ask the maker - icon tutorials - post 1
Right, so part of this was done while I was drunk so I will completely understand if you have any questions. XD
Under the cut are tutorials for the following icons:
both requested by adrastea
TUTORIAL #1
to
[tutorial under here]
To start, I knew I wanted this to be colorful. This was for a set at the7days for favorite musicians and I was listening to the music by these folks while I made the icons.
First off, I used Auto Tone (SHIFT+CTRL+L) and Auto Contrast (ALT+SHIFT+CTRL+L) on the image. I generally use this when I'm not in the mood to bother with Levels or Curves, aka my lazy times. ;D After that I also create a Vibrance layer (set on Color) which I put at Vibrance: +60.
From here I wanted to brighten up her clothes and such, so I copy everything into a new layer which I set to screen. I use layer masks to lazily erase the brightness from her face.
→
It's not soft OR vibrant enough, so I copy everything to a layer (ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+E), blur it (I can't remember the exact setting but I usually stick between 4px and 6px) and set it to Soft Light.
Next I used Topaz and, unfortunately, I don't remember the exact settings. DX Based on how that layer looks I can reasonably guess I concentrated only on the Edges settings with a fairly high Sharpness. I then duplicated it all in a new layer, applied Sharpen, and lowered opacity to 40% Fill.
→
Now, I can't remember NOW why I did it, but I filled a new layer with #178b43 and set it to Screen at 6% Fill. LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. But ok, past self.
I then duplicated everything again in a new layer, applied a HEAVY blur on Soft Light. This not only brings out the colors but it softens it, too.
→
However, it made the left side far too dark, so I used layer masks on that part.
→
After that I wanted to add more colors, so I use this large texture (I don't remember who it's by, sorry). I set it to Screen and move it around, choose a few different places that I like it.
→
→
(White added to that second texture to better show its placement.)
It's still not bright enough so I add an Vibrance layer. The layer mode is set to Color and the Vibrance is up +64. After that I think what I did was use Topaz again, concentrating on the Clean settings. On that layer I use a layer mask to clear the layer off her face.
→
From here, and to soften it up, I apply a few gradient/light textures. All are by mm3butterfly
→
fullsize texture
on Soft Light, 30% Fill
→
fullsize texture
on Screen
→
fullsize, unrotated
on Screen
→
(same texture but edited/rotated again)
on Screen
I still wanted the contrast from her hair though, so I copy/merge everything into a new layer and use Auto Tone to bring that back. I lower the Fill on that layer to 90%.
To add more of a brightness I bring a duplicate of that very first layer up top, blur it a bit, and set it to Screen.
→
The very last thing I do is use the Smudge tool to soften parts, mostly the edges of her face. And then the icon is done!
TUTORIAL #2
[tutorial under here]
For this, I knew right off that I wanted to use this texture by fuuurs. I'd been wanting to use it for such a long time. It was just a matter of figuring out how. XD
For the purpose of this part, all images are made smaller. If you want to see them larger just open them in a new tab. (Also it seems I didn't save this first part with the blending so that's recreated here and may be a bit different from the rest.)
Working directly on the full-size texture I add this image of Kanye and set it to Screen. Originally I waited until I had both images and moved them around until I was comfortable with their positions... but since this is a reacreation I know already where I want it, haha.
Next I add on this second image of Kanye. I set that one on Multiple, again moving it to where I want it. Now, I don't like how the whites on the front image are taking on the colors of the texture underneath so I create a NEW LAYER between the two Kanye images. Using a hard brush I color behind him with white (to make it easier to see, it's on a black background)
→
I remember this was when I decided I wanted to keep his hand in too, so I duplicated the lower Kanye image, Inverted it, and moved it down to create a blocking pattern with the background.
And that's all for the larger part! I copy everything into a new 100x100 image and shrink it down using Tranform tools, cropping it right above where the the white from back!Kanye's suit appears. Once I'm happy with the crop I apply Auto Contrast. I then copy/merge everything to a new layer, apply Sharpen, and lower that sharpened layer's Fill to 50%.
→
At this point I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to take the coloring, but I like that pink (#e76dc1) from that background texture, so I create 3 different fill layers with it. Going from the bottom up, the layers end up like this:
1. Multiply 20%
2. Hard Light 10%
3. Soft Light 50%
I then copy/merge everything into a new layer which I apply a heavy blur to. I set that layer to Soft Light.
→
From here I'm pretty happy with it but it's still a little boring, other than the background. After trying LOTS of textures I decide to play with text (it's usually always my last resort XD). I used the font Diamond D. Aaand that's about it for this one!
