ICON TUTORIAL
ICON TUTORIAL
3rd by seems
First Tutorial | Second Tutorial
Oho~ It's February, and this means a new tutorial. I've had a few people asking me how I go about colouring my manga images, so that's what I'll be covering today.
We'll be going from:
This to
Experience: Beginner to intermediate (step-by-step instructions)
Program Used: Photoshop 7 (TRANSLATABLE)
Resources included
STEP ONE
Well, this is simple enough, yeah? Just open up your base scan and crop what you want your icon to be of. I know I'm putting text on mine before I finish, so I'm making sure I have some empty space with my base so I don't have to edit much of the picture.
Simple enough, yeah? Just cut it, paste it into a new window. Don't forget to resize to 100x100
STEP TWO
Doesn't really look that nice, does it? Go ahead and copy that layer. On your new layer, go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate and set the layer blending options to Overlay.
--->
See? Already an improvement.
STEP THREE
Now, if this were any other fandom I were colouring for, I'd colour everything. But, since this is Trigun Maximum we're working with, I won't bother with all the detail. There's just simply not that much drive in me or anyone else for it. So, we're going to decide what to colour. I'm thinking probably the skin, eyes, and the shirt cuff just coming out from under Wolfwood's jacket.
SO! Go make a new layer on top of your base layers and set it to Linear Burn on your layer options. Then, go get your Paintbrush tool and get whatever size default brush you feel comfortable working with. I'm working on the skin first since that's what there's the most of. Go over to your colour picker, and pick out what colour for his skin. (And I don't care how Nightow shades his skin, I swear Wolfwood has light coloured skin DX) I'm working with #F8E3B0.
And you pretty much do this with all your colouring. Every time you work on a different part of the base, make a new layer setting it to Linear Burn. Mind you, this only works on WHITE areas on the base. Any dark/black areas, you have to work with the layer on Screen, but that'd be an entirely different tutorial. Much longer.
Anyway, I'm a sucker for bright colours, so I ended up taking a liberty or two in Wolfwood's colouring.
Hey, at least I didn't go colour the jacket neon pink like I really wanted to. Had I more energy, I'd go take care of how flat the gun looks but..yeah. It's 1:30am, that's not happening.
ANYWAY.
STEP FOUR
I guess it's time for some effects, huh? Well, don't expect much.
Between your two base layers, make a new layer and set the options to Overlay. Then, go and fill the layer with a dark blue. You can mess around with the opacity and fill until you get it how you like it.
-->
I'm a sucker for exclusion layers, so on top of everything, make another layer and set it to Exclusion, then just go ahead and fill it with the same blue. Again, mess around with the opacities and fills until it's how you like it.
--->
STEP FIVE
Since it takes too much time to explain this (which I've done before. Believe me, it was too complicated for its own good.) I'll provide you with the basic source. Rather than relying on manipulating certain light textures from other people, I tend to make my own without any trouble with the window right beside my icon so I can put the colour where I want the focus to be.
Using the Move tool, drag the texture over to your base and set it to Color Dodge.
--->
Fixes that bland problem on the gun, doesn't it? It also adds a little more depth to the base. Mind you, if you ever decide to make your own and want to know how, just let me know and I'll show you how. It sounds complicated and long, it's really not. ♥ It can be done with any colour you want.
STEP SIX
Time for text! Since the original background is white-ish, I'll be using a dark text for contrast. Go get your Text tool and pick out whatever font you want. It needs to be something that can be read at small fonts, though, in case your base doesn't have much space for the text. (HEY! Lots of rhymes in that sentence~)
Go and set your text tool where you want the text and type whatever you want. Given that I'm listening to an amazing Wolfwood FST provided by domlandbubbles, I'll be using "Personal Jesus" lyrics.
I'm using Times New Roman, as I always do. When you're done, move the text layer around until it's where you like it best.
Right under that, I'm going to set my font much, MUCH smaller for tiny text and add some other lyrics from the song so that one lyric isn't all by its lonesome~ What I will do to the smaller text is lower the fill on the layer.
I really think any major effects (textures, brushes, curves, etc) would ruin the effect of the icon, so I believe we're finished! Just merge your layers together and save it and you're done!
