Icon Tutuorial: Extending Background, Colouring & Texture Use
This to 
Program(s)+version: Photoshop CS5
Involves: Extending Background, Curves, Levels, Selective Colour, Colour Balance, Hue/Saturation, Filters & Texture Use
Translatable: To programs/versions that have selective color available.
Steps: 6 Steps | 39 Layers
Difficulty: Beginner - Intermediate
Step 01. Cropping your image
Note: I do Step 1 & 2 in various degrees in almost every icon that I work with. I find that if you work on making a base smoother and softer (no matter the quality of the image) then the overall icon is much easier to work with.
• I usually work with my images at 250px by 250px, just because I like the space that it gives me to play with, and when finishing an icon I find it much easier to work with that size and avoid over-sharpening anything.
• First, resize the image (Image > Image Size) to Width: 534 px, Height: 300 px. Now we are going to copy the image, and paste it into a new file.
Ctrl + A (Select All) > Ctrl + C (Copy) > Ctrl + N (New) > Image Size: Width: 350px, Height: 350 px > Ctrl + V (Paste).
• We now move the image we’ve pasted into the center of the blank canvas. We want Howard Bamboo (the central character) to be in the center of the image, and the other two characters to the left and right of him. Once that’s done, we now need to extend the background.
• There are various ways in which you can extend the background. Because of the detail in the top half of the canvas, I’m going use a copy, paste and flip method.
Using the rectangular marquee tool, select the amount of the image you want to copy, like I have here. Then Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V) the selection.
We then need to transform the image so that the yellow semi-circle is flipped and reflected, creating a circle. To this, we go Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. Use the Move Tool to push the image upward, until the flipped image looks like this.
There is still a little bit of empty space at the top of our canvas, so we simply Paste (Ctrl + V), and use the Move Tool to push the image upward again, until the image looks like this.
• Now we resize the image to 250px. Image > Image Size > Width: 250 px, Height: 250 px.
• Lastly, we need to merge all the layers, so our base is one whole image. To do this, make sure you right click on the image that says ‘Layer 1’ in your Layers toolbar. After this, you need to go Layer > Merge Visible (Ctrl + Shift + E). Now you have one complete image.
Step 02. Preparing your base
Layer 1: Base Layer. Remains untouched.
I always leave my first layer untouched. If I stuff something up and need to go back to the start, it’s nice to not have to crop again, especially if you’ve got a really interesting/unique crop going. It’s also handy to have it on hand if you want to use your base to add an extra element to the colours of an icon later on.
Layer 2: Duplicate the base layer. Filter > Blur > Smart Blur > Radius: 3.0, Threshold: 3.0. Set this layer to 50% opacity.
This can be interchanged with Surface Blur if available. I like the effect Surface Blur/Smart Blur has on softening the features of an icon, makes it smoother in general, and sometimes (especially for lower quality images or darker images that seem pixelated) that’s a real bonus.
Layer 3: Duplicate of the base layer, and drag it to the top. Filter > Blur > Guassian Blur > Radius: 0.5. Set this layer to 50% opacity.
Again, we’re trying to blur out any of the flaws and faults within the icon to make the base something nicer to work with. This will soften the edges of your image further.
Layer 4: Duplicate the base layer, and drag it to the top. Filter > Blur > Smart Blur > Radius: 3, Threshold: 3. Set this layer to 50% opacity.
Layer 5: Ctrl + A (Select all) the image. Ctrl + Shift + C (Copy Merged) the image and Ctrl + V (Paste) it as a new layer. Set this layer to screen > 100% opacity.
When you copy a merged image, you are copying the sum total of the previous layers together, as opposed to just one layer. This screen layer’s opacity could be anywhere from 10% to 100%, depending on how dark the image you started out with originally was, or how bright and vibrant you would like your icon to be.
Layer 6: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves > RGB > Output: 147, Input: 117.
In this step, I’ve used curves simply to lighten up the image. Later I’ll use it to add some colour, but while I’m preparing the base, I just want to use the RGB layer to add more lightness to the icon.
Layer 7: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels > RGB > 0 | 1.10 | 245.
For the same reason as Layer 6, Levels have been used here to help lighten the image. I generally use this setting, but if the image is especially dark, I’ll lower 245 to 235 to give it that little bit more brightness.
Layer 8: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast > Brightness: -10 | Contrast: +10. Set this layer to 100% opacity.
