Icon Tutorial -- Adobe Photoshop 7

From:
to

in 8 easy steps


Step 1:
Choose your base image. I chose this natalie portman image from NataliePortman.com.

It was much larger to start with so I went to Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen and then sized it 50% by going to Image > Image Size > Percent > 50%. Continue this until the image is the size you want. You may want to use the 'blur' brush at 24% strength to smooth out the skin. Avoid smoothing any defining lines, eyes, mouths, teeth, or hair.

Step 2:
In the 'layers / channels / paths' tool box, click on the 'background' image (there should only be one at this point and it should be of your icon image). Duplicate it twice more. Set the first one to 'soft light' and the second one to 'screen'. Now desaturate the second one by pressing Ctrl+Shift+U.

Your screen should look like this:


Step 3:
Next i used this texture:

( by blue_orchidea) available here
Select it and paste it on the Icon image underneath the 'soft light' and above the background. Now set it to hard light. Make sure the light texture is above the part of the image you're featuring in the icon. Adjust the light texture until the image's features are clear. You may need to use an eraser brush at about 20% strength to lightly erase aread that obscure the features.

Your screen should now look like this:


Step 4:
Crop the picture using the crop tool so that only the image covered in the light texture is left and go to layer > merge visible.

It should look like this:


Step 5:
Now that your main image is done, it's time for the base. Create a new image sized 100X100 pixels. Using scribble brushes by awmp and teh_indy use various colours to create a messy, dotted/slashed/scribbled/splattered background. It should be dark and in a colour scheme that contrasts the golden/red tones of the main image. This will make your icon POP! With a reddish/gold tone, blues, purples, and greens work best. I like to use awmp's pop art dot brushes to create the background dots. Also, create different layers (hit the new layer button, 2nd to last at the bottom of the layers/channels/paths box). Use different types of brushes on each of the layers and adjust the settings (hard light, screen, multiply etc.) until you get a messy background image look you like. Make sure you merge the layers together when you're finished.
I came up with this:


Step 6:
It's time to finish her off now. Copy the original image, and paste it over top of the background a position it where you think it looks best. Avoid placing the image dead center. That looks dorky 90% of the time.

Now you should have something along the lines of this:

( I erased parts of the main image to show off more of my background...)

Step 7:
Use the select tool to select to strips on either side of the main image (make sure you are on the main image layer as well). Now fill this in with a dark colour to make the image stand out even more.


Step 8:
Now add your text. I use white coloured text with 'The Incredibles' font. Available Here, 18 down.
Then merge the layers together and you're done!



A few variations using this technique also created these:



Just have fun!
If you have any questions, feel free to post them and i'll do my best to help. :D