melody of tears //

#27 - multifandom icons (9)

kitamikeita — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 17:15:33 GMT

Here's my set for the "World of Music pt2" challenge at somein30.

At this point, If I'm not incredibly late, it's not on brand LOL

Long story short: I really liked the music challenge, as I love music. I wanted to make a lot more icons, but didn't have time.

I chose normal mode and used images from the music videos coupled with the lyrics of the songs. Of course I was also inspired by the mood, atmosphere and my personal impressions of the song itself.

I was so excited when I saw that there were going to be not just one but two challenges with a musical theme. I love music. I really wanted to participate in both of them so badly (especially the first one), but unfortunately due to some trips and my usual lack of time, I just materially couldn't. I was very disappointed. So, when I was back and I found a month extension on the last challenge, I had to at least try and make something, even if I didn't have a lot of free time.

I wanted to make a lot more, but alas.

Also, I would've liked to take full advantage of the challenge and portray the songs in different ways, maybe with characters, symbolism, mood etc. (like suggested in the post), but realistically, knowing me and my damn indecision, I would've wasted more time on trying to chose the songs and how to interpret them each time than on making the actual icons, ending up frustrated and with no icons at all. And I really wanted to participate.

So I chose normal mode and used images from the music videos coupled with the lyrics of the songs. Of course I was also inspired by the mood, atmosphere and my personal impressions of the song itself, but the common starting point was music video and lyrics. I hope that's okay too, even if it's simpler and more obvious.

Now, as for the songs choice. I tend to listen to a variety of very different genres. Not every single one of them, but a lot. So, as to not be overwhelmed also by the choosing of the song, and to avoid making a set too all over the place, I decided to start with a few Nothing But Thieves songs (since I recently went to their concert ♥︎ ), and then add a few more songs I like from similar genres depending on how much time I still had. Avoiding jumping to Taylor Swift, for example lol.

Anyway, here they are.

				01-04
				05-08

1. Imagine Dragons - Bones Live from the Climate Pledge Arena this is the only one from a live performance and not a music video.
2. Nothing But Thieves - Is Everybody Going Crazy? music video
3. Blink-182 - All the Small Things music video
4. Nothing But Thieves - Unperson music video
5. My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade music video, I just can't believe I will see them in June.
6. Nothing But Thieves - Impossible music video
7. YUNGBLUD - The Funeral music video
8. Nothing But Thieve - Amsterdam music video

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
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#26 - is everybody going crazy? - 50 icon textures

kitamikeita — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 21:43:15 GMT

✗ D O W N L O A D ✗

Hi, it's that time again! When I occasionally resurface and post something out of the blue, this time it's a texture pack. I started making this immediately after I finished my last one, I hadn't even posted that yet. I was fooling myself thinking I could maybe do a pack every month ... yeah, right! By now I should've accepted that my freetime, will to make things and creativity fluctuate constantly. Ok, maybe deep down I knew I wouldn't have been able to make one every month (I'm not entirely delusional) but I certainly didn't think almost a year and a half would pass before posting another one. Well, nothing I can do about it now. I can only hope to make another one faster and post it sooner than this LOL

Also, granted that I'm not sure if and when I will be able to make another pack, just to have an idea in general and out of curiosity, which texture types do you like to use most? (e.g. decorative, floral, frames, lights etc.) Do you prefer them colorful or b/w? And what size?

And as with the previous pack, I included some examples of a few textures I already used.

▸ credit kitamikeita / melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ don't redistribute or claim as yours
▸ don't use to make your own textures
▸ feel free to watch

#BEST OF 2021

kitamikeita — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 20:19:04 GMT

ICON NOMINATIONS - JOIN IN! | MY THREAD

#25 - multifandom icons (25)

kitamikeita — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 22:59:45 GMT

Hello again! It's weird to post again so soon when usually months pass before I do it. But, of course, we are at the end of the year and I have to customarily dump all my last icons.

I must say I'm really surprised and pleased not only to have reached my goal to make more icons than last year, but also to have made more than I have ever have in a year. Ever. Well maybe not ever, but definitely not since 2014 though.

Between two sets for somein30 (one, two), random challenges and my pantone colors of the year post, I made as many as 79 icons! Yes. The fact that they're not 80 it's killing me (I could've made one more, but then I would've had an uneven table in the last post. I chose the lesser of two evils) LOL I even posted more than once this year. More than twice even. (6 posts, no less!)

I really hope this is not some kind of fluke or a peak of sorts and that from now on I won't be destined to do always less than this year. Ugh.

Plus I noticed that I tend to make more icons, and more 'interesting' diverse ones at that, when I try to do larger challenges. It pushes me to make an effort to complete a set and to go out of my comfort zone trying to make many different icons (I rarely go crazy if I'm doing a single icon at a time). So I'll try to do more of them next year, if I can.

Except for a few, these ones were all made for various challenges at color_inspired and elitesimplicity.

Anyway, here they are.

Hover over them to see for which challenge they were made.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Dexter: New Blood, Hawkeye, Musician: Olivia Rodrigo, Music Video: And So It Went by The Pretty Reckless, Musician: Twenty One Pilots, Shadow & Bone, Sons of Anarchy, Squid Game, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, The Queen's Gambit, Wandavision

					01-05
					06-10
					11-15
					16-20
					21-25

01-01 » Dexter: New Blood
02-03 » Shadow and Bone
04-04 » Wandavision
05-08 » The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
09-09 » Hawkeye
10-16 » Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
17-17 » Sons of Anarchy
18-18 » The Queen's Gambit
19-20 » Musician: Twenty One Pilots
21-22 » Musician: Olivia Rodrigo
23-23 » Squid Game
24-25 » Music Video: And So It Went by The Pretty Reckless

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#24 - PANTONE COLORS OF THE YEAR | multifandom icons (25)

kitamikeita — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 00:12:19 GMT

I don't know if you may have noticed that I ~~like~~, strike that, love colors. Especially bold and vibrant ones. I enjoy working with them, combining them, matching the icon to a palette or a color. I don't think there is a color I don't like. Maybe brown. Ok, I have a few favorites and a chart of sorts in my mind. But that's neither here nor there.
So, unsurprisingly, the whole "Color of the Year" idea facinates me too.

Thus, about a year ago (right around when I was searching what the latest color of the year was), I had the idea of making an icon for each color that had been chosen so far. They were also 24 at the time, so I could put them in a 4x6 table. It seemed kinda like fate LOL

The idea was to make one every now and then in my free time. I just wanted to have fun with it without the added pressure of a deadline. I told myself "as long as I do it by this year, it's all good". Well, knowing myself and the fact that I tend to procrastinate everything, especially without clear deadlines, I should not have said it.