I do hope this helps those of you working on b&w manga/comic book images. Any questions, just send them my way ♥
And, as always, the icon is free for use. Just credit either seems or safire-icons.
cross-posted to icon-tutorial and toon-tutorials
3rd by seems
First Tutorial | Second Tutorial
Oho~ It's February, and this means a new tutorial. I've had a few people asking me how I go about colouring my manga images, so that's what I'll be covering today.
We'll be going from:
This to
Experience: Beginner to intermediate (step-by-step instructions)
Program Used: Photoshop 7 (TRANSLATABLE)
Resources included
STEP ONE
Well, this is simple enough, yeah? Just open up your base scan and crop what you want your icon to be of. I know I'm putting text on mine before I finish, so I'm making sure I have some empty space with my base so I don't have to edit much of the picture.
Simple enough, yeah? Just cut it, paste it into a new window. Don't forget to resize to 100x100
STEP TWO
Doesn't really look that nice, does it? Go ahead and copy that layer. On your new layer, go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate and set the layer blending options to Overlay.
--->
See? Already an improvement.
STEP THREE
Now, if this were any other fandom I were colouring for, I'd colour everything. But, since this is Trigun Maximum we're working with, I won't bother with all the detail. There's just simply not that much drive in me or anyone else for it. So, we're going to decide what to colour. I'm thinking probably the skin, eyes, and the shirt cuff just coming out from under Wolfwood's jacket.
SO! Go make a new layer on top of your base layers and set it to Linear Burn on your layer options. Then, go get your Paintbrush tool and get whatever size default brush you feel comfortable working with. I'm working on the skin first since that's what there's the most of. Go over to your colour picker, and pick out what colour for his skin. (And I don't care how Nightow shades his skin, I swear Wolfwood has light coloured skin DX) I'm working with #F8E3B0.
And you pretty much do this with all your colouring. Every time you work on a different part of the base, make a new layer setting it to Linear Burn. Mind you, this only works on WHITE areas on the base. Any dark/black areas, you have to work with the layer on Screen, but that'd be an entirely different tutorial. Much longer.
Anyway, I'm a sucker for bright colours, so I ended up taking a liberty or two in Wolfwood's colouring.
Hey, at least I didn't go colour the jacket neon pink like I really wanted to. Had I more energy, I'd go take care of how flat the gun looks but..yeah. It's 1:30am, that's not happening.
ANYWAY.
STEP FOUR
I guess it's time for some effects, huh? Well, don't expect much.
Between your two base layers, make a new layer and set the options to Overlay. Then, go and fill the layer with a dark blue. You can mess around with the opacity and fill until you get it how you like it.
-->
I'm a sucker for exclusion layers, so on top of everything, make another layer and set it to Exclusion, then just go ahead and fill it with the same blue. Again, mess around with the opacities and fills until it's how you like it.
--->
STEP FIVE
Since it takes too much time to explain this (which I've done before. Believe me, it was too complicated for its own good.) I'll provide you with the basic source. Rather than relying on manipulating certain light textures from other people, I tend to make my own without any trouble with the window right beside my icon so I can put the colour where I want the focus to be.
Using the Move tool, drag the texture over to your base and set it to Color Dodge.
--->
Fixes that bland problem on the gun, doesn't it? It also adds a little more depth to the base. Mind you, if you ever decide to make your own and want to know how, just let me know and I'll show you how. It sounds complicated and long, it's really not. ♥ It can be done with any colour you want.
STEP SIX
Time for text! Since the original background is white-ish, I'll be using a dark text for contrast. Go get your Text tool and pick out whatever font you want. It needs to be something that can be read at small fonts, though, in case your base doesn't have much space for the text. (HEY! Lots of rhymes in that sentence~)
Go and set your text tool where you want the text and type whatever you want. Given that I'm listening to an amazing Wolfwood FST provided by domlandbubbles, I'll be using "Personal Jesus" lyrics.
I'm using Times New Roman, as I always do. When you're done, move the text layer around until it's where you like it best.
Right under that, I'm going to set my font much, MUCH smaller for tiny text and add some other lyrics from the song so that one lyric isn't all by its lonesome~ What I will do to the smaller text is lower the fill on the layer.
I really think any major effects (textures, brushes, curves, etc) would ruin the effect of the icon, so I believe we're finished! Just merge your layers together and save it and you're done!
I do hope this helps those of you working on b&w manga/comic book images. Any questions, just send them my way ♥
And, as always, the icon is free for use. Just credit either seems or safire-icons.
cross-posted to icon-tutorial and toon-tutorials