This layer is used to add some contrast and depth back into the image. In this image that we’re working with, there’s originally not a lot of contrast to the image, so we leave the opacity at 100%. But if there was more contrast in the original image, lowering the opacity often works to add just enough depth to the image.
Layer 9: Duplicate Layer 8. Set this layer to Soft Light, 40% opacity.
This layer is used to add the same kind of contrast to the image, and also helps to distinguish the various colours in an image, and add contrast to them as well.
Step 03. Colouring your image
Layer 10: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves > RGB > Output: 134, Input: 115
This layer with brighten the entire image – I mainly wanted to add a little more lightness into the foreground to highlight the characters.
Layer 11: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation > Master: Saturation +15
This layer adds a little bit of saturation to the colour in the image. In this particular image, there is a green overlay that I wanted to highlight, so I used Saturation though out the process to keep making it prominent. I also recommend using Vibrance if you have a version which has this tool.
Layer 12: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves:
RGB Point 1: Output: 70, Input: 53
Red Point 1: Output: 187, Input: 197
Green Point 1: Output: 107, Input: 85
Green Point 2: Output: 195, Input: 159
Blue Point 1: Output: 83, Input: 101
Blue Point 2: Output: 199, Input: 173
Set layer to Multiply at 50% Opacity.
The image is lacking in contrast, so this curves layer works to achieve two results. The first is to add colour into the image, the second is to add contrast to this colour, and darken the image without taking away the work of the previous lightening layers.
Layer 13: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels > RGB 0 | 1.10 | 235
We do loose a touch of the brightness by adding the previous layer, and this Levels layer helps to lighten the image and create more contrast between foreground and background.
Layer 14: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Colour Balance
Midtones:
-20 | +15 | -10
Shadows:
-15 | -5 | -5
Set layer to 60% opacity.
With this layer, we are really trying to bring out the greens and yellows of the image, by highlighting them (using cyan, green and yellow hints) and taking away from the reds. However it’s the colours felt too strong at 100% opacity, so we drew it down to 60 to keep the highlights without overwhelming the icon.
Layer 15: Duplicate Layer 14. Set this layer to Soft Light, 30% opacity.
We do want to maintain a nice contrast however, and by duplicating the layer below, we achieve a nice distinction in contrast as well as continuing to highlight the yellows and greens in the image.
Layer 16: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Colour
Reds –
Red: +5
Magenta: - 10
Yellow: + 10
Black: + 15
Yellows –
Red: +5
Magenta: - 10
Yellow: + 40
Black: -10
Greens –
Red: +5
Magenta: +100
Yellow: - 40
Black: - 50
Cyans –
Red: +100
Magenta: - 100
Yellow: -100
Black: +100
Neutrals –
Red: +5
Magenta: -6
Yellow: - 16
Black: +5
Blacks –
Black: + 10
With this selective colour layer, in addition to highlighting the green, we want to draw away some of the yellow, and highlight some cyan in parts of the image as well. In doing so, we have a mixture of greens, cyans and yellows in the foreground and background to work to compliment each other.
Layer 17: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves
RGB Point 1: Output: 194, Input: 179
Red Point 1: Output: 77, Input: 92
Red Point 2: Output: 191, Input: 182
Green Point 1: Output: 71, Input: 65
Green Point 2: Output: 142, Input: 121
Blue Point 1: Output: 124, Input: 99
Blue Point 2: Output: 176, Input: 205
Set layer to 50% opacity.
I wanted to soften the image colours a little, so with this layer, I added a touch of yellow to the skin tone to make it softer. It was important to lower the opacity however, because otherwise it would have overwhelmed the image. I also wanted to continue to highlight the greens and yellows of the background/foreground.
Layer 18: Duplicate layer 17. Set layer to Soft Light at 30% opacity.
As you probably know now, as much as I like softness, I enjoy contrast. And this layer adds back the contrast without detracting from the yellows and greens.
Layer 19: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map: Set to Hard Light at 15% opacity.
This layer further develops the contrast, but also removes a touch of the colour. This is okay though, because the intensity will be achieved again through the textures we are about to use.
Step 04. Texturizing your image
Layer 20: Texture by
elli. Set layer to Screen.
I love this texture for two things: it’s blue tinge, and it’s textured feel. I think it offsets this image well, because it works with the colours that already exist, and highlights the blue rather than black parts.