Therefore, of course, here we are. Almost at the end of the year. And, as was predictable, I made them all in the last week or so. Not surprising at all, really. But I'm glad I made them, since I was almost giving up before even starting.

In the meantime the color for the year 2022 also came out, but fortunately I could just make the table 5x5 instead!

If you're curious, I put the name of each color in the cut below the table, since they didn't fit well in it.

*2016 and 2021 have two colors

Also, I started watching Sons of Anarchy lately, it was a show I always thought about watching over the years but never did for some reason. I'm only at the beginning of season 3, but I like it so far. I wanted to make more icons about it. Soon.

And also, I'm very excited and happy that they decided to make another season of Dexter!. It was one of my top favorite shows, binge-watched it all in very little time, but I hated the ending. Highly unsatisfaying. And now that it continues, I have an excuse to maybe rewatch it sometime, ignoring the crappy ending! Anyway, I like what they're doing so far in the new season, but I'm also biased because I really loved it and I'm nostalgic. :')

[Side note: I don't know if anyone has ever done something like this before, if so, I personally haven't seen it]

Anyway, here are the pretty colors (ﾉ˘ᴗ˘)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Hover over them to see the fandom

Dexter: New Blood, Hawkeye, Locke & Key, Music Video: Bite Me by Avril Lavigne, Music Video: brutal by Olivia Rodrigo, Music Video: I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift, Musician: Billie Eilish, Shadow and Bone, Sons Of Anarchy, Squid Game

2000	2001	2002	2003	2004

2005	2006	2007	2008	2009

2010	2011	2012	2013	2014

2015	2016	2016	2017	2018

2019	2020	2021	2021	2022

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#23 - multifandom icons (9)

kitamikeita — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 23:03:54 GMT

Here's my set for the "Coordinates of Style" challenge at somein30.

Guess who's late again?

Long story short: Bad time management. I was going to do two grids, but I didn't make it in time. So unfortunately they're only 9 icons.

I chose extra hard mode ≫ x = complexity, y = contrast, z = saturation (I don't know if I did this right, but I went from the bottom left to the top right icon)

I loved the theme of this challenge so much that I instantly had so many ideas. Too many. So, of course I couldn't decide in time what to do. Initially I wanted to do a big rainbow, using the hue as my x axis and maybe crop closeness for the y. Or light. Or contrast. Or complexity. Or ... Basically the only thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to play with the colors. Duh. Nothing new here.

And I had just recently watched Shadow & Bone too, so I really wanted to icon it. So that was another certainty. But there were no caps at the time, so I decided to make them myself. But I didn't want to have to hunt down usable caps every time in the folder. I didn't want just to have the idea first and then find the suitable cap, I wanted also to be inspired by the caps themselves. In order to do this I knew I had to select them beforehand. So I found myself spending A LOT of time doing this instead of actually planning/starting. I wanted to do all the episodes before I started, but I underestimated my time/patience.

At one point I had to re-evaluate the situation and the time left so I decided to stop sorting (I had half of episode 6 and 7-8 to finish) and just pick from the ones I had already selected.

By now I had more or less 3/4 days left and knowing myself there was no way I could do the original plan how I wanted, but I still wanted to participate.

So I opted for a 9 icon grid. And I thought, well... since I'll do less icons I could at least add a third axis...

At this point I complicated it too much, I was too restricted and all I wanted was to just icon those beautiful caps that gave me lots of ideas that didn't necessarily fit the grid.

Here's when I toyed with the idea of a second grid, to play more with the caps. But it was unrealistic.

Usually I love it when I have to follow a technical theme, because sometimes when I'm "free" to do what I want I'm overwhelmed with possibilities and get stuck unable to decide. But this time having the pool of usable caps ready inspired me a lot and I kind of wanted to go where the caps took me. So I found having not one but three prompts per icon a bit restrictive and not in the useful way.
Also I had a hard time trying to properly portray the range.
I hope it's a bit comprehensible at least LOL

Anyway, here they are.

				[01-03]
				[03-06]
				[07-09]

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#22 - multifandom icons (20)

kitamikeita — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:44:05 GMT

Here's my set for the "All Things Random" challenge at somein30. I wanted to do a bigger set for ages but didn't have much time or inspiration. I loved the overall theme; I've always loved randomized prompts and fun categories and also themes that force me not to follow always the same path and do something different. That being said, I didn't like many of the prompts I got (more details in the ramblings at the end). Initially I thought to make less icons and leave out the ones that didn't inspire me much right away. But then I thought, this is part of the challenge, so I have to at least try. I have to say it went better than I anticipated in the end and I really like how the majority of them turned out, even the ones I thought where hideous at first.

I don't know how cohesive they look, honestly it was the last thing on my mind. I was more focused on them fitting the different prompts. I changed the order so at least the colors don't clash too much.

I'm eyeing that countdown with the corner of my eye as I do this, because I have the ability to waste time until the very end. And even when the deadline is extended I manage to waste even more.

Honestly, I procrastinate everything. I always have and though sometimes I try to fight this awful habit, I think it'll stay with me forever.
Anyway, it's not only the procrastination. On top of that, unfortunately I’m a perfectionist. Everything has to be as perfect as it can be (in my eyes) before I say I’m done and of course the more time I have the more something “could be made better”. And since many years ago I read this quote "Art is never finished, only abandoned." by Leonardo da Vinci, even when I'm done I always think "I'm really finished or did I just give up?" LOL

So I always end up posting almost last minute. But this is also in general, not only icon making or artsy stuff.

And even though I'm aware of it, I do this every time.
✗ProcrastinationQueen

Also, when I look at a 20 icon set, they don't seem too many. When I actually start to do them, they do. I don't know why I'm surprised, 20 is not a too small number lol.
It was a bit stressful towards the end (all my fault, really).
Now I remember why I don't end up doing bigger sets more often.

Anyway, here they FINALLY are.

