Bold Color/Color Enhancement Tutorial for PSP7
This tutorial is made for PSP 7, but it would probably work for PS and higher versions of PSP. You should have a good knowledge of your program, i.e. how to duplicate and create new layers, flood fill, et cetera. There are a total of 20-something layers (22 I believe), just so you know. Remember: This tutorial is not meant for you to whip out a clone icon.
The finished product:
I started out with this promo picture from Degrassi: The Next Generation of Stacey Farber as Ellie. I think I rotated it to the left, probably between 10-15 degrees, cropped it, then resized it to 100x100.
I then duplicated the layer and sharpened it. I then duplicated the sharpened layer and smoothed out the area on her nose and cheeks with the Retouch tool on Soften, and then set that layer on Soft Light, 50%.
--> 
Now, for my favourite part of icons: Color. I made a new layer, "color 1", filled it with #011221, and set it to Exclusion. I used to never do this, but I discovered that it allows the image to accept the
remaining layers of color better. I then made a new layer, "color 2", filled it with the same color, and set it to Soft Light at 50% opacity.
A little too dark for my taste, so I made a new layer, flood filled it with a nice fleshy colour (#F1D7A9), and set it to Overlay on 50% opacity.
The icon's kind of flat and needs a bit more depth, so I decided to use a texture brush (by
teh_indy I believe) in the same colour I used for the exclusion layer (#011221), and I set it on Multiply at 35%.
--> 
Her face is kind of flat compared to the rest of her head, so I went back to the fuzzy-nosed background layer, duplicated it, brought it up to above the last layer, and erased everything but her head. I then set this to Soft Light and left it at 100% opacity.
Now the fun part: Make-up. I was inspired to do this from one ofsyndarys's tutorials (pretty sure, anyway) where she applied a girl's makeup. I don't do it much, but her make-up was just so bland. Anyway. First step: The lips. I picked a nice mauvy colour (#954239) and airbrushed it on her lips with a round brush. I didn't make it perfect, cause I find it's easier to put it on messy, and erase it away carefully. (Tip: When you use the eraser, in most cases you want to use it at around size 15-20, with about 20-30 hardness.) So that's exactly what I did. Then I used the eraser tool at size 255 and hardness 0, and put the edge of the brush over the color. It makes it less harsh. Then I set the layer on soft light at 70%.
--> 
For the eyes, I used the airbrush set at round, probably around size 10 , on #000F1E. I brushed on a little curve right above Ellie's eyes so it overlapped the eyebrow. It doesn't have to be perfect, remember, that's what the eraser tool is for. I then erased all the parts that weren't supposed to be there, and set it on Soft Light at 40%. I probably put a Gaussian Blur of about 1.00 on it, too.
--> 
See how pale her cheeks are? Well, we're going to fix that now. Blush is pretty hard to make look natural, but you can come pretty darn close using a gaussian blur. For the color, I used the same color I used for the lips, or something close to it anyway. I used the airbrush tool, on round, probably around size 15-20, and about a hardness of 30. I pressed once on each cheek, being careful about the positioning. Then, for the one on the left hand side, I erased the part that was on her hair. Then, I applied a gaussian blur (Probably around 2.00, experiment to see what's best, as always), and left the blend mode on Normal, with the opacity on 55%.
--> 
And now, her hair. Stacey Farber already has beautiful red hair, but now it was looking orange, so I dyed her hair, no trip to Wal-Mart needed. :) So I used the same colour for the lips and cheeks, #954239, (I can't believe that...), flood filled a new layer with it, and then erased everything but what covered the hair. I then set it at Soft Light, at 76% opacity. Again, experiment to see what looks best. You want her to have bright deep red hair? Go for it with 100% opacity.
--> 
And now back to actual coloring. (Nope, not done yet.) Now I decided to make EVERYTHING bolder, yes, even the car behind her. So I flood-filled a new layer with #041321, erased all of Ellie, and set it to Soft Light at 26%.
