Icon Tutorial #2; Joan Wasser.
How to go from 
to
.
Can probably be translated to PSP fairly easily, but I used Photoshop 7.
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Crop your image down to 100x100-- this is your base.
It looks pretty nice, but it's a little blurry. Let's sharpen it, to remedy this.
Definitely too sharp. Let's go to Edit > Fade Sharpen > Darken.
Alright, now we've got something good to work with. Let's duplicate the layer twice (Layer > Duplicate Layer), and then desaturate the top layer (Shift + Ctrl + U or Image > Adjustments > Desaturate).
It looks a bit boring, doesn't it? Yeah. Let's fix that.
In your layers menu, set your desaturated layer to soft light.
Looks a bit dark, doesn't it? Don't worry-- it won't be for long. Go down one layer in your layers menu and select the middle layer.
Now, go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. Set your contrast to 40.
Back to your layers menu-- set this layer on screen.
Create a new layer (Layer > New > Layer...), just overtop of the layer you just worked on, and fill it with a navy blue colour-- #020540 for instance.
Now, set this to exclusion.
Create a new layer overtop of the blue one, and fill it with #D2A27C.
Set this to lighten, at 35%.
Now, merge your layers (Layers > Merge Visible), and then duplicate your remaining layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer). Now, in your layers menu, set the top layer to soft light, at 50%.
Create a new layer between the two layers you have, and fill it with that same navy blue from earlier-- #020540. Now, set this layer to exclusion.
Now, merge your layers again.
We're almost done.
bombayicons makes a great many gorgeous light textures-- it's about time we used one of them.
Set this light texture overtop of the one other layer you have, and set it to multiply. Ooh.
It looks really neat, but a little dark, right? Easily remedied.
Create a white (#FFFFFF) layer between your two layers, and set it to soft light.
And we're done!
From here, you can add text, etc. I chose not to, and opted to play with a brush by gender.
---
Feel free to post your finished results here-- I'd love to see them! Also, constructive criticism would be fantastic. :D
to
.
Can probably be translated to PSP fairly easily, but I used Photoshop 7.
---
Crop your image down to 100x100-- this is your base.
It looks pretty nice, but it's a little blurry. Let's sharpen it, to remedy this.
Definitely too sharp. Let's go to Edit > Fade Sharpen > Darken.
Alright, now we've got something good to work with. Let's duplicate the layer twice (Layer > Duplicate Layer), and then desaturate the top layer (Shift + Ctrl + U or Image > Adjustments > Desaturate).
It looks a bit boring, doesn't it? Yeah. Let's fix that.
In your layers menu, set your desaturated layer to soft light.
Looks a bit dark, doesn't it? Don't worry-- it won't be for long. Go down one layer in your layers menu and select the middle layer.
Now, go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. Set your contrast to 40.
Back to your layers menu-- set this layer on screen.
Create a new layer (Layer > New > Layer...), just overtop of the layer you just worked on, and fill it with a navy blue colour-- #020540 for instance.
Now, set this to exclusion.
Create a new layer overtop of the blue one, and fill it with #D2A27C.
Set this to lighten, at 35%.
Now, merge your layers (Layers > Merge Visible), and then duplicate your remaining layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer). Now, in your layers menu, set the top layer to soft light, at 50%.
Create a new layer between the two layers you have, and fill it with that same navy blue from earlier-- #020540. Now, set this layer to exclusion.
Now, merge your layers again.
We're almost done.
bombayicons makes a great many gorgeous light textures-- it's about time we used one of them.
Set this light texture overtop of the one other layer you have, and set it to multiply. Ooh.
It looks really neat, but a little dark, right? Easily remedied.
Create a white (#FFFFFF) layer between your two layers, and set it to soft light.
And we're done!
From here, you can add text, etc. I chose not to, and opted to play with a brush by gender.
---
Feel free to post your finished results here-- I'd love to see them! Also, constructive criticism would be fantastic. :D