Hover over them to see the fandom

Breaking Bad, Bridgerton, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Dynasty, Ginny & Georgia, Misfits, Music Video: And So It Went by The Pretty Reckless, Music Video: DAYWALKER by Machine Gun Kelly ft CORPSE, Once Upon a Time, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Wandavision

01-05
06-10
11-15
16-20

1. Random album cover: John Lee Hooker – Boom Boom
I didn't like this cover at all. In the end I chose to recreate that high contrast, hard light thing and the reddish/orange tone (even though I went full red) and went from there. I think I like the result.
2. Random song title: Mystify
I followed this definition "make obscure or mysterious" and I tried to mystify Salem even more? lol
3. Random trope: Evil Tower of Ominousness
Obviously the Dark Tower was the first thing that came to mind with this trope, and of course I didn't want to do the easy thing. Also I wasn't really inspired to icon it. But after some time I gave up finding something else and just used it. It went better than expected.
4. Random character: Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
It's not one of my favorite characters, never iconed her before I think. Anyway, I remembered I liked this cap while searching for others a while ago so I used this.
5. Random palette: Love Me
Not the greatest palette I've ever seen. Actually I didn't like it much, the colors are not amongst my favorites and a bit darker than I like. but I made it work with the cap.
6. Random quote: "We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us." - Marcel Proust
Oh, the struggle in finding a character that could fit this! I watch so many things but when it's time to remember useful things my mind is blank. In the end I thought of Jesse Pinkman, I hope it fits enough.
7. Random book cover: Flow Blue by Gail Dennehy
This was the ugliest prompt of them all! In the end I strained my mind muscle and thought: scenery! And from there the first thing that came to mind at that moment was Bridgerton. But don't be fooled by the simplicity of the icon! It actually was hard to find a good cap that somehow resembled the cover. In fact this one is a mesh of two screencaps because there were too many people and I added Simon and Daphne to make it cuter lol
8. Random font: Verdana
Not a bad font, even though I'd hoped in something more cute and fun to play with. Also, for the first time ever I have an alt icon! But I don't know where to put it, so here it is.
9. Random icontest challenge: Challenge 67: Aparecium @ hpotterelite
The challenge was "your icons have to feature text and at least one of the fonts has to resemble hand-writing".
I don't usually go for cursive fonts first so I changed composition so many times and couldn't decide how to do it. In the end I was staring at it too long to like it right away, but I think I do now.
10. Random screencap pool: Dynasty (caps from kissthemgoodbye.net)
I also hated this screencap pool, lol. I really only like to icon Fallon from the show and the few caps of hers were ugh. Both of them with the mouth open and speaking. And so I did the only sane thing I could think of, which was to hunt down the exact moment of the cap (season, episode and minute), download the subtitles and copy the exact quote. Stressful, but rewarding lol
11. Random tutorial: Tutorial by afeastforme (the second tutorial on this page, for this icon)
For this one mainly I tried to recreate the outline with the inverted color effect, with a shape and a roughish texture on the background.
12. Random inspiration icon: Icon by schryosel
For this I clearly took inspiration from the composition and the purple tones. At first I wanted to use the element of the car, but I could not find a suitable cap in a fandom that I wanted to icon. Actually, I remembered some car shots from the pilot of Ginny & Georgia but I didn't like them for this. But looking for the car I stumbled upon the cap on the right and it's angle inspired me. The image for the background is the exact moment when Georgia was thinking about her youth (which is the cap with the sunglasses). I also wanted to use a rectangular texture and I ended up finding the exact one, but I tried to use it differently coupled with a few others. Actually the texture search here inspired a lot of texture use in the other icons. I rediscovered my love for larger size textures. Or what I call "tumblr textures" lol
13. Random word: cane
Here I immediately thought of the music video for 'And So It Went' by The Pretty Reckless, that I iconed not long ago and in which the singer has a cane in one of the scenes. So, of course I didn't want to use it, it was too easy and I'd already iconed it before. But after briefly considering going the "candy cane" route (or cheating and using it in Italian, which would mean 'dog' lol) I caved in and used the music video. I made it glow though.
14. Random song: Scatman John - The Invisible Man (YouTube | Spotify | Lyrics)
Oh man. My first thought was "what the hell is this!", my second "why!? I love making icons from songs, why couldn't it have been a song I liked! Or recognized at least!". After this, I tried reading the lyrics but nothing came to mind. So I though ok, I'll use the title, albeit it's the easy road. But even then, the only character that I could think of was good old Simon Bellamy from Misfits. I wanted something more recent, dang it. Alas. Also, I had done a much simpler icon, but I didn't like it, so I went a bit crazy in the end lol
15. Random textures: trapunta, evenstarss, scoobyatemysnax
Guess what? I did not like these either, lol. It's not that they're not pretty per se, but not for the way I usually use textures. And so it was hard to incorporate at least one of them and still make it recognizable. I changed my mind numerous times here, in the end I used the second one.
16. Random screencap: Once Upon a Time (originally posted here by vapor
I stopped watching Once Upon a Time at the beginning of season 6, when it was still airing. It had become boring. So I didn't have that fondness towards it that I had when I iconed it in the past. at least the cap wasn't too bad. I didn't even use text, I had no idea what to write.
17. Random praise: "I like how the texture is used to highlight the image. I also like the colors and the overall softness of the icon."
Strangely, as soon as I read the praise, I thought of an icon like the one I made, kind of monochromatic and soft. I also more or less had in mind what position I wanted the character to be in. So I just had to find the right cap and figure out how the texture could be perceived as 'highlighting the image'. In this case, the lighter circle should make her hair pop and the rays draw attention to her.
18. Random remake: this icon
The situation with this icon was so bizarre/unbelievable. To be noted that I hate that original icon. It's not one of my favorite. Also I almost never do (or did) blocking icons, too many possibilities, they never look right to me as I make them etc. BUT. I immediately remembered this screencap (which I came across not long before) which had (like the one in the original) multiple characters, talking outside, and one in the almost exact position of the other! And ... THEY'RE ALSO WITCHES! What were the odds! Also, I couldn't read the text and I didn't know what to write so I wrote "witch club". Then, out of curiosity, I found the psd and checked the original text, guess what the it says? :O
19. Random art: Order Restored in the Kingdom's Finances (Charles Le Brun, 1678-1684)
Needless to say, I was not happy with this prompt. Couldn't it have been something nicer, with some elements more clearly usable? Nope. So I sort of tried to include a frame since it was visible in the prompt, put some flowers like the ones at the sides the painting, and tried to match the colors and the kind of muted tone in Wanda and Vision. I chose Wandavision since the painting is something on display, kind of like they're on display in the tv show.
20. Random movie poster: ivans xtc. (2002)
This was the last one I made. I take it back. The ugliest prompt wasn't the book cover. It was this one! I was so excited to take inspiration from a nice movie poster. The utter disappointment! lol The only thing I could conceivably take from it was the blending. I hate blending even more than blocking. I can't ever do it right. It doesn't ever look good enough when I do it. And so inevitably I left it at the end, with time running out, stressed and never satisfied. At some point I went berserk and made so many random changes and added stuff and now I don't know if I just hate it or kind of like it?

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#21 - brainwashed and feeling fine - 50 icon textures // + 12 color palettes

kitamikeita — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 23:17:49 GMT

✗ D O W N L O A D ✗

I've wanted to make another texture pack for years but I never got around to it. I always end up doing something else with my free time. Anyway, this past year (actually I don't recall how long ago I started lol) I began making them a few at a time now and then for fun, until I had at least 50. So now here we are. Of course, I finished them a while ago and I'm posting them fashionably late as always.

