen 100%. Erase the coat from the second cap until you have something like this:
2) Tons of random textures (a.k.a. coloring).
Let's make the icon orange! Add these two textures (don't know who made them, sorry!) set both on Hard Light 100%. Duply your blended base, drop it on the top and set it on Screen (opacity 53%) to preserve some of the bright spots of the icon.
>
>
Open a new Selective Colors layer to add some yellow and cyan tones.
Reds: +100 | -6 | +29 | 18
Yellows: +26 | +28 | +54 | 0
Neutres: +100 | 0 | 0 | +29
The icon is too much bright and the reds are too intense so add a B/W Gradient Map set on Multiply (opacity 41%).
Add some more textures.
by raiindust. Set on Soft Light 100%.
by raiindust. Set on Lighten, fill 47%.
by lonely_feel. Set on Soft Light 100%.
by hyuknice. Set on Screen, opacity 74%.
The icon seems now a little washed-out so copy-merged your layers without the grainy texture and drop the copy on the top. Set it on Soft Light 100%.
Copy merged again (this time with the grainy texture too) and use the Sharpen. Drop the opacity and the fill as you like (mine are 56% and 75%). Add some brightness using a Levels layer (my parameters: 0 | 1,00 | 247).
And the icon is done!
DOWNLOAD PSD (contains both colorings)
Hope you like them!
As usual, if you have some more questions or any other request just let me know :)
Miss you all ♥♥♥
Caps © The Medusa Cascade
Here I am writing another couple of tutorials, this time asked by ansera (sorry for the delay! D:)! As usual I hope you like them and sorry for any mistakes :D
Tutorial 1
From
To
1) Smudge Tool, my best friend. <3
Take your picture and paste it in a new 100x100px canvas. With the Smudge Tool and some spots of color, create a solid background, erasing the hand too. The tecnique I used is still the one I mentioned here but as usual any method is fine.
>
2) Sharpening.
First of all, create a new layer filled with #453a35 (any washed-brown is fine, I took mine from his coat with the Eyedropper tool). Set the layer on Hard Light and drop the opacity if you like. I usually start the coloring after the sharpening, but in this case I think that the contrast is better preserved in this way.
Now, let's add some sharpeness! My steps are the same as always (I mentioned them in my previous tuts, if you want to take a look). Copy-merged and use the Gaussian Blur filter (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) with 1,7 px of radius and drop the layer opacity (mine is at 56%).
Copy-merged again and use the High Pass filter (Filter > Other > High Pass) with 2,0 px of radius. Set the layer on Soft Light and drop the opacity if you like. Copy-merged for the last time and use the Sharpen (Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen). Drop the opacity a bit (mine is at 75%).
3) Coloring.
My idea was to make an angst-ish (?) icon and since no facial expression is involved, the coloring must be focused 'on the right mood', so let it be dark and gritty.
As usual open a new Curves layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves) set on Auto to improve the contrast and the brighteness. If it doesn't work, try to play with the Red, Green and Blue curves without touching the RGB one (my curves).
Now, add some textures!
(by tinebrella) Invert it (Ctrl+I) and set it on Multiply (opacity at 49%)
(by tinebrella) Set it on Screen (opacity 100%, fill 54%). With a soft brush, clear the brighter spots of the texture. Duply it and move it until the brighter brush is on the top of the icon. Low the opacity and the fill at 28% and clean the edges with the soft brush.
(by tinebrella) Set it on Soft Light (fill 51%).
With a Color Balance layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance), bright up the icon a little.
Midtones: +24 | +8 | -29
Shadows: -3 | +6 | -3
Highlights: -26 | 0 | +36
Add some dark tones on the bottom of the icon with this texture (by fuuurs) set on Multiply, opacity 50% fill 78%. With the soft brush, clean the Doctor's face.
The icon is reddish, so open a Selective Color layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color) and gets some cyan.
Reds: +14 | -4 | -5 | 0
Yellows: 0 | 0 | +36 | +3
Magentas: +16 | 0 | +30 | -12
Neutres: +6 | 0 | +1 | 0
Blacks: 0 | -3 | 0 | +1
Add some brightness with a Brightness/Contrast layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast), increasing both the parameters (mine are respectly +20 and +5).
4) Text.
The coloring is quite good but the icon is a little empty for my tastes, so let's add some text.
(if you know the maker please write it to me :D) Set it on Screen. With a very soft brush clean a bit of the texture that covers the Doctor.
Now add some text. I suck with it so all I can say is to check this wonderful guide, for a better help. ;)
Anyway, in this case, I choose a basic font (AGaramond LT, but if you don't have it a Times New Roman will be fine) colored with #b9a494. I tend to avoid the black and the white tones for a text because I usually prefer a softer outcome. Drop the opacity a bit (mine is at 89%).
5) Final steps.
Add some brightness with a a Brightness/Contrast layer (my parameters are +16 and +6) and a new layer filled with a cream color (mine is #dccead) set on Multiply, fill 68%.
Add now some darker tones with two B/W Gradient Maps, one set on Normal (opacity 30%, fill 16%) and the other on Soft Light (opacity 39%, fill 84%).
Copy-merged and use the Sharpen filter once again. With a soft brush, erase the pixellated areas like the text and most of the texture. Drop the opacity and the fill until you're satisfied (mine are 82% and 85%).
And the icon is done!
Tutorial 2
From
To
1) Blending.
The blending itself is a very easy one because the two pictures have some nice dark spots, but before this step we need to extend and soften the backgrounds. Use the Smudge Tool or any other tecnique.
>
>
Select Auto Contrast (Adjust > Auto Contrast) for each picture and then drop the first cap above set on Screen 100%. Erase the coat from the second cap until you have something like this:
2) Tons of random textures (a.k.a. coloring).
Let's make the icon orange! Add these two textures (don't know who made them, sorry!) set both on Hard Light 100%. Duply your blended base, drop it on the top and set it on Screen (opacity 53%) to preserve some of the bright spots of the icon.
>
>
Open a new Selective Colors layer to add some yellow and cyan tones.
Reds: +100 | -6 | +29 | 18
Yellows: +26 | +28 | +54 | 0
Neutres: +100 | 0 | 0 | +29
The icon is too much bright and the reds are too intense so add a B/W Gradient Map set on Multiply (opacity 41%).
Add some more textures.
by raiindust. Set on Soft Light 100%.
by raiindust. Set on Lighten, fill 47%.
by lonely_feel. Set on Soft Light 100%.
by hyuknice. Set on Screen, opacity 74%.
The icon seems now a little washed-out so copy-merged your layers without the grainy texture and drop the copy on the top. Set it on Soft Light 100%.
Copy merged again (this time with the grainy texture too) and use the Sharpen. Drop the opacity and the fill as you like (mine are 56% and 75%). Add some brightness using a Levels layer (my parameters: 0 | 1,00 | 247).
And the icon is done!
DOWNLOAD PSD (contains both colorings)
Hope you like them!
As usual, if you have some more questions or any other request just let me know :)
Miss you all ♥♥♥
Caps © The Medusa Cascade