2 tutorials

[apologizeg]

v_allery asked me about these icons in Ask the maker 2.0 at icon_talk. (The other ones will come later)

I use Photoshop CS5, Idk if they are translateable. But for the Vibrance layers, you can use Hue/Saturation and up the Saturation just a tiny bit.

I didn't save the original PSD for this one, so I had to re-create it:
>> >>
base >> original icon >> re-creation


01. First, crop the icon to your liking. Then dublicate your base and set the copy to Screen because the cap is quite dark.

02. Add a new fill layer with a gradient. Color #320f2a at the bottom and #ebe6ce at the top. Set this to Soft Light. This adds some nice lighting to the icon.

03. A new curves layer with settings looking like these: RGB || RED || GREEN || BLUE

Your icon should now look something like this:


04. A new color fill layer with this color #ede1c3. Set in on 20% Opacity. This removes some of the strong contrast in her face.

05. Now click ctrl+alt+shift+e to stamp the layers. Go to Filter >> Blur >> Gaussian Blur. Set the radius to 5 pixels. Click ok and set the layer on Soft Light. This makes pretty lighting.

06. A new Levels layer, only change the BLUE settings to this:
53, 1,00, 255
0, 255
This gives the green color that is the main color in this icon.

07. A new gradient MAP with a gradient like this: #68183a at the bottom, #efdbee at the top. Set the layer opacity to 38%. Everything is much softer now.

08. Stamp the layers again (ctrl>alt>shift>e). Set it on Soft Light to get more contrast.

09. New Selective Coloring layer to give more redness and darkness:
REDS: +78, +51, -50, 0
YELLOWS: +58, 0, +73, 0
NEUTRALS: 0, 0, +47, 0

10. Another Selective Coloring layer to get the colors more purple:
REDS: +52, +54, -32, 0
YELLOWS: 0, -5, -29, 0
NEUTRALS: 0, 0, +64, 0

11. A Vibrance layer to boost the colors: +93

12. Add this texture by slayground @ tumblr and set it on Screen. Grungyness!

13. One more Curves layer: RGB || GREEN || BLUE

14. Last step! Selective Coloring:
REDS: +28, +49, -28, 0
NEUTRALS: 0, 0, +11, 0

>>


01. Crop, of course. Then go to Image and click on Auto Tone, then Auto Contrast and then Auto Color. Sometimes this works like a charm, sometimes, not so much. This time it brightned up the base perfectly.

02. New color fill #6a4a8e, Soft Light. I love purple.

03. New gradient fill. The default black&white one with the layer on Soft Light and opacity 20%.

04. Curves: RGB || RED || GREEN || BLUE
Makes it greener.

05. Vibrance +100. More colors!

06. Curves again: Curves: RGB || RED || GREEN || BLUE
Give blue highlights to her face.

07. One last curves layer: Curves: RGB
Just to brighten things up a bit.

08. Vibrance +100. Even more colors!

09. I brightned up her under-lips a tiny bit with the Dodge tool. Makes them prettier!

Your icon should now look something like this:


10. Stamp your layers (ctrl>alt>shift>e). Then select the rectangular marquee tool and select a small stripe of the icon (just left by her face) like this:

Then click ctrl>c and then ctrl>v to copy and paste the selected part. Now use your left keyboard arrow and click just a few time to move the stripe a little to the left. This give a cool effect.

11. Add this texture by innocent_lexys and set it to Hard Light 7%. Now add this texture by the same maker and set it to Hard Light 5%. This will make things softer.

12. Vibrance layer: +37

13. Color fill layer #5c592f on 10%. I like it when things are smoothed out. :)

14. Stamp your layers again (ctrl>alt>shift>e) and go to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Then go to Edit > Fade Sharpen and set it to your liking.

15. Vibrance +33

16. Add this texture by innocent_lexys. Put it on Screen 57%. Erase the parts that cover her chin and left cheek with the eraser tool.

And done!

I hope this was helpful, and if you are wondering about something, just ask!
I will not upload the PSD. sorry.

Comments

[v-allery.livejournal.com]

OMG, omg, omg, I ADORE you!
This was fast and oh so helpful.
I'm amazed by some of your texture use - it's brilliant that setting a layer to 5% opacity can make SUCH a HUGE difference coloring and lighting-wise!
Oh and I didn't even notice that stripe in the second tut on the original icon but now when I look at it I think what a great touch! Again - so subtle, but makes a world of difference.

Wow, thanks for sharing!

[apologizeg]

Thank you, I'm so glad you like them! I know, I figured out the Hard Light thing by accident. :P

[wandererjulia.livejournal.com]

wow :3
these are really two interesting tutorials :3 can't wait to try them!

[apologizeg]

Thanks! :)

[appleindecay.livejournal.com]

I love this coloring - so gorgeous!
Thanks for these amazing tutorials!

[apologizeg]

Thank you! I'm so glad you like themm :3

[everybody--lies.livejournal.com]

This is soo pretty, I might have to try it out sometime. =]

[apologizeg]

Thank you!

[latemorningicon.livejournal.com]

Hiya. *shy wave* for the kate icon, is there any way you could let me know the actual numbers of all the curve layers? i'm quite an idiot clearly and can't do curves in tutorials without actual numbers :/ I'm so sorry. *facepalm*

[apologizeg]

Sure :)

Step 3:
RGB: point one: output 89, input 99
point two: output 198, input 192
RED: point one: op 143, ip 156
point two: op 50, ip 70
point three: op 232, ip 209
GREEN: point one: op 86, ip 90
point two: op 214, ip 210
BLUE: point one: op 233, ip 180
point two: op 39, ip 72

Step 13:
RGB: op 192, ip 181
GREEN: op 194, ip 181
BLUE: op 202, ip 192