In fact, I also used them here and there in my own icons for some time now. You can say I beta tested them lol

And at some point I felt like making a couple of color palettes, but since I won't be making a post just for them, I still wanted to dump them here, because yay colors and why not.

They're also on colourlovers (just click on them).

and then I really, really abused this one:

Sparkling Tide	Pearly Backyard

Eccentric Ballet	Pastel Creeper

Modern Vintage	Capricious Wanderer

Shredded Tapestry	Bursting Midnight

Muted Garden	Cornflower Lilly

Russian Cadet	Ruffled Feathers

▸ credit kitamikeita / melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ don't redistribute or claim as yours
▸ don't use to make your own textures
▸ feel free to watch

#BEST OF 2020

kitamikeita — Sat, 02 Jan 2021 15:20:04 GMT

ICON NOMINATIONS - JOIN IN! | MY THREAD

#20 - multifandom icons (40)

kitamikeita — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 22:59:19 GMT

First of all, happy new year to everyone! ･:*:･ﾟ'★
I wish that it will be better than the last, it shouldn't be too hard. But at this point anything can happen.

Fun fact, initially the plan was to post - a few days ago - a texture pack I finally finished, before this post. I was doing just that when I noticed that the next post number was going to be #20. And I couldn't resist the urge to post all my 2020 icons in it. Especially since last year final icon post happened to be #19.
I know it's silly and weird but it brings me joy.
Also, I can't remember where the hell I heard about 'apophenia' (the human tendency to see patterns and meaning in random information) but since then I often catch myself doing just that. Definitely in some tv show, I wish I remembered which one. edit2: I remembered! It was The Queen's Gambit, lol

And for the same reason I desperately wanted to post this within the end of the year, but alas I couldn't put it together in time. I'm barely avoiding midnight again. ✗ProcrastinationQueen

edit1: I can't believe I posted at exactly 23:59 LOL I guess I could change it but it's too funny.

I hope that posting merely once a year doesn't become a tradition for me, I feel like I say that every time though!

This is the second year in a row that I manage to make only a post. At
least they're ten more than last year. Small victories.

In my last post (back in June) I wrote I don't know if I'm gonna have much free time in the foreseeable future and What can I say ... see you in December? LOL (I'm joking, hopefully). Turned out I didn't and I wasn't joking after all.

The truth is that I'm not often home where I have my computer with all my stuff. So months can pass that I can't really make icons and when I do, I manage to do only so many.

But it's really something that I love and it brings me joy, so even though they're never as much as I 'd like I still enjoy making them and I'm still happy.

Except for a few, these were all made for various challenges at color_inspired, elitesimplicity, and the7days.

Anyway, here they are. The next post, if all goes well, will be the textures.

Hover over them to see for which challenge they were made.

Bridgerton, Community, Dynasty, East Siders, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Musician: Billie Eilish, Musician: Taylor Swift, Roswell, New Mexico, Schitt's Creek, The 100, The Order, The Queen's Gambit

01-05
06-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40

01-11 » The Order
12-15 » The Queen's Gambit
16-20 » Bridgerton
21-24 » Community
25-25 » Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
26-28 » Musician: Taylor Swift
29-30 » Roswell, New Mexico
31-32 » East Siders
33-34 » Dynasty
35-35 » Musician: Billie Eilish
36-37 » Schitt's Creek
38-40 » The 100

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#BEST OF 2019

kitamikeita — Sun, 12 Jan 2020 22:08:47 GMT

ICON NOMINATIONS - JOIN IN! | MY THREAD

#19 - multifandom icons (30)

kitamikeita — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 20:50:28 GMT

Here we go again. I'm beginning to think I must resign myself to the fact that I can only manage to put together a couple of posts a year (barely), one every six months or so, apparently. One in June and one at the end of December/early January to dump the remaining icons of the year.

As I don't know if I'm gonna have much free time in the foreseeable future, I'm posting them now, since I eventually managed to reach at least 30 icons. They were 26 for a while, but I refused to post an uneven row again! In the end I was able to make four more, and so now here they are, finally.

Except for a few, these were all made for various challenges at color_inspired, elitesimplicity, and the7days.

What can I say ... see you in December? LOL (I'm joking, hopefully)

Hover over them to see for which challenge they were made.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Game of Thrones. Good Omens, iZombie, Jane the Virgin, Musician: Billie Eilish, Musician: Lady Gaga, Musician: Taylor Swift, Riverdale, Roswell, New Mexico, Sex Education, The Magicians, The Society, The Umbrella Academy

01-05
06-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30

01-10 » Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
11-12 » Roswell, New Mexico
13-14 » Game of Thrones
15-15 » Jane the Virgin
16-17 » The Magicians
18-18 » The Umbrella Academy
19-19 » The Society
20-20 » Sex Education
21-21 » Riverdale
22-22 » iZombie
23-24 » Good Omens
25-27 » Musician: Taylor Swift
28-28 » Musician: Lady Gaga
29-30 » Musician: Billie Eilish

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#BEST OF 2018

kitamikeita — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 23:04:24 GMT

ICON NOMINATIONS - JOIN IN! | MY THREAD

#18 - multifandom icons (13)

kitamikeita — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 20:37:31 GMT

Hello, it's me (again). First things first, happy new year to everyone! ･:*:･ﾟ'★

So, last time I posted a set on twenty øne piløts, now here's the remainder of my icons for this year.

I feel like "unsolicited end-of-the-year icon dump posts" might become a tradition for me. To be honest, ~~it's only the second time it happens~~. No, strike that. It's the second time in a row, but it happened also three years ago.
Well at least this year I made more icons than last year, which is what I wanted. Though it wasn't hard to beat since they were really few.
Also, it bothers me to no end that they're not a multiple of five. My ocd can't stand that last row. I wanted to do two more just to make it to fifteen, but unfortunately I couldn't. They'll have to stay this way and I'll have to deal with it.

These were all made for challenges at color_inspired. What can I say, I love colors and they inspire me. Here they are!

Hover over them to see for which challenge they were made.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Daredevil, La casa de papel, Riverdale, Shadowhunters, Sherlock, The 100, The End of the F***ing World, To All the Boys I've Loved Before

01-05
06-10
11-13

01-02 » Riverdale
03-03 » La casa de papel
04-04 » Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
05-06 » Sherlock
07-07 » The End of the F***ing World
08-08 » To All the Boys I've Loved Before
09-10 » Daredevil
11-11 » Shadowhunters
12-12 » The 100
13-13 » The End of the F***ing World

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#17 - twenty øne piløts (20)

kitamikeita — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 00:47:42 GMT

Well, it's december. More accurately, it's the end of december.
Apparently I can manage to post only every six months or so, good to know. I mean, don't get me wrong, I try. But sadly I have less free time than before that I can dedicate to make icons.

