This was made in Adobe Photoshop CS 8.0. and uses selective coloring and channel mixer.
>> 
1. Lighten your base. I duplicated the base and set one to SCREEN 100% and the other to SCREEN 81%. To sharpen I usually go all the way to the bottom of my layer palette, duplicate my base, go to Filter >> Sharpen >> Sharpen, and set that to around 50%, or whatever looks sharp enough.
2. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 100%.
REDS
Cyan: -19
Yellow: +65
Black: +65
YELLOWS
Yellow: -72
CYANS
Cyan: +100
WHITES
Yellow: -33
NEUTRALS
Magenta: -27
Yellow: -33
Black: +3
3. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 54%.
REDS
Cyan: -65
YELLOWS:
Cyan: -20
Yellow: +20
GREENS
Cyan: +24
MAGENTAS
Magenta: +12
NEUTRALS
Yellow: +30
4. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 84%.
REDS
Cyan: -100
Yellow: +45
YELLOWS
Cyan: -60
Yellow: -100
NEUTRALS
Magenta: -10
Yellow: -15
5. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Channel Mixer. Input these settings at 100%.
RED
Red: +100
Green: -8
Blue: -14
GREEN
Green: +86
BLUE
Green: -12
Blue: +112
6. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 100%.
REDS
Cyan: +7
YELLOWS:
Magenta: +2
Yellow: +76
GREENS
Cyan: -6
CYANS
Cyan: +100
BLUES
Cyan: +49
WHITES
Cyan: +1
Yellow: +50
NEUTRALS
Cyan: +2
Yellow: +17
7. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 28%.
REDS
Cyan: +97
Yellow: +1
YELLOWS
Cyan: +15
Yellow: -52
MAGENTAS
Magenta: +28
WHITES
Cyan: -17
Yellow: +68
NEUTRALS
Cyan: +35
Magenta: -6
Yellow: -10
Black: -3
8. Fill a new layer with #ACACAC and set it at COLOR BURN 100%. And here's the final product!
Obviously, the settings won't work for everything. The best way to learn is to simply fool around with the settings, add or subtract things, and see what each layer does. I will not give out a .psd since I've given you the exact settings I've used. Enjoy!
icons made with similar settings:
+ I would love it if you posted any questions here!
+ Feel free to watch
misty_creates. :D
>> 1. Lighten your base. I duplicated the base and set one to SCREEN 100% and the other to SCREEN 81%. To sharpen I usually go all the way to the bottom of my layer palette, duplicate my base, go to Filter >> Sharpen >> Sharpen, and set that to around 50%, or whatever looks sharp enough.
2. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 100%.
REDS
Cyan: -19
Yellow: +65
Black: +65
YELLOWS
Yellow: -72
CYANS
Cyan: +100
WHITES
Yellow: -33
NEUTRALS
Magenta: -27
Yellow: -33
Black: +3
3. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 54%.
REDS
Cyan: -65
YELLOWS:
Cyan: -20
Yellow: +20
GREENS
Cyan: +24
MAGENTAS
Magenta: +12
NEUTRALS
Yellow: +30
4. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 84%.
REDS
Cyan: -100
Yellow: +45
YELLOWS
Cyan: -60
Yellow: -100
NEUTRALS
Magenta: -10
Yellow: -15
5. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Channel Mixer. Input these settings at 100%.
RED
Red: +100
Green: -8
Blue: -14
GREEN
Green: +86
BLUE
Green: -12
Blue: +112
6. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 100%.
REDS
Cyan: +7
YELLOWS:
Magenta: +2
Yellow: +76
GREENS
Cyan: -6
CYANS
Cyan: +100
BLUES
Cyan: +49
WHITES
Cyan: +1
Yellow: +50
NEUTRALS
Cyan: +2
Yellow: +17
7. Go to Layer >> New Adjustment Layer >> Selective Color. Input these settings at 28%.
REDS
Cyan: +97
Yellow: +1
YELLOWS
Cyan: +15
Yellow: -52
MAGENTAS
Magenta: +28
WHITES
Cyan: -17
Yellow: +68
NEUTRALS
Cyan: +35
Magenta: -6
Yellow: -10
Black: -3
8. Fill a new layer with #ACACAC and set it at COLOR BURN 100%. And here's the final product!
Obviously, the settings won't work for everything. The best way to learn is to simply fool around with the settings, add or subtract things, and see what each layer does. I will not give out a .psd since I've given you the exact settings I've used. Enjoy!
icons made with similar settings:
+ I would love it if you posted any questions here!
+ Feel free to watch
misty_creates. :D