PS7 - Greyscale Colouring with Red
Requested tutorial: 
Program: Adobe PS7
Original Image
End Result
Resizing:
We start by resizing our image to 100x100 pixels. There are several ways to do this ( actual cropping, cropping and then resizing, etc ), but I prefer the following:
1. create a new, blank 100x100 image
2. select the Move Tool
3. arrange the original image and the blank image next to each other
4. with the Move Tool, click on the original image, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the image over onto the blank image
You'll end up with something like this:
Check your layer palette to see that your original image now is a new layer on the new, blank image.
5. press CTRL+t to activate Free Transform. Alternately, go to Edit > Free Transform
You'll end up with something like this:
Why is the box so large? - because dragging an image onto another does not change its size. The new layer over your blank image actually contains the entire original image, which is why I prefer this method of resizing. The transformation box shows the actual dimensions of the original and allows for very, very precise placing and resizing of layers.
6. move your cursor to one of the corners of the resizing/transformation box, hold down Shift, and move the corner inward to resize the entire layer:
7. press Enter to apply the transformation
8. you can move this layer like any other layer, so if transforming the layer moved it a little off the canvas, just grab your Move Tool and drag it back to where you like it, until you have this:
Colouring:
There are several ways to achieve 'vivid' desaturated colouring. Normal desaturation results in a rather 'flat' look and doesn't really look that nice in most cases, unless the image you work with has a very vivid colouring to begin with.
To desaturate an image, in our case the 'Layer 1', press CTRL+Shift+u on your keyboard. Alternately, go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.
Warning: don't use Image > Mode > Greyscale to desaturate an image. This process will flatten the entire image ( ie, merge all layers ), and that's not what we want. While it might work if you really want to greyscale and flatten everything, doing this while working with several layers can ruin your work.
Your desaturated image might look like this:
Flat and dull. Let's brighten it up a little.
Method One:
- duplicate your 'Layer 1' x-number of times and set the first two or three duplicates to Screen 100% ( depends on image! )
- set the second to last copy to Soft Light 100% for depth
- set the last copy to Hard Light 100% for more depth
Method Two:
- Adjustment Layer: Brightness/Contrast ( input depends on your image! )
Method Three:
- Adjustment Layer: Levels ( input depends on your image! )
Use whatever method suits you best, and if you prefer other methods, use those. At any rate, I used Levels, duplicated 'Layer 1' twice and dragged both copies above the Levels Layer, set the second to last to Screen 100% and the last to Soft Light 100%:
For the actual colouring, I used a gradient and a light texture:
***
- set the light texture to Screen 100%
- duplicate your 'Layer 1', drag it above the light texture, and set it to Overlay or Soft Light100%
- set the gradient to Screen 100%
Because the gradient coloured the entire image, but I wanted only half of Norman Reedus' face to have the reddish tint, grab your Eraser Tool and zoom into your image until you can see what you're doing. Use a large, soft brush to avoid jagged edges or harsh contrasts. I used one of Adobe's default brushes at size 100. Again, the following depends on the image you use, but what I did here was to erase parts of the gradient from Reedus' face until I had what I wanted:
Result:
I wanted the light texture/gradient effect to have a little more... oomph!, so I duplicated the gradient layer and left it at Screen 100%.
Result:
Now merge all your layers ( CTRL+Shift+e ). Your layer palette will show the almost finished icon as the 'background'. Duplicate that background to have a work layer in case something goes wrong. Depending on your image, you may need to sharpen it. I've used Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask at Amount: 19, Radius: 1,5 Pixels, and Threshold: 0. There are several ways to sharpen - use the one you like, but don't overdo it. With the gradient/light texture to one side of the icon giving it a 'soft' touch, over-sharpening would just look odd.
Result:
Optional Steps:
To add a little more 'oomph!' to your icon, use the Dodge and Burn Tools. The Dodge Tool will considerably brighten up specific parts of your icon if used with a moderate Exposure, while the Burn Tool does the opposite and darkens. You'll need to fiddle with this. Personally, I love these tools because you can really zoom into an icon and specify exactly where you want those bright/dark spots to be.
Dodge and Burn Tool:
Use soft brushes when using either of those tools. Brushes with hard or jagged edges will only fuglify things. Also, don't use either tool at 100% Exposure unless you want really bright or really dark highlights/shadows.
I used the Dodge Tool to brighten the right side of Reedus' face, and the Burn tool to deepen the shadows on the left.
Result:
Then I wanted Reedus' face to be a little larger, so I CTRL+t'd the layer and dragged one of the corners a little outward, and fudged around a little more with the Burn/Dodge Tools.
To finalize the icon, I rotated it ( Image > Rotate Canvas > 90°CW ), and added a tiny text squiggle.
End Result:
Done.
*** Light Texture: I got this from a random website, so I don't know who to credit, because the website didn't credit anyone, either.