Fortunately, this time the stars aligned: I had some time, I wanted to do a set on twenty one pilots for quite a while, this month's theme of monthlyinspo was musically.

twenty øne piløts is my favorite band ever. I love every single song. I saw them in concert two years ago and I will again next year and I can't wait and I'm so excited. If you don't know them, try to listen to a few songs. Maybe you don't like them but maybe you do. Fangirl moment is over.

In the cut down below I wrote the title of which song I chose for each icon. I divided every row by album, in the first there are two. I also incuded the links *wink wink* :)

+ last icon post of the year

01-05
06-10
11-15
16-20

01-05 ⌀ twenty one pilots + regional at best
car radio / forest / fall away / glowing eyes / holding on to you
06-10 ⌀ vessel
ode to sleep / truce / house of gold / trees / fake you out
11-15 ⌀ blurryface
heavydirtysoul / goner / lane boy / message man / we don't believe what's on tv
16-20 ⌀ trench
my blood / pet cheetah / levitate / bandito / morph

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#16 - multifandom icons (30)

kitamikeita — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 21:41:52 GMT

Hello! Here's the first icon post of the year, albeit we're halfway through it already. Time flies, people!
So, since at the end of last year I realized I'd made so few icons, I tried to make more of an effort to change that this year. This is the result of that effort, in the form of icons made for several different challenges, including for tvlims, color_inspired and elitesimplicity. Now, I'm aware that thirty icons until June are not that many, but, they're more than they were at this time last year. So I'd count that as a win.

And since at the moment I don't have much time to make a lot, if any, icons, I decided to post them as a sort of first part. Here they are!

Hover over them to see for which challenge they were made.

Also, there was one more icon I made, but I don't like it at all. In my defense, to avoid skipping the challenge it was for, I made it on a computer that wasn't mine with no resources and on a trackpad. But, for my ocd's sake, I'll add it as a link here.

Angel, Gilmore Girls, iZombie, Musicians: Jared Leto, Riverdale, Shadowhunters, Stranger Things, The 100, The Gifted, The Good Place, True Blood, Westworld

01-05
06-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30

01-05 » Riverdale
06-10 » The 100
11-14 » Westworld
15-18 » Stranger Things
19-21 » iZombie
22-24 » The Good Place
25-25 » Gilmore Girls
26-26 » Angel
27-27 » True Blood
28-28 » Shadowhunters
29-29 » Musician: Jared Leto
30-30 » The Gifted

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#15 - ask the maker 2016 || tutorial #3 + tutorial #4

kitamikeita — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 14:19:45 GMT

Before anything else, let's go ahead and pretend this wasn't requested almost two years ago. And while we're at it, let's pretend also that I didn't write it back in January and then waited till now to revise it and post it. Shame on me. This is next level procrastination! To this I can only say: better late than never. Also, sorry LOL

Both tutorials were requested by vanishingspirit

Let me start by apologizing in advance for any possible grammar mistakes since English is not my first language. Also I apologize if not all the textures have credits (If you recognize any of them, you can tell me and I'll add the credits), but I often edit them while making the icon, so I struggled to recognize them all (hover over them for the credits; click for the original).

Pardon the length; I always end up with too many levels due to indecision and/or disarray of the psd.

The grey parts throughout the tutorial, are just meant to make it easy to see some elements, they're not part of the icon.

That being said, let's start!

#3 - OCTAVIA
This is the screencap I started with:

As usual, I put the screencap on a 100*100px canvas, then I did some steps to prepare the screencap (almost always the same ones); resized it and positioned it to my liking.

I duplicated the layer four times:
- on the first I added gaussian blur with 0.3px radius, on multiply, 80%
- screen, 100%
- screen, 100%

>

Most of the time I cut out the subject and make a fake background, but this time the original inspired me so I left it and started to work on it.
Usually when I leave the original background I tend to pick some colors from it and paint over it. In this case, on a new layer, I picked some greens from the that bit of grass. Then I duplicated the layer a couple times and changed settings and opacities. And also on a new layer set on normal, 50% I put a blob of white on the top-right corner.

- color, 100%
- color, 100%
- soft light, 33%

>

Next I added three adjustment layers:
- vibrance (-10, +15)
- levels (2, 1.15, 250)
- gradient map (#000, #5A791) soft light, 15%

>

At this point I added a bunch of textures:

- screen, 12%
- screen, 5%
+
+
+
- soft light, 45%
- soft light, 100%
- soft light, 100%

>

Next I wanted to enrich the color of the background and make it overall softer.
Up to this point I didn't use a mask for the subject, so that to give a little color to her as well. Instead now I wanted to focus only on the background so I cut out the subject using the quick selection tool and the quick mask mode for the details and adding a layer mask to a new group into which I put the some color layers and a couple of textures.

- normal, 45%
- hard light, 30%

- screen, 20%
+
- overlay, 100%

- hard light, 80%

>

Pleased enough with the background I started to think of what text/decoration to add. If I remember correctly I thought almost immediately of a quote from the episode I'd recently watched, "I'm not Trikru, I'm not Skaikru, I'm nothing". After some tries, still in the group with the mask, I chose the font "Newrotic" because it seemed to convey the feel of the quote better. I used the color #BDE445 on overlay, 82% with a drop shadow #688A00, normal, 30%, distance 1px.

>

To blend the text a little I put some blob of colors between it and Octavia.

>

Next I added some adjustment layers on top to edit the overall coloring:

- brightness/contrast for some light
- vibrance
- color balance for the overall colors
- selective color to adjust the ones that I didn't like
- levels to enhance the lighting

>

Lastly, I did the same final touches that I usually do (with some variations every time, of course). I include them for accuracy's sake, but they're not that important. You can skip them if you like.

I stamped all visible layers (⌘+ ⌥ + ⇧ + e / ctrl+alt+shift+e) and used the auto tone, contrast and color (image-auto contrast, image-auto tone, image-auto color) and played with the opacity. I stamped the layers again and added a gaussian blur with 1.0px radius and set it on soft light, 40% erasing some parts using the layer mask. Again I stamped, set this layer on screen and using a layer mask, highlighted some parts. Also I added a hint of Topaz here and there to smooth things. Next I created another layer set on soft light, for some additional lighting, and made both colored and b/w strokes. I stamped the layers again and set it on soft light, 10%

>

Finally, I sharpened the icon (filter-other-high pass 0.6px radius)

+
- soft-light, 44%
- soft light, 55%

And last but not least, if you want to smooth some too sharp edges, here's a trick (so to speak) that I've been using for some time: stamp the layers, gaussian blur 0.4px, add a layer mask and paint with a small soft brush the parts you want to blur a little.

+
- normal, 100%

>

And it’s done!

