2 colouring tutorials

Changmin and Nina Deprov Coloring Tutorials
program: Adobe Photoshop CS2
steps: 9 (Changmin) & 7 (Nina)
You can find the original post here, please direct all comments and questions over there! You can find the links to the psds there, too =)

First one:
From  to


1. At first you have to duplicate the layer, set it on "Soft Light" (opacity 80%, fill 100%) to bring out the contrast.
2. Now we want to bright up the picture, so we use the "Curves". Set the input on 75 and the output on 70.
3. The next step is to change the color a bit. At first we start with the "Selective Color", I´m mainly changing the Red´s and Yellow´s. For this icon I used the following settngs:
Reds
Cyan: +6
Magenta: -10
Yellow: +5
Black: +5

Yellow
Cyan: -5
Magenta: +4
Yellow: -10
Black: +5 

Then you can play around with "Color Balance" if you want to accentuate a color. I set the Midtones on +4 0 -1 and the Shadows on -6 0 0. After the Selective Color and Color Balance the icon isn´t that red as before. 
4. To bring out the contrast I used "Brightness/Contrast" and set "Contrast" on 6.  You can play around with it, but I think 6% is enough for the picture.
5. Then I added a new fill layer with the color #ffc5c5 for a softer look.
6. I added another Selective Color to make the icon look more natural and not too red, so I chose the settings
Reds
Cyan: -10
Magenta: -15
Yellow: +5
Black: 0

Yellow
Cyan: +4
Magenta: -10
Yellow: -9
Black: 0 
Now it looks a bit brighter than before.
7. Then I added two textures. At first this one by retrovicious
 
I set it on "Soft Light", so the focus of the icon changes because it brights up the middle of the picture.
At least I used this texture of kaanivaru to complete the icon:


You´re done! =)


Second one:
From  to


1. At first I sharpened the picture a bit and used "Smart Sharpen". You can choose by yourself what you think looks fine, I always choose something between 6 and 10 to not oversharpen the picture.
2. Then I used "Curves" again to brighten up the picture, for this icon I set the Input on 70 and the Output on 90.
3. Now we want to change the color of the picture again. I used "Selective Color" with the following settings to make it look more colorful:
Reds
Cyan: +10
Magenta: -5
Yellow: +5
Black: 0

Yellow
Cyan: -20
Magenta: -10
Yellow: -5
Black: 0
To put more yellow in the picture and to make it look more natural I used "Color Balance", too, and set Midtones on +5 +2 -5 and Shadows on+10 +5 0. It brightens up her face, too.
4. To bring out the contrast again I used "Brightness/Contrast" and put "Contrast" on 15%. Again you can play around, but I think 15% is enough for this picture.
5. To make the icon look a bit "cooler" and I used the Photo Filter and used Cyan. I think 10% is totally enough and calms everything a bit down. (I´m so sorry that my English sucks so much (> <);)
6. At least I added this texture of retrovicious  again:
 
I just love how it changes the focus and again it brightens up the middle of the icon.

Again you´re done! =)
I have to say that I´m sorry that my English isn´t the best, I hope I didn´t make many mistakes :/