Layer 21: Texture bydrankmywar. Set layer to Soft Light at 20% opacity.
There are two problems that need to be rectified with the image. The first is that, as it is 100x100px in size, it is too small for our canvas. To fix this, we need to ‘Free Transform’ the image, and drag it out to fill the canvas.
Edit > Free Transform (Ctrl + T): Always remember to hit apply when the program asks you to Apply the Transform.
The second is the colour. Although the yellow highlights aren’t bad, right now I’m more interested in concentrating on the blue highlights, and therefore I want to invert the colours of the texture so it is blue, not yellow. To do this, I hit Ctrl+I, and the colours magically change.
TIP: This is something I play around with when it comes to most textures. Sometimes they have some amazing colours when inverted that just highlight an image in a manner that cannot be achieved otherwise.
Layer 22: Texture bydrankmywar. Set layer to Screen at 20%.
With this layer, I want to highlight the green of Howard’s shirt, so I need the majority of the green to be vertical from the bottom up, rather than horizontal. To achieve this: Edit > Transform > Flip Image 90 degrees clockwise – and then Ctrl + T (Free Transform), and drag the image out so it covers the whole canvas. Now the green highlights the right part of the image.
Layer 23: Texture bydrankmywar.
With this layer, I want to highlight parts of the blue at the top (where there is negative space), and parts at the bottom where there is green and yellow. To achieve this, I need to transform the image (Ctrl + T), however I don’t want to cover the whole image. I drag it so it covers the image vertically, however horizontally, it only takes up two thirds: See here.
I set this layer to Screen at 20%, so the green and yellow can be lightened, but the light texture doesn’t overwhelm the image.
Layer 24: Duplicate Layer 23. Edit > Free Transform >Flip Horizontal.
I now want to highlight the colours on the opposite side of the image. To do this, I duplicate layer 23, flip it horizontally, and then drag it across so it reaches the opposite edges to layer 23: like this. I keep the layer set at Screen on 20% opacity, as I want to keep the same kind of highlights on both sides.
Layer 25: Texture byelli.
Again, this texture is one that I love because of it’s textured feel, but to work with this image, we need to invert the colours to highlight the greens, rather than pinks. Ctrl+I the image, and then set the layer to Soft Light at 15% Opacity.
Layers 26: Texture bydrankmywar.
This is where it gets fun! I want to highlight the edges of my image with the yellow section of the texture. So the first thing I need to do is stretch the texture so the yellow is large enough to cover a significant amount of the 250px edge. I don’t want to show you this part step by step, because this is the most guessed part of the icon. It begins with Ctrl+ T though, and ends with me shifting the texture towards the right side of the icon.
Once it’s covering enough for my liking (and I’ve hidden the red completely) , I set the layer to Screen at 100% opacity.
Layer 27: Duplicate Layer 28. Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal.
Now I want to highlight the left side of my image, so I drag the texture across my icon, so it’s now only covering the left edge, and only the yellow is visible. I leave this layer on Screen at 100% opacity.
Layer 28: Duplicate Layer 27. Edit > Transform > Flip 90 degrees clockwise.
Here is where things get tricky. Firstly, you need to drag the image upwards so the yellow is covering the majority of the blue negative space around Ken (the male figure to the left of centre). The red of the texture is now visible, so we need to get rid of that. Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (The little box of dotted lines in your toolbar) to select all of the visible red, and then hit delete. You’ll delete into some of the yellow, but that’s okay.
Duplicate Layer 28, and Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. More red will appear, as will an empty space between both yellow textures. Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to again select the red that is showing, and delete it. Then move the top yellow layer down until it meets with the bottom yellow layer.
Merge both layers together (Ctrl+ E), and then set this layer to Screen at 35% opacity. It may appear like a lot of work, but this one small layer breaks up the blue in the negative space (without overwhelming it) and also joins it to the green hues of the whole image.
Layer 29: Duplicate Layer 28. Drag this layer upwards into the top right hand corner. Set this layer to Screen at 50% opacity.
Layer 30: Duplicate Layer 29. Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Drag layer into the top left hand corner. Set this layer to Screen at 30% opacity.
Layer 31: Duplicate Layer 20. Drag this layer to the top of your layers.
Drag texture sidewards until a semi-white strip appears on the left edge of the image. Set this layer to Soft Light at 40% Opacity.
After adding all the light layers to the image, we need something to bring back the contrast. This layer adds to the contrast of the image without detracting from the colour we’ve added to it.
Layer 32: Duplicate Layer 25. Drag this layer to the top of your layers. Set this layer to Soft Light at 50% Opacity.
Now we’ve got a little too much green in the foreground, and I want to erase some of the texture off the characters without taking away the strength of the background. Select your Eraser Brush, and set the Opacity to anything between 50% - 75%. Now erase the texture from the three characters once – you don’t need to be too careful, but you just want to erase enough to bring back some of their natural skin tone.
Layer 33: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map > Set layer to Soft Light at 30% Opacity.
This is to do two things. The first is to add my beloved contrast back into the darker areas of the image. The second is the tone down the colours, because of the next layer we are going to be adding.
Layer 34: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation > Master: Saturation +30 > Set this layer to 80% Opacity.
There’s a fine line between eye-burning brightness and saturation, and just right brightness and saturation, and without the prior and following layers, not to mention lowering the opacity, this layer could have been the first option. So when you are playing around with Saturation/Vibrancy, remember that sometimes, less is more.
Layer 35: Duplicate Layer 31. Drag this layer to the top of your layers. Set this layer to Soft Light at 50% Opacity.
This layer adds to the vibrancy of the colours without making it too intense. However I feel as though I need to keep the full strength of the texture in the background, but erase some of the foreground to distinguish between them more. This time, I set my Eraser Brush opacity to 50%, and erase over the three characters just once. It takes away just enough of the contrast.
Layer 36: Texture byelli.
Drag this texture so the white is centered, and then invert the image (Ctrl + I). Set this layer to Soft Light at 20% Opacity. Again, we just want to distinguish between foreground and background, and also add a little more colour back into the foreground.
Layer 37: Duplicate Layer 31. Drag this layer to the top of your layers. Set this layer to Soft Light at 25% opacity.
Another final touch to the contrast for me, as it adds that little bit more intensity.
Step 05. Adding the finishing touches
Now that I’ve coloured and textured the image, I’m ready to finish the icon.
These next couple of steps are always involved when finishing off an icon for me. Like preparing an icon base, I think that when you’re finishing an icon, it needs to look finished, rather than haphazardly thrown together.
Before we do anything though, I always re-size the image to 200 px by 200 px. Just because I’m neurotic, and I think the blur/sharpening combo works best on that size image before it gets resized to 100px.
We therefore need to do this:
Image > Image Size (Alt + Ctrl + I) > Width 200 (pixels), Height 200 (pixels).
Layer 38: Ctrl + A (Select All) > Ctrl + Shift + C (Copy merged) > Ctrl + V (Paste) > Filter > Blur > Guassian Blur > Radius 1.0 > Set this layer to 30% opacity.
Again, I use Guassian Blur to soften the image before sharpening the edges. I think the sharpening effect just looks a little bit softer if this is done, as it takes away that absolute sharp edge that can sometimes occur in an icon.
Layer 39: Ctrl + A (Select All) > Ctrl + Shift + C (Copy merged) > Ctrl + V (Paste) > Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Set this layer to 75% opacity.
Depending on the image you began with, the sharpen layer will be anything between 10% & 100% opacity. And while you’re image may look a touch too sharp now – remember we still have to resize the image to 100 px by 100 px, which will also take away a little of the sharpness.
You have to be cautious here, because sometimes sharpening can lead to rough, harsh edges. It’s always good to have a little bit of leeway on each side.
We’re finally ready to resize the image: Image > Image Size (Alt + Ctrl + I) > Width 100 (pixels), Height 100 (pixels).
Step 06. Saving your icon.
File > Save As (Ctrl + Shift + S) > Add a file name, and click down your format options to png.
PLEASE NOTE: ALWAYS SAVE YOUR ICON IN PNG FORMAT. I cannot stress this enough, hence the attack of the CAPS. Saving in jpeg decreases the quality of the icon dramatically. Saving as png maintains the higher quality of the icon, and makes it nicer to look at.
Once you’ve saved your icon, you’re done! (Which is the most *headdesking* thing to say, but it’s true!)
--
Endnote: I didn't realise how intense this tutorial would be when I began to write it - but my texture use was a little insane in there, so please don't hesitate to ask me questions if any of my explanations aren't very fluid. I hope someone somewhere finds it useful though, and that it encourages some of you to work with textures a little more, because they are so much fun!
As always, comments are love. Please let me know if you found this useful, or alternatively, hard to follow!
Program(s)+version: Photoshop CS5
Involves: Extending Background, Curves, Levels, Selective Colour, Colour Balance, Hue/Saturation, Filters & Texture Use
Translatable: To programs/versions that have selective color available.
Steps: 6 Steps | 39 Layers
Difficulty: Beginner - Intermediate
Step 01. Cropping your image
Note: I do Step 1 & 2 in various degrees in almost every icon that I work with. I find that if you work on making a base smoother and softer (no matter the quality of the image) then the overall icon is much easier to work with.
• I usually work with my images at 250px by 250px, just because I like the space that it gives me to play with, and when finishing an icon I find it much easier to work with that size and avoid over-sharpening anything.
• First, resize the image (Image > Image Size) to Width: 534 px, Height: 300 px. Now we are going to copy the image, and paste it into a new file.
Ctrl + A (Select All) > Ctrl + C (Copy) > Ctrl + N (New) > Image Size: Width: 350px, Height: 350 px > Ctrl + V (Paste).
• We now move the image we’ve pasted into the center of the blank canvas. We want Howard Bamboo (the central character) to be in the center of the image, and the other two characters to the left and right of him. Once that’s done, we now need to extend the background.
• There are various ways in which you can extend the background. Because of the detail in the top half of the canvas, I’m going use a copy, paste and flip method.
Using the rectangular marquee tool, select the amount of the image you want to copy, like I have here. Then Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V) the selection.
We then need to transform the image so that the yellow semi-circle is flipped and reflected, creating a circle. To this, we go Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. Use the Move Tool to push the image upward, until the flipped image looks like this.
There is still a little bit of empty space at the top of our canvas, so we simply Paste (Ctrl + V), and use the Move Tool to push the image upward again, until the image looks like this.
• Now we resize the image to 250px. Image > Image Size > Width: 250 px, Height: 250 px.
• Lastly, we need to merge all the layers, so our base is one whole image. To do this, make sure you right click on the image that says ‘Layer 1’ in your Layers toolbar. After this, you need to go Layer > Merge Visible (Ctrl + Shift + E). Now you have one complete image.
Step 02. Preparing your base
Layer 1: Base Layer. Remains untouched.
I always leave my first layer untouched. If I stuff something up and need to go back to the start, it’s nice to not have to crop again, especially if you’ve got a really interesting/unique crop going. It’s also handy to have it on hand if you want to use your base to add an extra element to the colours of an icon later on.
Layer 2: Duplicate the base layer. Filter > Blur > Smart Blur > Radius: 3.0, Threshold: 3.0. Set this layer to 50% opacity.
This can be interchanged with Surface Blur if available. I like the effect Surface Blur/Smart Blur has on softening the features of an icon, makes it smoother in general, and sometimes (especially for lower quality images or darker images that seem pixelated) that’s a real bonus.
Layer 3: Duplicate of the base layer, and drag it to the top. Filter > Blur > Guassian Blur > Radius: 0.5. Set this layer to 50% opacity.
Again, we’re trying to blur out any of the flaws and faults within the icon to make the base something nicer to work with. This will soften the edges of your image further.
Layer 4: Duplicate the base layer, and drag it to the top. Filter > Blur > Smart Blur > Radius: 3, Threshold: 3. Set this layer to 50% opacity.
Layer 5: Ctrl + A (Select all) the image. Ctrl + Shift + C (Copy Merged) the image and Ctrl + V (Paste) it as a new layer. Set this layer to screen > 100% opacity.
When you copy a merged image, you are copying the sum total of the previous layers together, as opposed to just one layer. This screen layer’s opacity could be anywhere from 10% to 100%, depending on how dark the image you started out with originally was, or how bright and vibrant you would like your icon to be.
Layer 6: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves > RGB > Output: 147, Input: 117.
In this step, I’ve used curves simply to lighten up the image. Later I’ll use it to add some colour, but while I’m preparing the base, I just want to use the RGB layer to add more lightness to the icon.
Layer 7: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels > RGB > 0 | 1.10 | 245.
For the same reason as Layer 6, Levels have been used here to help lighten the image. I generally use this setting, but if the image is especially dark, I’ll lower 245 to 235 to give it that little bit more brightness.
Layer 8: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast > Brightness: -10 | Contrast: +10. Set this layer to 100% opacity.
