Ruuger (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ruuger) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
ruugericon2007-06-04 11:01 pm
ruuger) wrote in ruugericon2007-06-04 11:01 pm
Entry tags:
Tutorial: working with dark blue caps (for Paint Shop Pro)
Few people have asked me about the colouring in one of my recent icons (posted at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
lateseasonlove), so for those who might be interested, here's a tutorial how I did it.
How to go from this:
to this: 
(you might want to read my previous tutorial first, because I tend to have my own weird habits when it comes to iconing)
We begin with this very dark and very blue base:
First, duplicate the base and then fire up the tool that has become my new secret weapon when making icons: Adjust > Automatic Contrast Enchancement....
Play with the settings until you have a lighter, but still balanced image. I recommend using the "Flat" setting for Appearance because that way you'll avoid the burned off noses and lost details.
Now set that layer on screen on top of the untouched base layer.
For the next step, duplicate the two layers (notice that you get different results depending on whether you duplicate the untouched layer or the touched-up layer), setting the new layers on screen or soft light until the icon looks good - not too dark, but not too bright either. Remember not to overdo the screen layers because the more screen layers you have, the more visible the pixelization becomes.
For this, I used (from bottom up): untouched - untouched on screen - retouched on screen x 2 - retouched on soft light.
Next, let's put some color to the image.
This
on soft light below the topmost layer results this:
Then a dark blue exclusion layer on top of everything to mellow the colours and the contrast.
To make the icon "dreamier", I then added this
gradient on screen and got this:
Finally, for a more golden hue, I used this colour
and set in on multiply (few layers down from the top) and the result was this:
Use Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen on few of the topmost image layers (not too many or you'll get jagged edges), slap on some text and maybe a border and Voila! you've got yourself an icon.
If you followed these instructions word for word, the chances are that you icon doesn't look like the one I made. Play around with the layers - duplicate and set on screen or soft light, remove, switch places - until you have a pretty icon.
Other images fixed with the same technique:
lateseasonlove), so for those who might be interested, here's a tutorial how I did it.How to go from this:
to this: (you might want to read my previous tutorial first, because I tend to have my own weird habits when it comes to iconing)
We begin with this very dark and very blue base:
First, duplicate the base and then fire up the tool that has become my new secret weapon when making icons: Adjust > Automatic Contrast Enchancement....
Play with the settings until you have a lighter, but still balanced image. I recommend using the "Flat" setting for Appearance because that way you'll avoid the burned off noses and lost details.
Now set that layer on screen on top of the untouched base layer.
For the next step, duplicate the two layers (notice that you get different results depending on whether you duplicate the untouched layer or the touched-up layer), setting the new layers on screen or soft light until the icon looks good - not too dark, but not too bright either. Remember not to overdo the screen layers because the more screen layers you have, the more visible the pixelization becomes.
For this, I used (from bottom up): untouched - untouched on screen - retouched on screen x 2 - retouched on soft light.
Next, let's put some color to the image.
This
on soft light below the topmost layer results this:
Then a dark blue exclusion layer on top of everything to mellow the colours and the contrast.
To make the icon "dreamier", I then added this
gradient on screen and got this:
Finally, for a more golden hue, I used this colour
and set in on multiply (few layers down from the top) and the result was this:
Use Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen on few of the topmost image layers (not too many or you'll get jagged edges), slap on some text and maybe a border and Voila! you've got yourself an icon.
If you followed these instructions word for word, the chances are that you icon doesn't look like the one I made. Play around with the layers - duplicate and set on screen or soft light, remove, switch places - until you have a pretty icon.
Other images fixed with the same technique:
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The colouring was pure accident - I've been wanting to make icons from that scene for ages now, but haven't been able to make them look good until now - so I thought it'd be best to write down how I did it before I forget :)
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PS My icon has been my default for months & not a week goes by that someone (even random strangers that overlap in other journals) doesn't comment positively towards it. Just wanted to let you know that your work is appreciated far & wide :)
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