Cropping, resizing and colouring for dummies
We're going to make this...
In simple steps that use no selective colouring or curves and it's made in GIMP but you can easily translate it for photoshop and such like.
Icon Tutorial (for dummies)
So here's my first tutorial which focuses on cropping and scaling an image so that it is a suitable icon size and how to colour it using GIMP. With simple and easy-to-follow instructions you'll be making fantastic icons in no time!
You can get GIMP for all sorts of systems including mac's and windows (I use a mac) here...
GET GIMP
1) So THIS is the original image I used. So all you need to do is open it up in GIMP and we'll get started!
2) It starts out at 1358 x 1674 pixels and we need to get it down to 100 x 100 (the most common icon size). To do this you click on the CROP tool (located on your left, it looks a bit like a knife) or press SHIFT + C to get onto it.
3) Drag it so that it makes a square and adjust the HEIGHT and WIDTH so that they are equal by either typing in the desired numbers in the crop & resize window where it says Height: and Width:, or simply drag the selected area by the small boxes in the corners (use the bottom left and right boxes) but remember that the height and width must BE EQUAL.
4) I have mine cropped so that it now measures 800 x 800 pixels. Once you have done this (and it doesn't have to be 800 x 800 like mine but they have to be equal, I can't stress this enough) click 'Crop'.
5) So now you should have your cropped image, and probobly a grey checkered box behind. To get rid of this just go to
image > fit canvas to layers
6) Now's the time where we reduce the image size to 100 x 100 pixels. to do this we simply go to
image > scale image
Now all you have to do is type in 100 for width and 100 for height. Sometimes if you change one the other will change automatically but they must both be 100 x 100 pixels.
7) so now your image should look something like this (but obviously not exact as we probobly cropped different areas of the image!)
8) Now for the colouring. You need to add two layers. do this by going to
layer > new layer
But this only gives you one so just click again for two.
The first layer you need to colour in one colour (#c0d579) and set it to overlay at 50. The second one you colour in another colour (#e19986) and set it to overlay at 85.
And it should now look like this
8) I'll leave it there for now. you can add textures or some text to your image if you want like this
or just leave it be.
If you have any questions please ask :)
In simple steps that use no selective colouring or curves and it's made in GIMP but you can easily translate it for photoshop and such like.
Icon Tutorial (for dummies)
So here's my first tutorial which focuses on cropping and scaling an image so that it is a suitable icon size and how to colour it using GIMP. With simple and easy-to-follow instructions you'll be making fantastic icons in no time!
You can get GIMP for all sorts of systems including mac's and windows (I use a mac) here...
GET GIMP
1) So THIS is the original image I used. So all you need to do is open it up in GIMP and we'll get started!
2) It starts out at 1358 x 1674 pixels and we need to get it down to 100 x 100 (the most common icon size). To do this you click on the CROP tool (located on your left, it looks a bit like a knife) or press SHIFT + C to get onto it.
3) Drag it so that it makes a square and adjust the HEIGHT and WIDTH so that they are equal by either typing in the desired numbers in the crop & resize window where it says Height: and Width:, or simply drag the selected area by the small boxes in the corners (use the bottom left and right boxes) but remember that the height and width must BE EQUAL.
4) I have mine cropped so that it now measures 800 x 800 pixels. Once you have done this (and it doesn't have to be 800 x 800 like mine but they have to be equal, I can't stress this enough) click 'Crop'.
5) So now you should have your cropped image, and probobly a grey checkered box behind. To get rid of this just go to
image > fit canvas to layers
6) Now's the time where we reduce the image size to 100 x 100 pixels. to do this we simply go to
image > scale image
Now all you have to do is type in 100 for width and 100 for height. Sometimes if you change one the other will change automatically but they must both be 100 x 100 pixels.
7) so now your image should look something like this (but obviously not exact as we probobly cropped different areas of the image!)
8) Now for the colouring. You need to add two layers. do this by going to
layer > new layer
But this only gives you one so just click again for two.
The first layer you need to colour in one colour (#c0d579) and set it to overlay at 50. The second one you colour in another colour (#e19986) and set it to overlay at 85.
And it should now look like this
8) I'll leave it there for now. you can add textures or some text to your image if you want like this
or just leave it be.
If you have any questions please ask :)