Ask the maker 2.0

[aida_rose]

Happy New Year, icon_talk!

As promised, it's time for our second round of Ask the Maker!Here you'll get the chance to ask icon makers who sign up, questions about their icons/graphics. You can ask for tutorials, guides/walk through, or simply ask a question regarding their work so the makers can compile a Q&A post, with the answers to all the questions

Comments

[raiindust]

Username and where I post my work: raiindust @ aintafairytale
What can we request from you (tutorials, Q&A, walk through, other [specify])?: Q&A, Guide to, How To (as opposed to a tutorial for one icon, a tutorial for a certain aspect of several icons)
Can we hotlink your icons?: Yes.

[justonebeat]

I would just like a tut of anything anything!!

[longerthanwedo]

How to Channel Mixer? I saw you mention it and I have no idea how to go about using it.

[firstillusion]

I am here, supporting this question, by nodding vigorously. But you can't see that, so you'll just have to picture it.

[raiindust]

Your wish, my command. Basic guide concerning How to Channel Mixer!

[kasiopeia]

I'm seconding this! The channel mixer scares me :P

[raiindust]

Hopefully this will help you be un-scared by it. Basic guide concerning How to Channel Mixer!

[fuuurs]

Seriously! I've tried to use it before with mixed results. I want this mystery solved!

[raiindust]

MYSTERY... explored, maybe? IDK. Hopefully it's useful for you! Basic guide concerning How to Channel Mixer!

[mm3butterfly]

FLAILING FOREVER BRB

Okay, firstly: HOW DO YOU COLOR. In general, if you're up to it, like steps and favorite tools, how to, and rambling and such. But if you aren't, I'm specifically interested in how to make your coloring look sort of "faded" but without losing contrast. And how do you pick colors that go into an icon? I don't know if you do it on purpose or not, but your color schemes are just so pretty. AND LIGHT! How do your work with light and so on in your icons? AND THE PAINTY LOOK which is the gorgeous-est of gorgeous things that I've been stanning since forever.

[raiindust]

Cece, I'm going to crack on with this today, but I wanted to ask if there were any examples of the PAINTY LOOK that you wanted me to reference in particular? Just because... I don't want to go into a completely wrong realm and not answer that part of the question!

[mm3butterfly]

Yay! Oh idk how to explain it... it's the smooth look all of these have in common (plus this icon I'm using). They look like paintings, it's really pretty. (You don't need to make an actual tut for each of them, just the effect in general)

[raiindust]

Here in this mess of pictures and words I have hopefully (*crosses fingers*) answered your questions. If you have any subsequent questions, FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW. (By raging, if you choose! LOL).

[rocketgirl2]

I'd love to see you talk about your texture usage: your favorite textures/makers; how you decide on which textures to use; how you get that gorgeous muted/grungy/moody look; and probably tons of other things I can't think of right now.

[raiindust]

Okay, the answer to the muted, grungy moodly look is hopefully here. The rest I'm planning on answering in a happier place where we can just focus on textures!

[raiindust]

And finally, here are the answers to the rest of the questions :)