I decided to make this one a deep blue icon, for whatever reason, so I used this gradient I made myself on a new layer, and set it to Soft Light at 30%.
--> 
Next step: Texture. For this icon, I didn't want too much texture, just enough to be there. So I used this text brush made by someone in my brush credit. Apparently, I decided to change the colour I applied it in, cause you can still see part of the first colour. The first colour I tried it in was #07404F, and the second colour was #011221. I just brushed it on with the first one, then with the second. Then, I set it to Soft Light at 49%.
--> 
Now time for the little Mini-Ellie. I went to Edit --> Copy Merged, and then Edit --> Paste --> As New Layer. I then went to Layer --> Resize, making sure that "Resize all layers" was unchecked and that my new layer was selected. I resized it to 50%x50%, then sharpened it, and then I resized it again to 35 pixels by 35 pixels. I then sharpened it again, maybe twice. I then moved it to the position I wanted it, this case the lower left-hand corner, and added a 1px border around the last pixel of the box on a new layer in #011221, left it at Normal 100%. (As in, I overlapped the 1px perimeter of the box.)
Now I added a decorative brush, made byquebelly I believe, in #0C404F on a new layer and positioned it so that it was overlapping the mini-box. (This included mirroring the layer by going to Image-->Mirror, and reducing the size of the brush, probably around size 80 or 90.) I then added a drop shadow on the brush with the following settings: Horizontal: 1, Vertical: 1, Opacity: (Can't remember, probably around 50%, just move it around until it looks good), and Blur around 5-6, probably. I then duplicated that layer and set it on Screen, 100%.
--> 
Now it's time for borders. I like to use a few different borders, it makes for a really neat effect. The first border I used was the first one below, made by someone credited in my brush credit. I set the color on #011221, clicked it on once, and set it on Soft Light, 100%. I then used the next brush, made by me, applied it in the same color as before, and left it on Normal, at 100%. I made sure that both border layers were underneat the Mini-Box and Decoration, otherwise they'd overlap the brush.
--> 
Now is where I normally add text, but I couldn't think of anything to put on here, so I just left it as is. :)
Hopefully this was helpful to someone! (Also, if you would like to use the icon, you may do so, but please creditcherreh in the keywords. Thanks!)
The finished product:
I started out with this promo picture from Degrassi: The Next Generation of Stacey Farber as Ellie. I think I rotated it to the left, probably between 10-15 degrees, cropped it, then resized it to 100x100.
I then duplicated the layer and sharpened it. I then duplicated the sharpened layer and smoothed out the area on her nose and cheeks with the Retouch tool on Soften, and then set that layer on Soft Light, 50%.
--> Now, for my favourite part of icons: Color. I made a new layer, "color 1", filled it with #011221, and set it to Exclusion. I used to never do this, but I discovered that it allows the image to accept the
remaining layers of color better. I then made a new layer, "color 2", filled it with the same color, and set it to Soft Light at 50% opacity.
A little too dark for my taste, so I made a new layer, flood filled it with a nice fleshy colour (#F1D7A9), and set it to Overlay on 50% opacity.
The icon's kind of flat and needs a bit more depth, so I decided to use a texture brush (by
teh_indy I believe) in the same colour I used for the exclusion layer (#011221), and I set it on Multiply at 35%. --> Her face is kind of flat compared to the rest of her head, so I went back to the fuzzy-nosed background layer, duplicated it, brought it up to above the last layer, and erased everything but her head. I then set this to Soft Light and left it at 100% opacity.
