simple tutorial for bright crisp colors
Wanna learn how to go from 
to 
?
Made in PS 7. Involves curves and selective coloring
to ?Made in PS 7. Involves curves and selective coloring
We're going to start with our base, which I cropped from a cap at 
dj_capslock.
It's a little bit dark, but we'll fix that with a screen layer. (duplicate your base and set it to screen)
>> 
It looks better doesn't it? It's still missing a little depth, but that's an easy fix, too.
Add a new curves layer (layer>new adjustment layer>curves)
my settings:
RGB:
Point 1: Input 37 Output 0
Point 2: Input 164 Output 161
Point 3: Input 249 Output 255
>> 
See how it added more depth and contrast to the picture? Next we're gonna bring out the blues a little more with a color layer
Create a new fill layer and fill it with #C7E9F4, set it to color burn
>> 
Next we're gonna bring out the skin tones a little more with a selective color layer.
Add a new selective color layer (layer>new adjustment layer>selective color)
These were my settings:
Red: C -65, M 0, Y +53, B 0
Yellow: C -47, M 0, Y +32, B 0
Neutral: C 10, M 0, Y -7, B 10
>> 
By adding the red and yellow it made his skin look a little less washed out. Now you can leave it here if you want, but I like to bring the colors out a little more.
With this particular icon, I duplicated the selective color layer, and lowered the opacity to 50%
>>
And VOILA! You're done.
Feel free to experiment with it. My exact settings aren't going to work on every base, but the principles are there.
If you have any questions, let me know, and I'd LOVE to see your results!
, which I cropped from a cap at dj_capslock.It's a little bit dark, but we'll fix that with a screen layer. (duplicate your base and set it to screen)
>> It looks better doesn't it? It's still missing a little depth, but that's an easy fix, too.
Add a new curves layer (layer>new adjustment layer>curves)
my settings:
RGB:
Point 1: Input 37 Output 0
Point 2: Input 164 Output 161
Point 3: Input 249 Output 255
>> See how it added more depth and contrast to the picture? Next we're gonna bring out the blues a little more with a color layer
Create a new fill layer and fill it with #C7E9F4, set it to color burn
>> Next we're gonna bring out the skin tones a little more with a selective color layer.
Add a new selective color layer (layer>new adjustment layer>selective color)
These were my settings:
Red: C -65, M 0, Y +53, B 0
Yellow: C -47, M 0, Y +32, B 0
Neutral: C 10, M 0, Y -7, B 10
>> By adding the red and yellow it made his skin look a little less washed out. Now you can leave it here if you want, but I like to bring the colors out a little more.
With this particular icon, I duplicated the selective color layer, and lowered the opacity to 50%
>> And VOILA! You're done.
Feel free to experiment with it. My exact settings aren't going to work on every base, but the principles are there.
If you have any questions, let me know, and I'd LOVE to see your results!