83. A Guide to Negative Space + Two Tutorials

[novindalf]

the_silverdoe asked something on how I do negative space/backgrounds, so here's a general guide, a general tutorial, and a more specific tutorial :) My tutorials are intended to demonstrate my icon-making process, and hopefully to help other icon makers - they are not here so anyone can copy my work, so please don't!

Comments

[the_silverdoe]

Thaaaaaank you for taking the time to write all this (and making a brand new icon in the process)! :D
I'll try the blurring/resizing method next time I make a fake background icon, and the Soft Light/Screen/Normal series of layers once you've cut out the subject too :) Idk how it'd turn out for me, I like starting at 100x100px, and I cut out with layers masks and a hard brush (reducing the opacity of the layers while I'm masking helps a lot, and I zoom the canvas at 400% so I can see what I'm doing, like in the Darcy icon here, and then I usually use Topaz set on Soft Light to make things smoother). Do you always start at 500px, then 175px, or just when you make fake bg icons? The Marianne icon is just gorgeous, and she blends so well with the background that I couldn't tell if I was a texture or if the original cap was like that!

[novindalf]

You're most welcome! It was quite a learning experience for me actually :P

I'm not 100% sure it I always start with 500px, but I know I've been doing it most of the time lately - actually since my other tutorials were requested and I had to properly think about how I make icons... But I do use it for icons that aren't fake bg ones, so probably.

And thank you!

[laisserais]

This is awesome, thank you! Would you mind if I linked to you from an icon comm?

[novindalf]

Sure, go for it! What comm is it, out of curiosity?

[laisserais]

yay! It's for small batch icons at dreamwidth. We are going to have a psd exchange, and in prep I wanted to link folks to helpful tuts. :) If you'd like, I can link you to the post when I make it. thanks again! For permission and for making this awesome post.

[laisserais]

psst, here's the post where we reference you. :)