Now the fun part: Make-up. I was inspired to do this from one of
syndarys's tutorials (pretty sure, anyway) where she applied a girl's makeup. I don't do it much, but her make-up was just so bland. Anyway. First step: The lips. I picked a nice mauvy colour (#954239) and airbrushed it on her lips with a round brush. I didn't make it perfect, cause I find it's easier to put it on messy, and erase it away carefully. (Tip: When you use the eraser, in most cases you want to use it at around size 15-20, with about 20-30 hardness.) So that's exactly what I did. Then I used the eraser tool at size 255 and hardness 0, and put the edge of the brush over the color. It makes it less harsh. Then I set the layer on soft light at 70%. --> For the eyes, I used the airbrush set at round, probably around size 10 , on #000F1E. I brushed on a little curve right above Ellie's eyes so it overlapped the eyebrow. It doesn't have to be perfect, remember, that's what the eraser tool is for. I then erased all the parts that weren't supposed to be there, and set it on Soft Light at 40%. I probably put a Gaussian Blur of about 1.00 on it, too.
--> See how pale her cheeks are? Well, we're going to fix that now. Blush is pretty hard to make look natural, but you can come pretty darn close using a gaussian blur. For the color, I used the same color I used for the lips, or something close to it anyway. I used the airbrush tool, on round, probably around size 15-20, and about a hardness of 30. I pressed once on each cheek, being careful about the positioning. Then, for the one on the left hand side, I erased the part that was on her hair. Then, I applied a gaussian blur (Probably around 2.00, experiment to see what's best, as always), and left the blend mode on Normal, with the opacity on 55%.
--> And now, her hair. Stacey Farber already has beautiful red hair, but now it was looking orange, so I dyed her hair, no trip to Wal-Mart needed. :) So I used the same colour for the lips and cheeks, #954239, (I can't believe that...), flood filled a new layer with it, and then erased everything but what covered the hair. I then set it at Soft Light, at 76% opacity. Again, experiment to see what looks best. You want her to have bright deep red hair? Go for it with 100% opacity.
--> And now back to actual coloring. (Nope, not done yet.) Now I decided to make EVERYTHING bolder, yes, even the car behind her. So I flood-filled a new layer with #041321, erased all of Ellie, and set it to Soft Light at 26%.
I decided to make this one a deep blue icon, for whatever reason, so I used this gradient I made myself on a new layer, and set it to Soft Light at 30%.
--> Next step: Texture. For this icon, I didn't want too much texture, just enough to be there. So I used this text brush made by someone in my brush credit. Apparently, I decided to change the colour I applied it in, cause you can still see part of the first colour. The first colour I tried it in was #07404F, and the second colour was #011221. I just brushed it on with the first one, then with the second. Then, I set it to Soft Light at 49%.
--> Now time for the little Mini-Ellie. I went to Edit --> Copy Merged, and then Edit --> Paste --> As New Layer. I then went to Layer --> Resize, making sure that "Resize all layers" was unchecked and that my new layer was selected. I resized it to 50%x50%, then sharpened it, and then I resized it again to 35 pixels by 35 pixels. I then sharpened it again, maybe twice. I then moved it to the position I wanted it, this case the lower left-hand corner, and added a 1px border around the last pixel of the box on a new layer in #011221, left it at Normal 100%. (As in, I overlapped the 1px perimeter of the box.)
Now I added a decorative brush, made by
quebelly I believe, in #0C404F on a new layer and positioned it so that it was overlapping the mini-box. (This included mirroring the layer by going to Image-->Mirror, and reducing the size of the brush, probably around size 80 or 90.) I then added a drop shadow on the brush with the following settings: Horizontal: 1, Vertical: 1, Opacity: (Can't remember, probably around 50%, just move it around until it looks good), and Blur around 5-6, probably. I then duplicated that layer and set it on Screen, 100%. --> Now it's time for borders. I like to use a few different borders, it makes for a really neat effect. The first border I used was the first one below, made by someone credited in my brush credit. I set the color on #011221, clicked it on once, and set it on Soft Light, 100%. I then used the next brush, made by me, applied it in the same color as before, and left it on Normal, at 100%. I made sure that both border layers were underneat the Mini-Box and Decoration, otherwise they'd overlap the brush.
--> Now is where I normally add text, but I couldn't think of anything to put on here, so I just left it as is. :)
Hopefully this was helpful to someone! (Also, if you would like to use the icon, you may do so, but please credit
cherreh in the keywords. Thanks!)