4th Icon Tutorial
ICON TUTORIAL
4th by impression
1st tutorial | 2nd tutorial | 3rd tutorial
SQUEEZING THIS IN BEFORE THE END OF MARCH. Because I'm that much of a procrastinator. u_u
Ah, but yes. I've noticed something about icon tutorials lately. They're all either involving selective colouring, or they're made for bright icons (lots of white, light colours). What about all those dark images that you want to work with? I figure this is a good idea to work with.
So, today, we'll go from:
to
Experience: Beginner to intermediate
Program Used: Photoshop 7 (TRANSLATABLE)
Resources included
DISCLAIMER: This tutorial is meant to be LOOSELY used step-by-step and is meant as a series of icon experiments and ideas for the makers. Do not hold me accountable if it doesn't work the way you want.
Now, on all accounts, I've already made an icon from this image, but I just can't resist messing around with it again. So, here we've got Alucard in all his No Life King darkness, yes? But..you don't really want an icon from just that simple base, do you? I thought not.
1. Beginning to brighten.
The image is pretty dark on its own, but I want to be able to make those few, little white details pop some. So, go copy your original base onto a new layer, then make it invisible.
Then, go back to the original, and up on your menu, go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. The levels you use vary from image to image, so you really have to decide what's best for you. Rule of thumb FOR MYSELF, always have the contrast higher than the brightness.
This is something I do on almost all of my icons unless they're already very crisp and clear. AND THAT'S ALL OF STEP 1. \o/
2. Beginning Layer Effects
So, you've got these two layers, one's darker than the other. Both look a bit flat. Let's fix that. Go back to the copied layer and change the layout options to Color Dodge. Already looking different, eh?
LET'S GO, GO.
3. Getting the right colouring
Firstly, make a new layer on top of everything else, and fill it with a dark blue. I'm using #031654 for mine. Now, set the layer to Exclusion.
For those of you using GIMP and PSP, I swear, I saw a tutorial somewhere for how to get the exclusion effect. I can't find it at the moment, but I'm sure you could find it in the memories in icon-tutorial. My apologies for not having it ready right here DX
IMPORTANT
Make sure you lower the opacity and fill on this layer. DO IT. >O You don't have to lower it much, I lowered mine:
Opacity - 89%
Fill - 69%
Since we're still trying to make those little white parts pop out, let's take our Color Dodge layer and copy it. Move that copy up to the top and change the layer options to Lighten.
4. Adding extra effects with textures
Okay, so we've got our colouring that we want to use. You can leave your dark icon like that, or you can keep going with me.
Now, we're going to open a texture that I feel horrible for saying but I can't remember where I found it. If you know, please tell me and I'll credit the maker.
Anyway, you'll open this texture and use the move tool to move it to your icon. Once you have it over there, move the layer right above your original base layer and set the layer options to Overlay. After that, go up to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Then, merge your layers and that's it!
And there you have it \:D/ Easy, nicely coloured base from an originally dark image. ♥
If you decide to try this tutorial out for yourself, I'd love to see what you come up with.
The icon is definitely usable. Just be sure to credit either some_kat or safire-icons
4th by impression
1st tutorial | 2nd tutorial | 3rd tutorial
SQUEEZING THIS IN BEFORE THE END OF MARCH. Because I'm that much of a procrastinator. u_u
Ah, but yes. I've noticed something about icon tutorials lately. They're all either involving selective colouring, or they're made for bright icons (lots of white, light colours). What about all those dark images that you want to work with? I figure this is a good idea to work with.
So, today, we'll go from:
to
Experience: Beginner to intermediate
Program Used: Photoshop 7 (TRANSLATABLE)
Resources included
DISCLAIMER: This tutorial is meant to be LOOSELY used step-by-step and is meant as a series of icon experiments and ideas for the makers. Do not hold me accountable if it doesn't work the way you want.
Now, on all accounts, I've already made an icon from this image, but I just can't resist messing around with it again. So, here we've got Alucard in all his No Life King darkness, yes? But..you don't really want an icon from just that simple base, do you? I thought not.
1. Beginning to brighten.
The image is pretty dark on its own, but I want to be able to make those few, little white details pop some. So, go copy your original base onto a new layer, then make it invisible.
Then, go back to the original, and up on your menu, go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. The levels you use vary from image to image, so you really have to decide what's best for you. Rule of thumb FOR MYSELF, always have the contrast higher than the brightness.
This is something I do on almost all of my icons unless they're already very crisp and clear. AND THAT'S ALL OF STEP 1. \o/
2. Beginning Layer Effects
So, you've got these two layers, one's darker than the other. Both look a bit flat. Let's fix that. Go back to the copied layer and change the layout options to Color Dodge. Already looking different, eh?
LET'S GO, GO.
3. Getting the right colouring
Firstly, make a new layer on top of everything else, and fill it with a dark blue. I'm using #031654 for mine. Now, set the layer to Exclusion.
For those of you using GIMP and PSP, I swear, I saw a tutorial somewhere for how to get the exclusion effect. I can't find it at the moment, but I'm sure you could find it in the memories in icon-tutorial. My apologies for not having it ready right here DX
IMPORTANT
Make sure you lower the opacity and fill on this layer. DO IT. >O You don't have to lower it much, I lowered mine:
Opacity - 89%
Fill - 69%
Since we're still trying to make those little white parts pop out, let's take our Color Dodge layer and copy it. Move that copy up to the top and change the layer options to Lighten.
4. Adding extra effects with textures
Okay, so we've got our colouring that we want to use. You can leave your dark icon like that, or you can keep going with me.
Now, we're going to open a texture that I feel horrible for saying but I can't remember where I found it. If you know, please tell me and I'll credit the maker.
Anyway, you'll open this texture and use the move tool to move it to your icon. Once you have it over there, move the layer right above your original base layer and set the layer options to Overlay. After that, go up to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Then, merge your layers and that's it!
And there you have it \:D/ Easy, nicely coloured base from an originally dark image. ♥
If you decide to try this tutorial out for yourself, I'd love to see what you come up with.
The icon is definitely usable. Just be sure to credit either some_kat or safire-icons