Ask The Maker 5.0 || My Thread
Under the cut are tutorials for the following icons:
both requested by adrastea
TUTORIAL #1
to
[tutorial under here]
To start, I knew I wanted this to be colorful. This was for a set at the7days for favorite musicians and I was listening to the music by these folks while I made the icons.
First off, I used Auto Tone (SHIFT+CTRL+L) and Auto Contrast (ALT+SHIFT+CTRL+L) on the image. I generally use this when I'm not in the mood to bother with Levels or Curves, aka my lazy times. ;D After that I also create a Vibrance layer (set on Color) which I put at Vibrance: +60.
From here I wanted to brighten up her clothes and such, so I copy everything into a new layer which I set to screen. I use layer masks to lazily erase the brightness from her face.
→
It's not soft OR vibrant enough, so I copy everything to a layer (ALT+CTRL+SHIFT+E), blur it (I can't remember the exact setting but I usually stick between 4px and 6px) and set it to Soft Light.
Next I used Topaz and, unfortunately, I don't remember the exact settings. DX Based on how that layer looks I can reasonably guess I concentrated only on the Edges settings with a fairly high Sharpness. I then duplicated it all in a new layer, applied Sharpen, and lowered opacity to 40% Fill.
→
Now, I can't remember NOW why I did it, but I filled a new layer with #178b43 and set it to Screen at 6% Fill. LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. But ok, past self.
I then duplicated everything again in a new layer, applied a HEAVY blur on Soft Light. This not only brings out the colors but it softens it, too.
→
However, it made the left side far too dark, so I used layer masks on that part.
→
After that I wanted to add more colors, so I use this large texture (I don't remember who it's by, sorry). I set it to Screen and move it around, choose a few different places that I like it.
→
→
(White added to that second texture to better show its placement.)
It's still not bright enough so I add an Vibrance layer. The layer mode is set to Color and the Vibrance is up +64. After that I think what I did was use Topaz again, concentrating on the Clean settings. On that layer I use a layer mask to clear the layer off her face.
→
From here, and to soften it up, I apply a few gradient/light textures. All are by mm3butterfly
→
fullsize texture
on Soft Light, 30% Fill
→
fullsize texture
on Screen
→
fullsize, unrotated
on Screen
→
(same texture but edited/rotated again)
on Screen
I still wanted the contrast from her hair though, so I copy/merge everything into a new layer and use Auto Tone to bring that back. I lower the Fill on that layer to 90%.
To add more of a brightness I bring a duplicate of that very first layer up top, blur it a bit, and set it to Screen.
→
The very last thing I do is use the Smudge tool to soften parts, mostly the edges of her face. And then the icon is done!
TUTORIAL #2
[tutorial under here]
For this, I knew right off that I wanted to use this texture by fuuurs. I'd been wanting to use it for such a long time. It was just a matter of figuring out how. XD
For the purpose of this part, all images are made smaller. If you want to see them larger just open them in a new tab. (Also it seems I didn't save this first part with the blending so that's recreated here and may be a bit different from the rest.)
Working directly on the full-size texture I add this image of Kanye and set it to Screen. Originally I waited until I had both images and moved them around until I was comfortable with their positions... but since this is a reacreation I know already where I want it, haha.
Next I add on this second image of Kanye. I set that one on Multiple, again moving it to where I want it. Now, I don't like how the whites on the front image are taking on the colors of the texture underneath so I create a NEW LAYER between the two Kanye images. Using a hard brush I color behind him with white (to make it easier to see, it's on a black background)
→
I remember this was when I decided I wanted to keep his hand in too, so I duplicated the lower Kanye image, Inverted it, and moved it down to create a blocking pattern with the background.
And that's all for the larger part! I copy everything into a new 100x100 image and shrink it down using Tranform tools, cropping it right above where the the white from back!Kanye's suit appears. Once I'm happy with the crop I apply Auto Contrast. I then copy/merge everything to a new layer, apply Sharpen, and lower that sharpened layer's Fill to 50%.
→
At this point I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to take the coloring, but I like that pink (#e76dc1) from that background texture, so I create 3 different fill layers with it. Going from the bottom up, the layers end up like this:
1. Multiply 20%
2. Hard Light 10%
3. Soft Light 50%
I then copy/merge everything into a new layer which I apply a heavy blur to. I set that layer to Soft Light.
→
From here I'm pretty happy with it but it's still a little boring, other than the background. After trying LOTS of textures I decide to play with text (it's usually always my last resort XD). I used the font Diamond D. Aaand that's about it for this one!
Ask The Maker 5.0 || My Thread