#4 - LIV
This icon was one of those few times when I started from a quote that inspired me while watching the episode, even better I also knew already which caps I wanted to use. This virtually never happens. And I must have been really inspired because I also had an idea for the composition from the beginning, and that's infrequent as well.
Furthermore, it was for a challenge based on colors and I decided almost immediately to make it monochromatic. So basically everything was ready to go from the beginning.

This is the screencap I started with:

As usual, I put the screencap on a 100*100px canvas, then I did some steps to prepare the screencap (almost always the same ones); resized it and positioned it to my liking.

I duplicated the layer four times:
- on the first I added gaussian blur with 0.3px radius, on multiply, 80%
- screen, 100%
- screen, 100%

>

Next I used some auto correction tools (image-auto tone /auto contrast /auto color), I don't recall which ones and their order. I put all these layers in a group (including the previous ones), then I cut out the subject using the quick selection tool and the quick mask mode for the details and adding a layer mask to the group.

>

As I mentioned before, I already had a composition in mind so instead of my usual fake background I chose another screencap (this one), repeated the steps of the other one, and positioned it under it.

>

Since it had to be monochromatic, considering the tones of the bases, I thought of making it maybe green or orange. To soften the composition I decided to color the background image with some gradient maps.

- #5C2D14, #B29D64, normal 100%
- #145C2A, #B29D64, soft light 45%
- #5C2D14, #B29D64, soft light 35%

> > >

Along the way I settled for orange, so I changed it using a layer of selective colors, brightness/contrast (+10, +15) and vibrance (+40, +23).

>

Leaving the background for a while I switched to work on Liv. I added a gradient map (#145C2A, #B29D64, soft light 25%).

>

Then I started coloring her how I wanted piece by piece. So, always in her group, on a new layer I colored her t-shirt using #C08700. I duplicated this layer two times with different settings.

- color, 100%
- soft light, 40%
- hard light, 35%

>

The hair already had a hue I liked so I just added a vibrance layer (+100, +10, normal, 100%) to enhance it and then duplicated it with 55% opacity.

>

At this point I started to spice up the colors with some color layers and a texture, always in the group.

- hard light, 58%

- soft light, 55%

- normal, 80%

- soft light, 22%

>

I wanted to do the same thing for the background. So, behind her, on a new layer set on hard light I put some orange blob and some lighter blobs on the hair; on a layer set on normal I painted a few strands of hair and some details; lastly, on a new layer set on hard light I painted orange the bottom to create some sort of gradient effect and make it less flat.

>

Even when I already know from the beginning which text to add, I always wait to be "at a good point" before adding it, in order to have a better idea of the overall work and fit it better (tones, position, etc.). After a couple of tries I decided to put it all at the bottom, a part behind and a part in front of Liv. I made it all in one color with a hint of drop shadow, then added some colors for shading with clipping masks (that bit of text you see in the top left corner I deleted it later). I left the text on the front simple (don't know if I forgot or I was just lazy).

+ + +
- normal, 100%
- normal, 33%
- overlay, 22%
- overlay, 55%

>

To blend a little the background and text, I added some yellowish color blobs on a new layer and a texture with a layer mask between Liv and the text.

+
- normal, 100%
- soft light, 66%

>

Then I put in a ton of textures on top of everything, erasing the unwanted parts with layer masks, and a couple of layers with strokes to define some details.

+
+
+
- soft light, 77%
- screen, 60%
- soft light, 55%
+ +
+

- screen, 33% + multiply, 100%
- screen, 60%
- screen, 80%
+
+
+
- screen, 100%
- screen, 40%
- color burn, 66%

- soft light, 66%
- normal, 100%

>

Next I added some adjustment layers on top to edit the overall coloring:

- brightness/contrast for some light
- vibrance
- color balance for the overall colors
- selective color to adjust the ones that I didn't like
- levels to enhance the lighting

>

Finally, I sharpened the icon (filter-other-high pass 0.6px radius). And last but not least, if you want to smooth some too sharp edges, here's a trick (so to speak) that I've been using for some time: stamp the layers, gaussian blur 0.4px, add a layer mask and paint with a small soft brush the parts you want to blur a little.

+
+
- soft light, 100%
- normal, 100%
- soft light, 66%

>

And it’s done!

#TV LIMS PROMO

kitamikeita — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 23:15:25 GMT

tvlims | Season 12 Sign ups.

#BEST OF 2017

kitamikeita — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 20:02:50 GMT

ICON NOMINATIONS - JOIN IN! | MY THREAD

#14 - multifandom icons (15)

kitamikeita — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 22:16:27 GMT

Well, I think it's time to put procrastination and denial aside and finally admit that this year I made very few icons. Very few. In fact it's just this post and the previous one. I wanted to remedy it in this last month, but alas (sorry, I'm binge-watching Jane The Virgin and the narrator is the best!), I haven't been able to make as many as I'd hoped. So, without further ado, here's an unsolicited end-of-the-year icon dump, enjoy!

And of course, I'm also late posting this. Happy new year to everyone!

Here some of them in their original table: click.

Arrow, How to Get Away with Murder, Liza Koshy & David Dobrik, Musicians: Hayley Williams, Musicians: Jared Leto, Riverdale, Teen Wolf

01-05
06-10
11-15

01-06 » Arrow
07-07 » Teen Wolf
08-10 » Riverdale
11-11 » How to Get Away with Murder
12-12 » Liza Koshy & David Dobrik
13-13 » Musician: Jared Leto
14-15 » Musician: Hayley Williams

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#13 - multifandom icons (20)

kitamikeita — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 22:17:57 GMT

Hello! Here is my first icon post of 2017, yay! Sadly, they're only 20, but I'm not having much time lately. They're actually inspired by an inspiration post I made. I linked it below :)

Hover over them for the fandom.

Riverdale, Shadowhunters, Stranger Things, Supergirl, Teen Wolf, The 100, The Royals

spring

summer

fall

winter

inspired by four seasons

▸ if you take any icon, credit kitamikeita or melodyoftears
▸ comments are wonderful
▸ textless icons are not bases
▸ feel free to watch

#12 - inspiration post | four seasons

kitamikeita — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 20:34:14 GMT

This is not a challenge! There will be no polls, deadlines, or anything challenge related whatsoever. It is simply an ispiration post I had put together for a challenge on an italian forum, and I thought to share it also here.

I included the different "modes" from the original challenge, but as I've said it's not a challenge, so doesn't have any rules. It's just an ispiration post without a real purpose. You can be inspired by it or parts of it, or just save some resources: whatever you want.

However, if you manage to make something inspired by it (whether it's a whole set or just one or two icons), if you want, feel free to put the link in a comment and I'll add it in the post.

So, yeah, that's it :)

Open the post to see the proper layout.

