tutorial.
Want to learn how to make an icon like this?
Then, journey into the land of the LJ cut.
I'm sorry I don't remember where I got most of my gradients, but I have a resources link in my userinfo if you're interested. Anyway...
Let's start with this lovely image of the oh so terribly sexy Takanori, otherwise known as T.M. Revolution.
Duplicate the layer, sharpen it once, and set it to soft light.
to 
Take a light texture (I used one from
inxsomniax) and set it to Screen. Play with the opacity until you're happy, but don't make it too dark. I left mine at 100%.
Duplicate the sharpened layer and put it above the light texture, then desaturate it (Ctrl + Shift + U). Set it to Hard Light. For lighter images, you will probably want to set the opacity to around 50%.
to 
Add a light blue gradient (or a light color of whatever color scheme you want to have), set it to Color with an opacity of 25%.
Duplicate the colored, sharpened layer again and drag it to the top. Set it to Overlay with an opacity of around 40-45%.
Add some brushes. I used two layers and erased where the face is. Set both to Overlay. For light images, two dark layers work best. For darker images, a darker lower layer and a lighter upper layer look good.
to 
Add a light yellow/orange gradient. Set it to Soft Light. Play with the fill until you're happy. I set mine to 50%.
to 
Going along with your color scheme, add a darker gradient. I used a purple/bluish one. Set to Screen with a fill of 40-50%.
to 
Add another gradient, and make it whatever color you want, as long as it's not too light (I chose this tan/blue one). Set it to Lighten and play around with the color until you're happy.
to
Duplicate the colored, sharpened layer again and drag it to the top. Go to Hue/Saturation (Ctrl +U), click the Colorize checkbox, and play with it until you get a color you want (I had a darkish blue-purple). Set the layer to Overlay, and play with the opacity until you like it.
And that's all there is to it~ Here's another icon I made with this technique:
Have fun!
Then, journey into the land of the LJ cut.
I'm sorry I don't remember where I got most of my gradients, but I have a resources link in my userinfo if you're interested. Anyway...
Let's start with this lovely image of the oh so terribly sexy Takanori, otherwise known as T.M. Revolution.
Duplicate the layer, sharpen it once, and set it to soft light.
to Take a light texture (I used one from
inxsomniax) and set it to Screen. Play with the opacity until you're happy, but don't make it too dark. I left mine at 100%.Duplicate the sharpened layer and put it above the light texture, then desaturate it (Ctrl + Shift + U). Set it to Hard Light. For lighter images, you will probably want to set the opacity to around 50%.
to Add a light blue gradient (or a light color of whatever color scheme you want to have), set it to Color with an opacity of 25%.
Duplicate the colored, sharpened layer again and drag it to the top. Set it to Overlay with an opacity of around 40-45%.
Add some brushes. I used two layers and erased where the face is. Set both to Overlay. For light images, two dark layers work best. For darker images, a darker lower layer and a lighter upper layer look good.
to Add a light yellow/orange gradient. Set it to Soft Light. Play with the fill until you're happy. I set mine to 50%.
to Going along with your color scheme, add a darker gradient. I used a purple/bluish one. Set to Screen with a fill of 40-50%.
to Add another gradient, and make it whatever color you want, as long as it's not too light (I chose this tan/blue one). Set it to Lighten and play around with the color until you're happy.
to Duplicate the colored, sharpened layer again and drag it to the top. Go to Hue/Saturation (Ctrl +U), click the Colorize checkbox, and play with it until you get a color you want (I had a darkish blue-purple). Set the layer to Overlay, and play with the opacity until you like it.
And that's all there is to it~ Here's another icon I made with this technique:
Have fun!