My Tutorial

Ok! I'm making a tutorial for the icon below, since I'm rather fond of it and I forgot how I did my Benji icon. :(

Anyways, I'm going to give you guys the tutorial for this icon, and hopefully a few more in the future. :)



Before you go into the cut, you might need a little bit of knowledge of PSP8. I'm pretty sure it will work in PS, though.




I started out with this base and first, I duplicated it. Go to Layers > Duplicate. I the sharpened it because it was kinda blurry. Go to Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen.

I got something like this:

.

I duplicated this layer and and went to: Layers > Properties. A little box should come up. Select Soft Light at 75% Opacity.

I went to the layer below this one and did the whole Layers...properties thing and put it on Screen at 75% opacity.

I then used this Gradient by crumblingwalls.


I copied the gradient and right clicked on the icon. Paste > As a New Layer.

I see that my gradient went between the soft light and the screened layers, so I move it to the top and do the layers...properties thing again. This time I go to Exclusion and lower the opacity to 50%.



I have something that looks like this right now. Kinda ugly, isn't it?

I then make a new layer (Go to Layers > New Raster Layer) and fill it with a brightish blue. I used #6FBFFD. I put it to Overlay (100% Opacity). It looks awfully blue now, doesn't it?


I know have something blueish like this.

I then make a new layer and fill it with pinkish-brown colour. I used #B97E7B. I then set this one to Hard Light (100% opacity)



I now have something that, in my opinion, is VERY pretty. But not done.


After I dig through many folders of brushes, I come up with this brush by callmefreak (I think!!).

I open it in PSP8 (You can just copy and paste it in there. But NOT on your icon.), make sure that this brush is selected, then go to Files > Export > Custom Brush. Please state the author of the brush and the name. Then click ok. You may have to wait a while if this is your first exporting ever.

Then go to your little paint brush symbol on the side and click on it. Find the brush and select it.

Create a new layer on your icon. Make sure that brush is selected and go over to your colour palette and get a white colour from it. Then, go back to your icon and stamp it on there. Then do the whole layers > properties stuff and select Soft Light at 75% opacity.




I think it is VERY pretty...but missing a border and text. I decide to look through my brushes again and come up with a brush that I think is also by callmefreak.



I then use this brush and do the whole exporting thing again and use the same white as my other colour. I make a new layer and put it on Soft Light at 75% opacity.



I see that it overlapped Billy in this icon, and instantly hate it. So, I go to the eraser tool and make sure the settings match the following:

Circular eraser shape.
Size: 20
Hardness: 0
Step: 32
Density: 100
Thickness: 100
Rotation: 0

I then went over Billy and erased the lined that were on HIM. I do this as carefully as I can and I end up with something better.



I then go to my text thing and go to Arial Black on size 5. I type in "Billy Martin" and then create a new layer. I put "Can you get any hotter?" in Verdana on size 3. I put it just below "Billy Martin". I then Merge all (visible).



I then see that the white things around the text are too bright and too much of the same colour. I select my push tool, which is located 2 down from the paint brush (make sure it is on push!!). I make sure it is on size 2, circle, with a hardness of 50%. I then "push" the bottom white thing off. I then make a new raster layer and forget the other thing...for now.



I then add a border (I forget who this is by, so if you can tell me, that would be awesome.)



I do the whole export crap thing again and select a border in a darker colour that will go with it. I picked #735185 in the end. I then go to the properties thing again, leave it on normal, and put 75% opacity in the box.

I merge all layers (flatten) and then smudge the rest of the ugly whiteish stuff out.


And I got something VERY similar to this icon in the end! :) Hope that this tutorial was ok! ^_^

Remember: For different icons, you might need to fix the soft light and screened layers. That was a darker icon. If you have a lighter one, fiddle around with Soft Light and Screens. :)


This is my first icon tutorial ever. ><; Tell me how it works?