20 MULTIFANDOM ICONS by kitamikeita @ melodyoftears

MODES:
- 20 icons all inspired by one season
- 10 icons inspired by a season, 10 by another one
- 5 icons for each season

SPRING

SUMMER

1234 by Feist	Accidentally In Love Counting Crows	Sun by Two Door Cinema Club
l y r i c s	l y r i c s	l y r i c s


emiels	starkwars	sietepecados	jsfunction

naginis	nadya149	neatmonster	sietepecados

droo216 // droo216

frame - solid background - minimalism - negative space

«You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.»
― Pablo Neruda


pamkips	evey-v	rebel	innocent_lexis

chodingdino // slayground

lilac
changing
freedom
happy
joyful
light
clean

new
floral
lively
pastel
singing
young
colorful

feeling
cheerful
green
nature
awakening
sunshine
soft


florida by touko	I like your smile by Joy of summer

SunnyMorning by SugaBooga	Apple Farm by anglepoiselamp

The Rock Show by blink-182	Mess Around by Cage The Elephant	Daylight by Matt and Kim
l y r i c s	l y r i c s	l y r i c s


swet_lyri	emiels	laurels	second_love

hyacinthos	jsfunction	jsfunction	kitamikeita

droo216 // without-ego

vibrant - animated - full body - background text

«Oh, the summer night, Has a smile of light, And she sits on a sapphire throne.» ― Bryan Procter


pamkips	evey-v	rebel	innocent_lexis

ravenorlov // edailhan

carefree
vibrant
relax
breeze
fresh
voyage
ice cream

tropical
heavenly
heat
lemonade
bright
water
outdoor

sun
dreamy
warm
party
beach
ocean
smile


shies by echo3	fresh web by mklaman

YAY! by mikeisorganic	All Day Long by lechechocolate88

FALL

WINTER

Charlie Brown by Coldplay	Goodbye Kiss by Kasabian	Wings by Birdy
l y r i c s	l y r i c s	l y r i c s


tturners	poisonfield	naive_astronaut	shameless666

jsfunction	starkwars	neverberoyals	starkwars

droo216 // damnitfili

scenery - close crop - painted - muted coloring

«It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.» ― Sarah Addison Allen, First Frost


evey-v	pamkips	lookslikerain	lookslikerain

sweettasteofbitter x2

fruit
earthy
crisp
almond
festival
costume
homecoming

scarf
leaves
apple
amber
turning
transformation
unpredictable

brown
abundant
fire
scenery
candy
country
colors


harmony 2 by innuri	Warm Tones by sharonal

Vintage seascape by Northern Dancer	Hold your macaroons by bmarchelle

The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed	Trouble by Cage The Elephant	Iridescent by Linkin Park
l y r i c s	l y r i c s	l y r i c s


lady_turner	jokermary	starkwars	starkwars

starkwars	starkwars	starkwars	neatmonster

droo216 // damnitfili

complex composition - far crop - faceless - grunge

«Even the strongest blizzards start with a single snowflake.» ― Sara Raasch, Snow Like Ashes


burnedbreads	lookslikerain	lookslikerain	lookslikerain

chodingdino // sweettasteofbitter

cold
lonely
hat
ice
misty
clouds
frozen

desolate
bare
sweater
gray
extreme
crystalline
ornament

pine
landscape
rainy
mountain
wind
arctic
blizzard


you will be free by Skyblue2u	about to be gone by thorne

Winter Melancholy... by rubyvillasenor	The First Raindrop by Skyblue2u

#BEST OF 2016

kitamikeita — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 21:02:08 GMT

ICON NOMINATIONS - JOIN IN! | MY THREAD

#11 - ask the maker 2016 || tutorial #1 + tutorial #2

kitamikeita — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 11:04:54 GMT

Both tutorials were requested by tinnny.

Let me start by apologizing in advance for any possible grammar mistakes since english is not my first language. Also I apologize if not all the textures have credits (If you recognize any of them, you can tell me and I'll add the credits), but I often edit them while making the icon, so I struggled to recognize them all (hover over them for the credits; click for the original).

I'm sorry if maybe they're too long or whatever, my process is not always straightforward LOL

The grey parts throughout the tutorial, are just meant to make it easy to see some elements, they're not part of the icon.

That being said, let's start!

#1 - CLARY
This is the screencap I started with:

As usual, I put the screencap on a 100*100px canvas, then I did some steps to prepare the screencap (almost always the same ones); resized it and positioned it to my liking.

I duplicated the layer four times:
- on the first I added gaussian blur with 0.3px radius, on multiply, 80%
- screen, 100%
- screen, 100%
- screen, 66%

>

Next I used some auto correction tools (image-auto tone /auto contrast /auto color), I don't recall which ones and their order. I put all these layers in a group (including the previous ones), then I cut out the subject using the quick selection tool and the quick mask mode for the details and adding a layer mask to the group.

>

Next I put a new solid color layer at the bottom to start with the background. Since it was one of those times that I had no idea what to make (almost always; it's rare for me to have a precise idea from the start), I chose this bright, vibrant cyan, for no reason other than the fact that it was present in splotches on the original background. I liked it, and also orange and cyan are complementary colors, so I didn't change it (as I often do instead).

>

Still working on the background, first I added a texture, then on a new layer I added some blobs of color (lighter and darker cyan) to create some sort of shadows and lights.

- screen, 55%

- hard light, 55%

>

At this point I decided that the cyan was way too bright and vibrant (yes, the same cyan that I liked moments ago), so I changed it a bit by adding a bunch of more textures.

- screen, 50%
- screen, 50%
- linear burn, 45%
- screen, 20%
- color, 30%

>

Rather satisfied with the result, I started thinking of what I could add next. As usual I considered some text, a quote or some lyrics, but I wasn't particularly inspired so I came up empty. But then, luckly, I had a sudden idea ... runes!

So I quickly searched for some runes and found them here.
Basically to add one, I opened it, made a selection of it by doing cmd/ctrl + click on the layer preview in the layers panel, filled it with a new white solid color layer, and then I dragged it in the icon, under Clary.

I chose them mainly based on which ones I could fit together, sort of like a puzzle. To place them better I initially left them in white set on normal, 100%

Once I was satisfied with the result, I merged the layers and added a clipping mask to it. I tried various combinations of colors and blending modes, until I got this:

+
- linear burn, 80%
- normal, 100%

>

Next, I added a couple of layers with some white, between Clary and the runes, to brighten it a bit. The first one set on normal, 12% and the second on soft light, 10%

>

By now, the icon has taken shape. Since I love bright and vibrant colors, I couldn't stand the sight of those pale, dull hair. Usually, in cases like this, I simply make some new layers and paint over them. This time I thought of using a texture, that already had some lighting, adding a layer mask.

