Tutorial #6. Glaming up a base.
Okay a new tutorial today!:)
I am going to explain how to "glam up" your icon, make the colors more shiny and intensive.
> > >
As always, I am using Photoshop CS, though I am sure my tut should work for other PS versions.
1. So first we are starting with the base. When you resize the picture to 100x100 it always looks too blurry, that's why we should sharpen it. Go to Filter => Sharpen => Sharpen.
Then, the usual base preparation includes the skin smoothing. Take the Blur tool from the tool panel. I usually use these settings: Strength about 35% and a 5-6 pix soft brush.
Go accurately around her forehead, chin and cheeks. Don't blur it all too much.
Now time for the Sharpen tool! If you right click the Blur tool, you can see it in the menu. I use the Strength of about 10-12% and a 3-5 pix brush. Go around her eyes a couple of times, and the lips - but just a little! Also you can use it for her hair, but you should be very accurate.
The result:
2. Now you have your base prepared! Lets continue.
Duplicate the base three times. Set the first copy to Screen, 50%; the second and the third copies to Soft light, 100%.
Looking this way now:
3. Now add an exclusion layer. I created a new layer, filled with #040925, Opacity 100%.
4. Now time to prepare the lips and the eyes. Create a new layer. Pick up a color from the lips (I chose #C6616E), and second time from the eyes (or, if they are not very bright, chose any color you want. I chose blue - #4E3B96).
Take a little round brush and paint over the lips and eyes with the needed color. After that I usually blur this layer a bit (go to Filter => Blur => Blur).
After that set this layer to Overlay, Opacity 100% - but if you think 100% is too much, lower it a bit.
Looking pretty, eh?
5. Now we'll make her skin look better. Again, take the eyedropper tool and chose some color from the skin. Mine is #DEB79A. On a new layer, set to Soft light, paint over her skin. As it looks unnaturally bright, lower that opacity to somewhat like 30-40%.
For the hair create a new layer and paint with something similar to the hair color. My choice is #F4ECC8. I set this layer to Soft light, Opacity 45%.
After that take the Eraser tool and carefully delete from each of these layers which you think cover something they shouldn't :)
Then, create a new layer again, choose the white color, take a little round brush and paint over her lips and eyes. Blur this layer too. Set it to overlay, Opacity 90%.
The result:
6. Turn back to your base, duplicate it and bring to the top. Set it to Soft light and desaturate (Image => Adjustments => Desaturate).
Then create a new layer and fill it with #D29E6B. Set it to Multiply, Opacity 30%. It gives the icon a slightly tanned look. Then, retun to your desturated Soft light layer, duplicate it and bring to the top.
And finally.. create another layer. Fill it with with white and set to Color, Opacity 10%.
And well, my icon is finished! This was quite an easy tut, though it requires some knowledge of PS and accuracy of course:)
Comments on this tutorial and joining this community are much appreciated:)
Natalia.
I am going to explain how to "glam up" your icon, make the colors more shiny and intensive.
> > >
As always, I am using Photoshop CS, though I am sure my tut should work for other PS versions.
1. So first we are starting with the base. When you resize the picture to 100x100 it always looks too blurry, that's why we should sharpen it. Go to Filter => Sharpen => Sharpen.
Then, the usual base preparation includes the skin smoothing. Take the Blur tool from the tool panel. I usually use these settings: Strength about 35% and a 5-6 pix soft brush.
Go accurately around her forehead, chin and cheeks. Don't blur it all too much.
Now time for the Sharpen tool! If you right click the Blur tool, you can see it in the menu. I use the Strength of about 10-12% and a 3-5 pix brush. Go around her eyes a couple of times, and the lips - but just a little! Also you can use it for her hair, but you should be very accurate.
The result:
2. Now you have your base prepared! Lets continue.
Duplicate the base three times. Set the first copy to Screen, 50%; the second and the third copies to Soft light, 100%.
Looking this way now:
3. Now add an exclusion layer. I created a new layer, filled with #040925, Opacity 100%.
4. Now time to prepare the lips and the eyes. Create a new layer. Pick up a color from the lips (I chose #C6616E), and second time from the eyes (or, if they are not very bright, chose any color you want. I chose blue - #4E3B96).
Take a little round brush and paint over the lips and eyes with the needed color. After that I usually blur this layer a bit (go to Filter => Blur => Blur).
After that set this layer to Overlay, Opacity 100% - but if you think 100% is too much, lower it a bit.
Looking pretty, eh?
5. Now we'll make her skin look better. Again, take the eyedropper tool and chose some color from the skin. Mine is #DEB79A. On a new layer, set to Soft light, paint over her skin. As it looks unnaturally bright, lower that opacity to somewhat like 30-40%.
For the hair create a new layer and paint with something similar to the hair color. My choice is #F4ECC8. I set this layer to Soft light, Opacity 45%.
After that take the Eraser tool and carefully delete from each of these layers which you think cover something they shouldn't :)
Then, create a new layer again, choose the white color, take a little round brush and paint over her lips and eyes. Blur this layer too. Set it to overlay, Opacity 90%.
The result:
6. Turn back to your base, duplicate it and bring to the top. Set it to Soft light and desaturate (Image => Adjustments => Desaturate).
Then create a new layer and fill it with #D29E6B. Set it to Multiply, Opacity 30%. It gives the icon a slightly tanned look. Then, retun to your desturated Soft light layer, duplicate it and bring to the top.
And finally.. create another layer. Fill it with with white and set to Color, Opacity 10%.
And well, my icon is finished! This was quite an easy tut, though it requires some knowledge of PS and accuracy of course:)
Comments on this tutorial and joining this community are much appreciated:)
Natalia.