This layer is used to add some contrast and depth back into the image. In this image that we’re working with, there’s originally not a lot of contrast to the image, so we leave the opacity at 100%. But if there was more contrast in the original image, lowering the opacity often works to add just enough depth to the image.
Layer 9: Duplicate Layer 8. Set this layer to Soft Light, 40% opacity.
This layer is used to add the same kind of contrast to the image, and also helps to distinguish the various colours in an image, and add contrast to them as well.
Step 03. Colouring your image
Layer 10: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves > RGB > Output: 134, Input: 115
This layer with brighten the entire image – I mainly wanted to add a little more lightness into the foreground to highlight the characters.
Layer 11: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation > Master: Saturation +15
This layer adds a little bit of saturation to the colour in the image. In this particular image, there is a green overlay that I wanted to highlight, so I used Saturation though out the process to keep making it prominent. I also recommend using Vibrance if you have a version which has this tool.
Layer 12: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves:
RGB Point 1: Output: 70, Input: 53
Red Point 1: Output: 187, Input: 197
Green Point 1: Output: 107, Input: 85
Green Point 2: Output: 195, Input: 159
Blue Point 1: Output: 83, Input: 101
Blue Point 2: Output: 199, Input: 173
Set layer to Multiply at 50% Opacity.
The image is lacking in contrast, so this curves layer works to achieve two results. The first is to add colour into the image, the second is to add contrast to this colour, and darken the image without taking away the work of the previous lightening layers.
Layer 13: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels > RGB 0 | 1.10 | 235
We do loose a touch of the brightness by adding the previous layer, and this Levels layer helps to lighten the image and create more contrast between foreground and background.
Layer 14: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Colour Balance
Midtones:
-20 | +15 | -10
Shadows:
-15 | -5 | -5
Set layer to 60% opacity.
With this layer, we are really trying to bring out the greens and yellows of the image, by highlighting them (using cyan, green and yellow hints) and taking away from the reds. However it’s the colours felt too strong at 100% opacity, so we drew it down to 60 to keep the highlights without overwhelming the icon.
Layer 15: Duplicate Layer 14. Set this layer to Soft Light, 30% opacity.
We do want to maintain a nice contrast however, and by duplicating the layer below, we achieve a nice distinction in contrast as well as continuing to highlight the yellows and greens in the image.
Layer 16: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Colour
Reds –
Red: +5
Magenta: - 10
Yellow: + 10
Black: + 15
Yellows –
Red: +5
Magenta: - 10
Yellow: + 40
Black: -10
Greens –
Red: +5
Magenta: +100
Yellow: - 40
Black: - 50
Cyans –
Red: +100
Magenta: - 100
Yellow: -100
Black: +100
Neutrals –
Red: +5
Magenta: -6
Yellow: - 16
Black: +5
Blacks –
Black: + 10
With this selective colour layer, in addition to highlighting the green, we want to draw away some of the yellow, and highlight some cyan in parts of the image as well. In doing so, we have a mixture of greens, cyans and yellows in the foreground and background to work to compliment each other.
Layer 17: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves
RGB Point 1: Output: 194, Input: 179
Red Point 1: Output: 77, Input: 92
Red Point 2: Output: 191, Input: 182
Green Point 1: Output: 71, Input: 65
Green Point 2: Output: 142, Input: 121
Blue Point 1: Output: 124, Input: 99
Blue Point 2: Output: 176, Input: 205
Set layer to 50% opacity.
I wanted to soften the image colours a little, so with this layer, I added a touch of yellow to the skin tone to make it softer. It was important to lower the opacity however, because otherwise it would have overwhelmed the image. I also wanted to continue to highlight the greens and yellows of the background/foreground.
Layer 18: Duplicate layer 17. Set layer to Soft Light at 30% opacity.
As you probably know now, as much as I like softness, I enjoy contrast. And this layer adds back the contrast without detracting from the yellows and greens.
Layer 19: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map: Set to Hard Light at 15% opacity.
This layer further develops the contrast, but also removes a touch of the colour. This is okay though, because the intensity will be achieved again through the textures we are about to use.
Step 04. Texturizing your image
Layer 20: Texture by
elli. Set layer to Screen.I love this texture for two things: it’s blue tinge, and it’s textured feel. I think it offsets this image well, because it works with the colours that already exist, and highlights the blue rather than black parts.
Layer 21: Texture by
drankmywar. Set layer to Soft Light at 20% opacity. There are two problems that need to be rectified with the image. The first is that, as it is 100x100px in size, it is too small for our canvas. To fix this, we need to ‘Free Transform’ the image, and drag it out to fill the canvas.
Edit > Free Transform (Ctrl + T): Always remember to hit apply when the program asks you to Apply the Transform.
The second is the colour. Although the yellow highlights aren’t bad, right now I’m more interested in concentrating on the blue highlights, and therefore I want to invert the colours of the texture so it is blue, not yellow. To do this, I hit Ctrl+I, and the colours magically change.
TIP: This is something I play around with when it comes to most textures. Sometimes they have some amazing colours when inverted that just highlight an image in a manner that cannot be achieved otherwise.
Layer 22: Texture by
drankmywar. Set layer to Screen at 20%. With this layer, I want to highlight the green of Howard’s shirt, so I need the majority of the green to be vertical from the bottom up, rather than horizontal. To achieve this: Edit > Transform > Flip Image 90 degrees clockwise – and then Ctrl + T (Free Transform), and drag the image out so it covers the whole canvas. Now the green highlights the right part of the image.
Layer 23: Texture by
drankmywar. With this layer, I want to highlight parts of the blue at the top (where there is negative space), and parts at the bottom where there is green and yellow. To achieve this, I need to transform the image (Ctrl + T), however I don’t want to cover the whole image. I drag it so it covers the image vertically, however horizontally, it only takes up two thirds: See here.
I set this layer to Screen at 20%, so the green and yellow can be lightened, but the light texture doesn’t overwhelm the image.
Layer 24: Duplicate Layer 23. Edit > Free Transform >Flip Horizontal.
I now want to highlight the colours on the opposite side of the image. To do this, I duplicate layer 23, flip it horizontally, and then drag it across so it reaches the opposite edges to layer 23: like this. I keep the layer set at Screen on 20% opacity, as I want to keep the same kind of highlights on both sides.
Layer 25: Texture by
elli.Again, this texture is one that I love because of it’s textured feel, but to work with this image, we need to invert the colours to highlight the greens, rather than pinks. Ctrl+I the image, and then set the layer to Soft Light at 15% Opacity.
Layers 26: Texture by
drankmywar. This is where it gets fun! I want to highlight the edges of my image with the yellow section of the texture. So the first thing I need to do is stretch the texture so the yellow is large enough to cover a significant amount of the 250px edge. I don’t want to show you this part step by step, because this is the most guessed part of the icon. It begins with Ctrl+ T though, and ends with me shifting the texture towards the right side of the icon.
Once it’s covering enough for my liking (and I’ve hidden the red completely) , I set the layer to Screen at 100% opacity.
Layer 27: Duplicate Layer 28. Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal.
Now I want to highlight the left side of my image, so I drag the texture across my icon, so it’s now only covering the left edge, and only the yellow is visible. I leave this layer on Screen at 100% opacity.
Layer 28: Duplicate Layer 27. Edit > Transform > Flip 90 degrees clockwise.
Here is where things get tricky. Firstly, you need to drag the image upwards so the yellow is covering the majority of the blue negative space around Ken (the male figure to the left of centre). The red of the texture is now visible, so we need to get rid of that. Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (The little box of dotted lines in your toolbar) to select all of the visible red, and then hit delete. You’ll delete into some of the yellow, but that’s okay.
Duplicate Layer 28, and Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. More red will appear, as will an empty space between both yellow textures. Use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to again select the red that is showing, and delete it. Then move the top yellow layer down until it meets with the bottom yellow layer.
Merge both layers together (Ctrl+ E), and then set this layer to Screen at 35% opacity. It may appear like a lot of work, but this one small layer breaks up the blue in the negative space (without overwhelming it) and also joins it to the green hues of the whole image.
Layer 29: Duplicate Layer 28. Drag this layer upwards into the top right hand corner. Set this layer to Screen at 50% opacity.
Layer 30: Duplicate Layer 29. Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Drag layer into the top left hand corner. Set this layer to Screen at 30% opacity.
Layer 31: Duplicate Layer 20. Drag this layer to the top of your layers.
Drag texture sidewards until a semi-white strip appears on the left edge of the image. Set this layer to Soft Light at 40% Opacity.
After adding all the light layers to the image, we need something to bring back the contrast. This layer adds to the contrast of the image without detracting from the colour we’ve added to it.
