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