Outside Link: Greyscale colouring with Red
Program: Adobe PS7
Original Image
End Result
Resizing:
We start by resizing our image to 100x100 pixels. There are several ways to do this ( actual cropping, cropping and then resizing, etc ), but I prefer the following:
1. create a new, blank 100x100 image
2. select the Move Tool
3. arrange the original image and the blank image next to each other
4. with the Move Tool, click on the original image, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the image over onto the blank image
You'll end up with something like this:
Check your layer palette to see that your original image now is a new layer on the new, blank image.
5. press CTRL+t to activate Free Transform. Alternately, go to Edit > Free Transform
You'll end up with something like this:
Why is the box so large? - because dragging an image onto another does not change its size. The new layer over your blank image actually contains the entire original image, which is why I prefer this method of resizing. The transformation box shows the actual dimensions of the original and allows for very, very precise placing and resizing of layers.
6. move your cursor to one of the corners of the resizing/transformation box, hold down Shift, and move the corner inward to resize the entire layer:
7. press Enter to apply the transformation
8. you can move this layer like any other layer, so if transforming the layer moved it a little off the canvas, just grab your Move Tool and drag it back to where you like it, until you have this:
Colouring:
There are several ways to achieve 'vivid' desaturated colouring. Normal desaturation results in a rather 'flat' look and doesn't really look that nice in most cases, unless the image you work with has a very vivid colouring to begin with.
To desaturate an image, in our case the 'Layer 1', press CTRL+Shift+u on your keyboard. Alternately, go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate.
Warning: don't use Image > Mode > Greyscale to desaturate an image. This process will flatten the entire image ( ie, merge all layers ), and that's not what we want. While it might work if you really want to greyscale and flatten everything, doing this while working with several layers can ruin your work.
Your desaturated image might look like this:
Flat and dull. Let's brighten it up a little.
Method One:
- duplicate your 'Layer 1' x-number of times and set the first two or three duplicates to Screen 100% ( depends on image! )
- set the second to last copy to Soft Light 100% for depth
- set the last copy to Hard Light 100% for more depth
Method Two:
- Adjustment Layer: Brightness/Contrast ( input depends on your image! )
Method Three:
- Adjustment Layer: Levels ( input depends on your image! )
Use whatever method suits you best, and if you prefer other methods, use those. At any rate, I used Levels, duplicated 'Layer 1' twice and dragged both copies above the Levels Layer, set the second to last to Screen 100% and the last to Soft Light 100%:
For the actual colouring, I used a gradient and a light texture:
***
- set the light texture to Screen 100%
- duplicate your 'Layer 1', drag it above the light texture, and set it to Overlay or Soft Light100%
- set the gradient to Screen 100%
Because the gradient coloured the entire image, but I wanted only half of Norman Reedus' face to have the reddish tint, grab your Eraser Tool and zoom into your image until you can see what you're doing. Use a large, soft brush to avoid jagged edges or harsh contrasts. I used one of Adobe's default brushes at size 100. Again, the following depends on the image you use, but what I did here was to erase parts of the gradient from Reedus' face until I had what I wanted:
Result:
I wanted the light texture/gradient effect to have a little more... oomph!, so I duplicated the gradient layer and left it at Screen 100%.
Result:
Now merge all your layers ( CTRL+Shift+e ). Your layer palette will show the almost finished icon as the 'background'. Duplicate that background to have a work layer in case something goes wrong. Depending on your image, you may need to sharpen it. I've used Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask at Amount: 19, Radius: 1,5 Pixels, and Threshold: 0. There are several ways to sharpen - use the one you like, but don't overdo it. With the gradient/light texture to one side of the icon giving it a 'soft' touch, over-sharpening would just look odd.
Result:
Optional Steps:
To add a little more 'oomph!' to your icon, use the Dodge and Burn Tools. The Dodge Tool will considerably brighten up specific parts of your icon if used with a moderate Exposure, while the Burn Tool does the opposite and darkens. You'll need to fiddle with this. Personally, I love these tools because you can really zoom into an icon and specify exactly where you want those bright/dark spots to be.
Dodge and Burn Tool:
Use soft brushes when using either of those tools. Brushes with hard or jagged edges will only fuglify things. Also, don't use either tool at 100% Exposure unless you want really bright or really dark highlights/shadows.
I used the Dodge Tool to brighten the right side of Reedus' face, and the Burn tool to deepen the shadows on the left.
Result:
Then I wanted Reedus' face to be a little larger, so I CTRL+t'd the layer and dragged one of the corners a little outward, and fudged around a little more with the Burn/Dodge Tools.
To finalize the icon, I rotated it ( Image > Rotate Canvas > 90°CW ), and added a tiny text squiggle.
End Result:
Done.
*** Light Texture: I got this from a random website, so I don't know who to credit, because the website didn't credit anyone, either.
Outside Link: Greyscale colouring with Red