emmy_roo icon tutorial #1: Sayid from LOST
Hello all! This is my first icon tutorial, so if anything needs clarification let me know.
I developed this tutorial particularly for icon bases that have strong natural skin tones. There's a fad right now in icon design that favors very pale, washed-out faces, and although those are very beautiful I felt a need for a tutorial that encourages brighter colors! Those tutorials always leave my icons bright red in the face. ;)
Using the GIMP 2.2, we're going from this:
to this: 
Start with your base.
Duplicate the base and set it to multiply.
Duplicate that and set it to screen. Sharpen the screened layer to around 40-50 (though it will depend on the sharpness of the base).
Then I made a new layer and filled it with #2bc662, set to Saturation at 45.5% opacity. I chose this color because it's in the background and I wanted to bring it out and emphasize it.
Go to Edit>>Copy Visible, then paste and make it into a new layer. In that layer, go to Layer>>Colors>>Levels and enter the following values:
Value: Input 20, 1.10, 255
Red: Input 0, 0.80, 255
Green: Input 0, .74, 211 Output 30, 255
Blue: Input 7, 1.26, 255 Output 58, 222
Make a new layer, fill it with #84baf8, and set it to Overlay 36.4.
Then I added this texture
as a new layer and set it to Screen 100:
I erased the bit of blue line that was right across his face, then duplicated the layer, again to Screen 100. You may or may not have to do this, depending on the image and the texture.
Then you can add text or whatever brushes you want. I used karabinE font, 14 point, in #1a2f68 (from his hair).
And you're done!
I'd love to see what other people come up with!
I developed this tutorial particularly for icon bases that have strong natural skin tones. There's a fad right now in icon design that favors very pale, washed-out faces, and although those are very beautiful I felt a need for a tutorial that encourages brighter colors! Those tutorials always leave my icons bright red in the face. ;)
Using the GIMP 2.2, we're going from this:
Start with your base.
Duplicate the base and set it to multiply.
Duplicate that and set it to screen. Sharpen the screened layer to around 40-50 (though it will depend on the sharpness of the base).
Then I made a new layer and filled it with #2bc662, set to Saturation at 45.5% opacity. I chose this color because it's in the background and I wanted to bring it out and emphasize it.
Go to Edit>>Copy Visible, then paste and make it into a new layer. In that layer, go to Layer>>Colors>>Levels and enter the following values:
Value: Input 20, 1.10, 255
Red: Input 0, 0.80, 255
Green: Input 0, .74, 211 Output 30, 255
Blue: Input 7, 1.26, 255 Output 58, 222
Make a new layer, fill it with #84baf8, and set it to Overlay 36.4.
Then I added this texture
as a new layer and set it to Screen 100:
I erased the bit of blue line that was right across his face, then duplicated the layer, again to Screen 100. You may or may not have to do this, depending on the image and the texture.
Then you can add text or whatever brushes you want. I used karabinE font, 14 point, in #1a2f68 (from his hair).
And you're done!
I'd love to see what other people come up with!