I wasn't quite sure if I would reveal my latest coloring style, but a few people have asked for the method
and when I create every batch of icons (with this style) I usually do some tweaking with the style anyways.
So, here is a tutorial for my style I've been using lately, but the inputs are most referable to my CSI icons and House.
When trying it out, make it your own: mess around with the opacities and color ranges. But you've probably heard this before. Anyways,
on with the tutorial!
Going from
![](http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/4418/001pj8.jpg)
to
![](http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/6579/010it7.jpg)
in Photoshop CS.
Involves layers, curves, color balance, hue/sat, selective color. Most likely for intermediate / advanced users.
Other Examples Using This Coloring:
[ 1 ] Crop your image to 100x100 and duplicate the base two times. Set to screen @ 100%. Sharpen the top screen layer.
[ 2 ] Create a New Adjustment Layer > Hue Saturation. Input the following inputs.
Master: Hue: 0 / Saturation: +36 / Lightness: 0
Yellows: Hue: 0 / Saturation: +32 / Lightness: 0
Cyans: Hue: 0 / Saturation: +51 /Lightness: 0
Blues: Hue: 0 / Saturation: +35 /Lightness: 0
[Note: Depending on your icon, these levels may be different]
Hit Ok.
[ 3 ] Create a New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. Input the following inputs.
Midtones: -15/-47/+13
Shadows: 25/0/+14
Highlights: 0/0/0
Make sure that Preserve Luminosity is checked.
Hit OK.
[ 4 ] Create a New Adjustment Layer > Curves. Under RGB input
Input: 110
Output: 136
My curves screen looks like this:
(once again, it’ll vary depending on the icon)
Click OK.
[ 5 ] Create a New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color. These were my inputs.
Reds: Cyan: -100 / Magenta: +3 / Yellow: +100 / Black: 0
Yellows: Cyan: +47 / Magenta: 0 / Yellow: -39 / Black: 0
Greens: Cyan: +48 / Magenta: 0 / Yellow: 40 / Black: 0
Neutrals: Cyan: +52 / Magenta: -14 / Yellow: -18 / Black: 0
Method: Relative
Click OK.
[ 6 ] Create a New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. Input the following inputs.
Midtones: -61/+25/+7
Shadows: 0/0/0
Highlights: 0/0/0
Make sure that Preserve Luminosity is checked.
Click Ok.
[ 7 ] Create another New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. Input the following inputs.
Midtones: -46/0/+40
Shadows: 0/0/0
Highlights: 0/0/0
Make sure that Preserve Luminosity is checked.
Click Ok.
[ 8 ] However I’m not quite done. I took a texture, placed it on the icon, moving it around so it’s not on the icon exactly evenly, set it on Difference @ 80%. My final result was this:
Phew! That took a bit to write up. Lol. I hope you enjoyed that tutorial as much as I enjoy using it on my icons. =} Remember, mess around with the opacities and levels of the adjustment layers. Using the exact tutorial may not work on every photo/screencap.
If you want to download the PSD for this tutorial, you may do so,
here.
Other examples using the same technique: