Very Simple Tutorial
This is quite simple, done on PSP9.. ignore the sucky text :)
Today we are going to go from
to 
1)Start out with a high quality base. Messing with the softening/sharping tool is a pain in the ass.
Our Base:
2)Duplicate the base twice, set the top layer to soft light at 100% and the middle layer to screen at 100%. This will brighten the image up considerably but still maintain the vivid color for later.
Our icon:
3)Create a new raster layer of a dark blue (I used #012434) and set it to exlusion at 100%. This will be the beginning of putting color back into the image.
Color:
Our icon:
4)Create a new raster layer and flood fill it with an olive gree color (I used #9ba688). Set it to burn at 100% on PSP but Id probably recommend if you have the option to set it to color burn on PS.
Color:
Our icon:
6)Create another new raster layer and flood fill it with a light blue. I used #d6ecf4 and set it to burn at 100%. Again use color burn if you have the option.
Color:
Our icon:
7)Create the last new raster layer and flood fill it with a bright vivid robins egg blue color. I used #4bd9ff. This will make the green pop out.
Color:
Our icon:
8)Next paste on this dandy gran. that I picked up from...
colorfilter I believe. Could be mistaken but anyway, easy enough to make yourself. Set it to saturation legacy at 50% Carefully erase this layer around the body. Shes already might red toned already.I zoom in on the picture to about 400% and erase with a small brush, less mistakes and easy to clean up.
Gran.:
Our icon:
9) Do the same thing with this gran. Set to Multiply at 20% This one has a nice texture to it so it will add a bit to the overall icon and it will darken it up.
Gran:
Our icon:
10)Last layer to paste on. Set it to Difference at 12%. Again erase around the body.
Gran:
Our icon:
11)Merge all the layer>duplicate>set top layer to Hard Light.
Our icon:
12)Desaturate the top layer. (Ctrl L is the short cut).
Our icon:
13)Seeing that the icon is a bit fuzzy I sharpened it by on both layers going to
Adjust>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask ....My settings were at Radius 5, Strength 25 and clipping 2. Not sure what this is on PS.
Finally, I used the sharpening tool (set with 100% hardness) to sharpen the lips on both layers and the eyes.
Add text (*dies* my text sucks) and a border of your choosing and viola!
Icon:
Today we are going to go from
to 1)Start out with a high quality base. Messing with the softening/sharping tool is a pain in the ass.
Our Base:
2)Duplicate the base twice, set the top layer to soft light at 100% and the middle layer to screen at 100%. This will brighten the image up considerably but still maintain the vivid color for later.
Our icon:
3)Create a new raster layer of a dark blue (I used #012434) and set it to exlusion at 100%. This will be the beginning of putting color back into the image.
Color:
Our icon:
4)Create a new raster layer and flood fill it with an olive gree color (I used #9ba688). Set it to burn at 100% on PSP but Id probably recommend if you have the option to set it to color burn on PS.
Color:
Our icon:
6)Create another new raster layer and flood fill it with a light blue. I used #d6ecf4 and set it to burn at 100%. Again use color burn if you have the option.
Color:
Our icon:
7)Create the last new raster layer and flood fill it with a bright vivid robins egg blue color. I used #4bd9ff. This will make the green pop out.
Color:
Our icon:
8)Next paste on this dandy gran. that I picked up from...
colorfilter I believe. Could be mistaken but anyway, easy enough to make yourself. Set it to saturation legacy at 50% Carefully erase this layer around the body. Shes already might red toned already.I zoom in on the picture to about 400% and erase with a small brush, less mistakes and easy to clean up.Gran.:
Our icon:
9) Do the same thing with this gran. Set to Multiply at 20% This one has a nice texture to it so it will add a bit to the overall icon and it will darken it up.
Gran:
Our icon:
10)Last layer to paste on. Set it to Difference at 12%. Again erase around the body.
Gran:
Our icon:
11)Merge all the layer>duplicate>set top layer to Hard Light.
Our icon:
12)Desaturate the top layer. (Ctrl L is the short cut).
Our icon:
13)Seeing that the icon is a bit fuzzy I sharpened it by on both layers going to
Adjust>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask ....My settings were at Radius 5, Strength 25 and clipping 2. Not sure what this is on PS.
Finally, I used the sharpening tool (set with 100% hardness) to sharpen the lips on both layers and the eyes.
Add text (*dies* my text sucks) and a border of your choosing and viola!
Icon: