coloring tutorial: requested psd + main points
A brief tut for icons like these (psd included):
first off, here's the psd we're gonna look at
at sendspace (will reupload for some permanent service asap)
So, first we have our image (Hi, Vasya!)
1. Crop it so the figure is a bit smaller than your 100x100 space and sort of centered.
2. Create a background layer and fill it with some color. (I usually use eyedrop tool to pick a color from the image and prefer lighter ones).
3. Erase everything around the figure.
Like this
4. Now to the coloring. Time to look at our psd. All curves in the lines shown below are very small so it's good to just move them and see how color changes.
First curves layer uses RGB and Green to lighten the image (move rgb up) and give it softer colors (slight 's'-curve in Greens).
so now we have this
The second curves layer makes it even lighter (in rgbs), softer (greens) and adds a bit of blue (same 's'-curve in blues as in greens). I used Reds too, to make the image look warmer.
Setting depend on your image, of course.
ta-daaah!
5. Now I'm gonna add a bit of shadow and light to the icon and also make some visual connection between background layer and the figure. Create an empty layer under the layer with the guy and, using some shade of grey, draw a blur with one of the basic brushes. Blur it with smudge tool, if you like.
6. Create a layer above all the previous ones and draw a white blur with one of the basic brushes. Use smudge tool to blur it too. aaand, voila!
now you can add textures, text and whatever you like :)
first off, here's the psd we're gonna look at
at sendspace (will reupload for some permanent service asap)
So, first we have our image (Hi, Vasya!)
1. Crop it so the figure is a bit smaller than your 100x100 space and sort of centered.
2. Create a background layer and fill it with some color. (I usually use eyedrop tool to pick a color from the image and prefer lighter ones).
3. Erase everything around the figure.
Like this
4. Now to the coloring. Time to look at our psd. All curves in the lines shown below are very small so it's good to just move them and see how color changes.
First curves layer uses RGB and Green to lighten the image (move rgb up) and give it softer colors (slight 's'-curve in Greens).
so now we have this
The second curves layer makes it even lighter (in rgbs), softer (greens) and adds a bit of blue (same 's'-curve in blues as in greens). I used Reds too, to make the image look warmer.
Setting depend on your image, of course.
ta-daaah!
5. Now I'm gonna add a bit of shadow and light to the icon and also make some visual connection between background layer and the figure. Create an empty layer under the layer with the guy and, using some shade of grey, draw a blur with one of the basic brushes. Blur it with smudge tool, if you like.
6. Create a layer above all the previous ones and draw a white blur with one of the basic brushes. Use smudge tool to blur it too. aaand, voila!
now you can add textures, text and whatever you like :)