Ask the maker 2.0

[aida_rose]

Happy New Year, icon_talk!

As promised, it's time for our second round of Ask the Maker!Here you'll get the chance to ask icon makers who sign up, questions about their icons/graphics. You can ask for tutorials, guides/walk through, or simply ask a question regarding their work so the makers can compile a Q&A post, with the answers to all the questions

Comments

[cool_spectrum]

Username and where I post my work: cool_spectrum
What can we request from you (tutorials, Q&A, walk through, other (specify))?: I think I can handle anything :3
Can we hotlink your icons?: Sure~
Anything else?: I don't think so.

[mun_rikki]

hi there cyan :] i honestly love all of your icons, but there are some flawless icons that i would like to ask how do you made it so flawless xDDD

[cool_spectrum]

Hi~ LOL, I'll answer as best I can.

For the first icon I will create a proper tutorial with images and the like, so I'll send you a link to that when I get the chance.

For the second one, I simply extracted the original image, placed the character over a few different textures (most of them put on overlay) and then added a few simple textures over the top of that. I have a tutorial here that uses some of the steps I use in my most basic icons. Hopefully that will be helpful~

For the third one, that was super simple. Cropped the image, used this texture, and did some color adjusting with the Curves tool. You can also use the Hue-Saturation tool to brighten stuff up too though~

My favorite font is probably Placard. It's basic, and narrow so I can fit a lot of text in a small area. I tend to put text in a block, or if I'm using a script font I'll usually have one word in the script font, and the rest in a more basic font like Times New Roman. I've also played with blurring the text and lowering the opacity.

[mun_rikki]

thank you so much for answering my question :] it was very helpful for a newbie like me xDD

[rocketgirl2]

How do you do your lighting on icons? They're all so soft and bright and glowy, and it's gorgeous!

[mm3butterfly]

Username and where I post my work: mm3butterfly @ encorevous & magicmachine
What can we request from you (tutorials, Q&A, walk through, other (specify))?: I don't save .psds for icons, though, so it's possible that I can't achieve the same result twice, so questions, "how to" and guides are less likely to disapoint you than tutorials & walkthroughs. But if you ask, I'll try tuts :)
Can we hotlink your icons?: Sure!
Anything else?: I'm not an english native speaker, sorry if I don't explain something well enough :(

[ex_absolute]

How about a guide to how to be you? I would like that very much, Cece. <3

[raiindust]

+1 in support of this statement.

[mm3butterfly]

CLEARLY The one who should be writing such guide is yourself, but I'll forgive your mistake in the grounds of your lack of sleep. ♥

[kasiopeia]

Username and where I post my work: kasiopeia at wakingnights
What can we request from you (tutorials, Q&A, walk through, other (specify))?: Anything! :) I've only ever written one tutorial, and I kinda want to get better at them, so I need the practice (and I keep most .psd's for a while so I can recreate them somewhat accurately ^^)! But anything is welcome ^^
Can we hotlink your icons?: Yes :)
Anything else?: Not really, just HAPPY NEW YEAR <3

[likealight]

[kasiopeia]

Will do :) I have both those .psd's so I should be able to do some tutorials :)

In general I'm very fond of light and I think a lot about shadows and where the light is coming from. And that particular batch I worked with the light theme at 20inspirations ^^

Thanks!

[kasiopeia]

First tutorial and some talk on lighting :D

[fouroux]

Username and where I post my work: fouroux at maisonjaune / magicmachine
What can we request from you (tutorials, Q&A, walk through, other (specify))?: I'd prefer Q&As. you can also request tutorials, but I can't promise I'll remember what I did with a particular icon or it might take me quite a while to write it up.
Can we hotlink your icons?: yes, I suppose there's no harm to it.

[longerthanwedo]

How do you infuse dark/dull caps (some of the SPN ones I know, and others) with such bright, strong colors? This icon comes to mind, the color in his lips and everything.

[rowofstars]

Seconding this. SPN caps are THE WORST sometimes when it comes to coloring.

[mm3butterfly]

HOW DO YOU GREEN&YELLOW :D seems the obvious question to ask, so I'll ask it. HOW. How do you color in general too, like steps and such, to any any icon. But also: TEXTURES! & skin tones, your skin tones are so pretty.