Usagi; BSSM

start with your image cropped 100x100


texture by colorfilter?

set to Normal @ 100%

Adjust > Hue and Saturation > Colorize



Color your layer by dragging the hue and saturation markers around. Choose your color and itself intensity.
You can always go back later and change the color in this same way after the rest of the layers are put on.
Click the little eye button to see how the color will affect the icon before you apply it.

Duplicate your base layer three times. These will be placed above our poka-dot texture.
You may skip this step if your image doesn't need darkening.

The top (third) Background layer needs to be set to Multiply @ 100%

the other two are set to Normal @ 100%

You may need to lasso and cut areas of the image that are made ugly by all this duplicating. I use, as always, the lasso tool with high feathering to brush back any lines I think are too dark or cruddy-looking. In this case, Usagi's mouth area.

With the lasso tool and low feathering (1-3) I outline the sunflower.
I cut it away on the first two Background copies.

I want the texture to show through parts of my image, so I use the Lasso Tool with high feathering and cut out parts of the image that can spare the room.
Because the feathering is high (17-24 for me, I think) the texture will blend a lot better! So experiment with your feathering.

Remember to cut all three duplicated background layers or the texture will not come through. Don't bother cutting the base image (It won't do anything besides possibly messing it up).

Basically, though all this cutting, the only real parts of the image I'm using are these:


this example is of the Copy of Background layer set to Multiply (which is why it's darker)


texture by colorfilter

We paste this light texture as our Raster 1.

set to Lighten @ 100%

With the lasso tool and some feathering, I outline Usagi (including her hand) and cut the light texture away from her.


texture by gender

I paste this as our Raster 2 layer.

set to Burn @ 100%

Then I create a new layer (Raster 4) and using the Selecton Tool set as a rectangle I select a 1px border around the icon.

I fill it with black.

Then I discovered (maybe because I'm silleh :D) that instead of going through and manually with an eraser tool making some kind of dotted border, all I really had to do was choose Dissolve as my blend mode and then lower the opacity! :D golly!

so set Raster 4 to Dissolve @ 62%
and ta-dah! It gives you a random border, no work involved!
Depending on the opacity you choose, the pattern will become more erractic.

Okay, text time!
Now you'll see why I numbered all the Raser layers. >D

Vector 1
"Sunflower Season"

settings.
font. Arial
size. 14
stroke. 0
font style. Bold
alignment. Centered
anti-alias. Sharp
leading. -0.500
kerning. 0
tracking. 0

I copy this vector layer (called Copy of Vector 1). I leave the Copy of Vector 1 at the very top and then drag the original copy down.

I set the original Vector 1 to Luminance(L) @ 100%

I sandwhich it between the third Background copy (the one set to Multiply) and one set to Normal.

I return to the Copy of Vector 1 which I left at the very top of everything.

Right-click on it with your mouse.
Scroll down to "Convert to raster layer" and select the option.

Go to Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur

I choose a low number (2-3) and have it angled toward the bottom-right of my icon.

Set your Copy of Vector 1 to the blend mode Soft Light @ 100%

Drag your border layer to the top so it covers up any part of your text that runs off the edge of the icon (like mine did, at least).

Banzai! \o/ We're finished!

icon is available for adoption, with credit