+
- soft light, 100%

>

Her top was too orangey/brownish for my taste, so first I added a gradient map (#437E90/#BAEDF6, hard light, 40%) only on the top using a layer mask, and then I added some color on a new layer using the same mask.

+
- color, 100%

>

Next, I wanted to add some lights, so on top of everything I added the same texture twice, with different settings and layer masks.

+
+
- screen, 100%
- soft light, 22%

>

Then I used some adjustments layers to fix the skin tone a little (vibrance and selective color).

>

At this point it was almost finished except for some details. To add some faint borders, I put a texture, with a clipping mask to edit the whites, and on a new layer I added a couple of strokes to define and highlight the hair a bit.

+
- screen, 88%
- multiply, 100%

- normal, 35%

>

As you've seen, I tend to adjust the colors and overall coloring throughout the whole process, but I always add some adjustment layers at the end to further make it how I want it. In this case:

- brightness/contrast for some light
- vibrance
- hue/saturation to change some colors a bit
- color balance for the overall colors
- selective color to adjust the ones that I didn't like
- levels to enhance the lighting

>

Lastly, I did the same final touches that I usually do (with some variations every time, of course). I include them for accuracy's sake, but they're not that important. You can skip them if you like.

I stamped all visible layers (⌘+ ⌥ + ⇧ + e / ctrl+alt+shift+e) and used the auto tone, contrast and color (image-auto contrast, image-auto tone, image-auto color) and played with the opacity. I stamped the layers again and added a gaussian blur with 1.0px radius and set it on soft light, 40% erasing some parts using the layer mask. Again I stamped, set this layer on screen and using a layer mask, highlighted some parts. Also I added a hint of Topaz here and there to smooth things. Next I created another layer set on soft light, for some additional lighting, and made both colored and b/w strokes. I stamped the layers again and set it on soft light, 15%

>

Finally, I sharpened the icon (filter-other-high pass 0.6px radius), set on soft light, 77%

And last but not least, if you want to smooth some too sharp edges, here's a trick (so to speak) that I've been using for some time: stamp the layers, gaussian blur 0.4px, add a layer mask and paint with a small soft brush the parts you want to blur a little.

- soft light, 77%

+
- normal, 100%

>

And it's done!

#2 - ERETRIA
This is the screencap I started with:

I put the screencap on a 100*100px canvas, then as usual I did some steps to prepare the screencap (almost always the same ones); resized it and positioned it to my liking.

I duplicated the layer four times:
- on the first I added gaussian blur with 0.3px radius, on multiply, 80%
- screen, 100%
- screen, 100%
- screen, 50%

>

I stamped all visible layers (⌘+ ⌥ + ⇧ + e / ctrl+alt+shift+e) and applied auto color (image-auto color) and lowered the opacity to 30%. Then I put all these layers in a group, then I cut out the subject using the quick selection tool and the quick mask mode for the details and adding a layer mask to the group.

>

In this type of icon I usually start with a solid color as background. I often pick a color from the original one, in this case it would've been some kind of green, but I didn't like it, so I chose a yellowish/orangey color in the end.

>

Still working on the background, first I added a couple of textures, then on a new layer I added some blobs of color, randomly picking them from Eretria, and then duplicated it.

- soft light, 30%
- screen, 12%

- soft light, 100%
- hard light, 15%

>

Next I added some more textures.

- screen, 100%
- screen, 33%
- screen, 33%
- overlay, 44%
- screen, 66%

>

At this point I decided that I wanted to put some colors on her, but first I needed to make her more matt and desaturated. So in the group, on top of the base layers, I added:

- a brightness/contrast layer (2, -36) set on normal, 100%
- a gradient map (#EBC85D/#FFF) set on color, 15%
- the same gradient map set on hard light, 5%
- the same gradient map set on soft light, 10%
- a gradient map (#000/#FFF) set on normal, 22%

>

After that, on a new layer I started painting over her, picking the colors from the layer before the desaturation. I duplicated it three times, on the last two I used a layer mask.

- color, 100%
- color, 100%
+
- hard light, 100%
- overlay, 22%

>

Next I added a texture over everything.

- soft light, 15%

Then, on a new layer, I painted the hair with a small hard brush, picking the colors from the icon itself. I duplicated it four times, with different settings and adding layer masks:

- normal, 100%
- normal, 20%
+
+
+
- screen, 20% for lights
- multiply, 55% for shadows
- soft light, 100% to enhance colors

>

Next I added a vibrance layer (+25, +5), and a hue/saturation layer to selectively tweak some colors a little. And then I put two more textures, using layer masks, to adjust the lighting.

+
+
- screen, 66%
- soft light, 66%

>

Then I used some auto correction tools (image-auto tone /auto contrast /auto color), added a gradient map (#3B0B00/ #FFE25A, soft light, 8%) just on her, added some color blobs on a new layer and tweaked again that green/cyan using a selective color layer.

- soft light, 66%

>

Now, text! Apparently, my fantasy was running low at the time, so I just wrote "The Rover" over and over again on the background. The font I used was "Master Of Break" with different sizes, trying to make them fit together a little.

I put all the text in a group, and added a layer mask to delete it from over her.

We've already established that I didn't have much fantasy/inspiration/time/patience with the text in this icon, so I simply left it white. I merged all text layers then set it on soft light, 77%.

>

Still in the group, I added a texture, to bring out the text and add a little something. It was round, I stretched it a little using the free transform.

- soft light, 77%

>

Next I added some adjustment layers to edit the coloring:

- brightness/contrast for some light
- vibrance
- color balance for the overall colors
- selective color to adjust the ones that I didn't like
- levels to enhance the lighting

>

Lastly, I did the same final touches that I usually do (with some variations every time, of course). I include them for accuracy's sake, but they're not that important. You can skip them if you like.

I stamped the layers and added a gaussian blur with 1.0px radius and set it on soft light, 44% erasing some parts using the layer mask. Again I stamped, set this layer on screen and using a layer mask, highlighted some parts. Also I added a hint of Topaz here and there to smooth things. Next I created another layer set on soft light, for some additional lighting, and made some b/w strokes. I stamped the layers again and set it on soft light, 5%

>

Finally, I sharpen the icon (filter-other-high pass 0.6px radius), set on soft light, 66%

And last but not least, if you want to smooth some too sharp edges, here's a trick (so to speak) that I've been using for some time: stamp everything on top, gaussian blur 0.4px, add a layer mask and paint with a small soft brush the parts you want to blur a little.

Sometimes, at the end, if I feel that is not enough bright, I add a levels layer lowering the third value (in this case I put 245).

- soft light, 66%
+
- normal, 100%

>

And it's done!

#ASK THE MAKER 2016

kitamikeita — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 14:47:44 GMT

Ask The Maker 2016 || My Thread