Ask the maker 3.0!

[aida_rose]

It's time for our third round of Ask the Maker!

Here you'll get the chance to ask icon makers who sign up, questions about their icons and other graphics. You can ask for tutorials, guides/"How to", or ask any other questions regarding their work so the makers can compile a Q&A post with the answers to all the questions they get. As always, .PSD

Comments

[second_love]

Username and where I post my work: I'm second_love and I post my icons at magic-paradise
What can we request from you (tutorials, Q&A, guides etc. .PSDs are not allowed: (If you know of anything now that you're not able to answer/do, please mention it)
Can we hotlink your icons?:Sure, go for it!

[monstersinyou]

OH MY GOD! WHERE THE HELL SHALL I BEGIN??! :D

Okay, I've got a couple of questions going right here:
1. How do you do your amazing blocking? I feel like when I use blocks in my icons they always look kinda lame, but yours are just so good. Examples: 1, 2, 3
2. How do you pull off this bright coloring in screencaps, such as The Vampire Diaries. Could you maybe post a guide to screencap coloring?
3. What are your favourite textures to use?
4. What are your favourite fonts and how do you prefer to use them?
5. Some tutorials, please? I know I'm asking a lot, but tutorials for these icons would be awesome! 1, 2, 3
6. How do you do this profile blending thing like in the layout from tvd_20in20 round 18?

I'm sorry I'm asking so much, but your graphics are just so lovely. :) And if you don't have time for step by step tutorials, that's totally fine!

Aaaand thank you very much in advance! ♥

[cb_janey]

I second this so much. ♥

[second_love]

1. For blocking I usually use filter of PS (Filter-other-offset) and than just experiment. Imposing layers at each other or I put the new turned-out layers from above and I apply this filter again.
2.I don't know how it's happening. For me it's like reflex, I do everything on the automaton and not always I understand and I remember as I it made. But I will try something to think up.
3.Very like gradient t , colorful and blur textures.
4. Fonts, text there are my least favorite things. I don't like use them because I do it not so well but I like calligraphics or unusual fonts like Pacisico, Sunday Monday, Yougurt, Syphon Spritz, Bofore the Rain and so on.
5. I will try to write at least one of them. I promise.
6.I try to use pictures with a lot of black space . For blending better use brunettes. It's very helping to put it on screen option and and to leave originality and beauty of composition, without touching the person of characters.

[setentpet]

Could I maybe have a tutorial for either of these icons:

[second_love]

For the first icon I used tutorial by erzsebet with little correction by me . It's here (http://songburst.livejournal.com/23127.html ) tutorial #4.
What about the second icon I will writw tutorial today or tomorrow and will post it at my graphic journal.

[setentpet]

Thanks!