Layer 32: Duplicate Layer 25. Drag this layer to the top of your layers. Set this layer to Soft Light at 50% Opacity.
Now we’ve got a little too much green in the foreground, and I want to erase some of the texture off the characters without taking away the strength of the background. Select your Eraser Brush, and set the Opacity to anything between 50% - 75%. Now erase the texture from the three characters once – you don’t need to be too careful, but you just want to erase enough to bring back some of their natural skin tone.
Layer 33: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map > Set layer to Soft Light at 30% Opacity.
This is to do two things. The first is to add my beloved contrast back into the darker areas of the image. The second is the tone down the colours, because of the next layer we are going to be adding.
Layer 34: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation > Master: Saturation +30 > Set this layer to 80% Opacity.
There’s a fine line between eye-burning brightness and saturation, and just right brightness and saturation, and without the prior and following layers, not to mention lowering the opacity, this layer could have been the first option. So when you are playing around with Saturation/Vibrancy, remember that sometimes, less is more.
Layer 35: Duplicate Layer 31. Drag this layer to the top of your layers. Set this layer to Soft Light at 50% Opacity.
This layer adds to the vibrancy of the colours without making it too intense. However I feel as though I need to keep the full strength of the texture in the background, but erase some of the foreground to distinguish between them more. This time, I set my Eraser Brush opacity to 50%, and erase over the three characters just once. It takes away just enough of the contrast.
Layer 36: Texture by
elli. Drag this texture so the white is centered, and then invert the image (Ctrl + I). Set this layer to Soft Light at 20% Opacity. Again, we just want to distinguish between foreground and background, and also add a little more colour back into the foreground.
Layer 37: Duplicate Layer 31. Drag this layer to the top of your layers. Set this layer to Soft Light at 25% opacity.
Another final touch to the contrast for me, as it adds that little bit more intensity.
Step 05. Adding the finishing touches
Now that I’ve coloured and textured the image, I’m ready to finish the icon.
These next couple of steps are always involved when finishing off an icon for me. Like preparing an icon base, I think that when you’re finishing an icon, it needs to look finished, rather than haphazardly thrown together.
Before we do anything though, I always re-size the image to 200 px by 200 px. Just because I’m neurotic, and I think the blur/sharpening combo works best on that size image before it gets resized to 100px.
We therefore need to do this:
Image > Image Size (Alt + Ctrl + I) > Width 200 (pixels), Height 200 (pixels).
Layer 38: Ctrl + A (Select All) > Ctrl + Shift + C (Copy merged) > Ctrl + V (Paste) > Filter > Blur > Guassian Blur > Radius 1.0 > Set this layer to 30% opacity.
Again, I use Guassian Blur to soften the image before sharpening the edges. I think the sharpening effect just looks a little bit softer if this is done, as it takes away that absolute sharp edge that can sometimes occur in an icon.
Layer 39: Ctrl + A (Select All) > Ctrl + Shift + C (Copy merged) > Ctrl + V (Paste) > Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen. Set this layer to 75% opacity.
Depending on the image you began with, the sharpen layer will be anything between 10% & 100% opacity. And while you’re image may look a touch too sharp now – remember we still have to resize the image to 100 px by 100 px, which will also take away a little of the sharpness.
You have to be cautious here, because sometimes sharpening can lead to rough, harsh edges. It’s always good to have a little bit of leeway on each side.
We’re finally ready to resize the image: Image > Image Size (Alt + Ctrl + I) > Width 100 (pixels), Height 100 (pixels).
Step 06. Saving your icon.
File > Save As (Ctrl + Shift + S) > Add a file name, and click down your format options to png.
PLEASE NOTE: ALWAYS SAVE YOUR ICON IN PNG FORMAT. I cannot stress this enough, hence the attack of the CAPS. Saving in jpeg decreases the quality of the icon dramatically. Saving as png maintains the higher quality of the icon, and makes it nicer to look at.
Once you’ve saved your icon, you’re done! (Which is the most *headdesking* thing to say, but it’s true!)
--
Endnote: I didn't realise how intense this tutorial would be when I began to write it - but my texture use was a little insane in there, so please don't hesitate to ask me questions if any of my explanations aren't very fluid. I hope someone somewhere finds it useful though, and that it encourages some of you to work with textures a little more, because they are so much fun!
As always, comments are love. Please let me know if you found this useful, or alternatively, hard to follow!