Icon Tutorial #1

[sirhellsing420]

How to transform [ this image ] into

Difficulty: Beginner to intermedate level.

Made using Photoshop 7; I don't know if it's translatable, sorry.



Step #1 Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Curves. Set the following channels with these values:

RGB: 92, 167
Green: 137, 156
Blue: 112, 146

Then click the "OK" button. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #2 Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Brightness/Contrast. Set the levels to -8 and 12, respectively. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #3 Duplicate your base image and drag it all the way to the top. Set it to linear burn at 20% opacity. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #4 Duplicate your base image and drag it all the way to the top again. Set it to screen at 100% opacity. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #5 Layer -> New -> Layer. Flood fill it with color #000033. Set it to exclusion at 30% opacity. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #6 Layer -> New -> Layer again. Flood fill it with color #CC9966. Set it to overlay at 100% opacity. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #7 Once again duplicate your base image and drag it all the way to the top. Set it to screen at 60% opacity. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #8 Again duplicate your base image and drag it all the way to the top. Set it to soft light at 100% opacity. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #9 Layer -> Merge Visible.

Step #10 Image -> Adjustment -> Variations. Make sure midtones is selected and the setting is placed second-from-right from coarse, like so:



Click the selections in this order - more yellow , more red, more blue, then lighter. Your image should now look like [ this. ]

Step #11 Crop and resize your image to a 100x100 pixel icon. Filter -> Sharpen -> Unsharpen Mask with the values of: amount 50%; radius 3 pixels; threshold 10 levels. Then take your sharpen tool set to normal at 30% opacity and go over the eyes and lips. Your image should look like this now:



Step #12 Take [ this light texture ] (credit unknown). Image -> Rotate Canvas -> Flip Canvas Horizontal. Paste it above your icon. Set it to screen at 100% opacity.

Your icon should now look like this:


Step #13 Duplicate the light texture layer once.

Your icon should now look like this:


Step #14 Duplicate your base image and drag it to the top. Set it to soft light at 100% opacity.

Your icon should now look like this:


Step #15 Again, duplicate your base image and drag it to the top. Set it to lighten at 100% opacity.

Your icon should now look like this:


Step #16 Layer -> New -> Layer. Then, Select -> All. Then, Select -> Modify -> Border, and input a one pixel border. Finally, merge all your layers together.

You're done! ^_^


Remember! These are just guidelines to give you an example of what's possible! Don't be afraid to try experimenting with your images!