Ask the Maker 2016. Tutorial 1.
Ask The Maker 2016. One.
Requested by dark_x_huntress
Going from this to
this was the original icon. I followed it as best as I could. :)
This turned out long.
Program: Photoshop CS6
Translatable: CS5, CS4, sure. Not sure about other programs.
To be perfectly honest, I do not have the PSD of this icon anymore. As such, I cannot quite remember what I did. But, I am going to recreate it for you as closely as I can.
Buffy and Angel screencaps can be very hard to work with. They are dark, they are grainy, they can be old.
And so, I begin.
For this icon, I did work with a 200x200 canvas for the beginning steps -- just to keep as much original detail as I possibly could.
this is the screencap I chose.
Copy + Paste it onto a 200x200 background that is transparent.
Transform (scale) to your liking on the new canvas. I chose to make them of a medium size for the recreation.
200x200.
Here comes screen layers and etc. I put on way, way more screen layers than you might want/need for any other caps. BTVS caps are very dark, and if you want to play around with lighting and contrast later, I find it is better to start out bright.
Set to 100% opacity, duplicated layers, in order: soft light, screen, screen, screen, screen.
Then, I duplicated the original soft-light layer and put it above all the rest at only 15% opacity.
Now, select all, copy-merged, paste as new layer.
Now, I add a topaz layer -- on a lowish opacity. Filter --> topaz.
Settings: Crisp Style. Accent, 2. Hit okay.
Take the opacity down to 40%.
It is a very subtle effect. We will maybe bump that up later.
Now, we mask-paint out the parts I do not want. I masked-out over Angel's face and Buffy's face, and their joined hands. I find that topaz often makes too much emphasis on hands and face, and so I usually mask out those bits.
Select all, copy merged, paste as new layer.
Now we apply colour fill layer of desired colour. I went with red. For unknown reasons, but I think it works.
Layer > New Fill Layer > #ff0000.
Here this bit is important: lower the opacity of the fill layer so that you can mask-out over the couple.
We do not want them to be red, and we will mess with this a bit more (changing the blend mode) to make it look better.
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--->
(for the tutorial, I masked out very sloppily, but you should do a much better job)
Now, we raise the opacity of the fill layer all the way, and then set the blend mode to soft-light (100%).
Select all > copy merged > paste as new layer
And then we resize to 100x100 for the rest. I resize by selecting all, copy-merged and pasting onto a 100x100, then transform (scale) resizing so it fits the new, smaller canvas. You resize however you want.
Please note that the way I do it...you lose all your existing layers where you messed with things.
If you want them for reference, save the PSD before you copy it onto 100x100.
Now we do additional adjustments -- it looks blurry now, but we aim to fix up the colouring first.
First, I duplicate the layer (at this point, with the message above about resizing, I only have 1 layer now).
Then, I zoom in, twice. (View > Zoom In)
Let us work on the background first. I want to increase, and darken, the red.
New Layer.
Paint brush. Setting on Soft light (100%), paint red. Whatever red of your choosing.
I went with: #670404.
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I get a little red on their arms, but that is okay. You can do better, much more precise, if you want.
I duplicate the red layer (soft light 100%). Zoom in three times. Make the red layer a mask layer, so that I can mask the red off of parts I do not want it on.
Now I apply the mask, and delete the red layer beneath it. Then I zoom out (back to 100%).
Then I duplicate the layer. (Soft light, 100%)
layer > new adjustment layer > colour balance
preserve luminosity is checked. settings for midtones: +7, -4, +4
shadows: +7, -2, -4 || highlights: -2, -4, +2
layer > new adjustment layer > selective colour
"Relative" is checked
Reds = -10, -9, +2, +12
Magentas = +2, -9, -1, +7 (this difference is very subtle, and optional)
Blacks = +5, +2, +6, +2
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
I also look at the icon, in 100x100, under variations, and decide whether or not I need/want to apply any.
In this case, I did not. If you do, make sure you look at the various options and how they affect the icon on various blend modes.
Now, I sharpen. On a duplicated copy-merged layer, low opacity, I use either a filter or smart sharpen.
Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen
Settings: Basic, Amount 100, Remove Gaussian Blur, Radius 3.0 px.
I hit okay, it is on normal blend mode, but the opacity is at 41%.
If you like to sharpen some other way, please do. Sometime I use topaz, sometimes I use unsharp mask.
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
Now, we must make the icon different from others. I turn to textures for colouring help and, well, texture. You should choose which textures you want.
I went with these three by Evey-V @ DA.
and
and
.
I applied a mask layer to each one.
The first one up there is set to 30% opacity on soft light, and I masked out on Angel and Buffy a bit.
The second one is set to screen at 25% and I masked out on Angel/Buffy.
The third one is set to soft light at 24% and is not masked-out.
Now, I apply a new layer, and colour with black and set that on soft light, opactiy at 29%. Zoom in twice to do this, it helps.
It is a bit sloppy, but it gets the job done.
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
Then I apply this texture by expose42 on screen at 30% and on a masker layer, and I mask-out on the couple.
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I take a final look at the icon. Does anything need to be bumped up?
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
Duplicate twice.
First duplication = screen at 25%
Second duplication = soft light at 20%
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
layer > new adjustment layer > brightness/contrast
settings: 12, 15
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
layer > new adjustment layer > vibrance
settings: 31, -10
I desaturated a little for this recreation -- I liked it better.
Select All > Copy Merged > Paste
Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings: 23.7, soft light, 40% opacity
(this is actually a nice way to make your own soft-light, blurry textures, just fyi)
-- >
It looks okay, not great, but okay. I decide to keep it. :)
I then messed around with a variations layer -- I am not going to put the exact settings. But, when I was done, I put it on screen at 17% opacity.
I feel it it still lacking something, but what? I up the vibrance and saturation with a vibrance layer.
layer > new adjustment layer > vibrance
settings: +12, +2
Layer > Flatten Image (Merge All)
To you, it might need final sharpening, but I chose not to. You may also want to play around with other textures or additional lighting.
Thank you for requesting this. :) It was fun.
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Thank you!!