Welcome to Wonderland

The Mediterranean

natangel — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 14:47:51 GMT

Greece and Italy related icons

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15.
16.

[1-11] Greece
[12-16] Italy

Please comment and credit upics, do not alter and do not hotlink 'em. Enjoy!

Joining this community is much appreciated:)

Splatters

natangel — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 18:11:46 GMT

Brushset set#12. Splatter brushes.
The set includes:
17 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) + an imagepack.

Semi-preview:

Download here [@ my DeviantArt gallery]

Please do not forget about the

Rules:
//comment
//credit natangel or upics
//use and enjoy!
//feel free to join this community if you haven't :)

Natalia.

Classic movie stars

natangel — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 20:26:40 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15.
16.

[1-4] Audrey Hepburn
[5-8] Clark Gable and Carole Lombard
[9-11] Grace Kelly
[12-16] Greta Garbo

Please comment and credit upics, do not alter and do not hotlink 'em. Enjoy!

Joining this community is much appreciated:)

Polaroid masks

natangel — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 18:17:51 GMT

Brushset set#11. Polaroid masking brushes.
The set includes:
18 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) + an imagepack.
[icon-sized masks]

Semi-preview:

Download here [@ my DeviantArt gallery - I finally made up my mind to move there]

Please do not forget about the

Rules:
//comment
//credit natangel or upics
//use and enjoy!
//feel free to join this community if you haven't :)

Eh, my second post for today's.. XD as I'm just here being lazy and having fun with Photoshop;)
Natalia.

Burnt and torn paper brushes

natangel — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 13:15:25 GMT

Brushset set#10. Burnt and torn paper.
The set includes:
16 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) + an imagepack.
[both large torn paper brushes and icon borders]

Semi-preview:

Download here [a zipped folder @ filelodge.com]
or here [@ my DeviantArt gallery]

Please do not forget about the

Rules:
//comment
//credit natangel or upics
//use and enjoy!
//feel free to join this community if you haven't :)

Art by Caia Coopman

natangel — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:03:48 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15.

Please comment and credit upics for the icons and Caia Coopman for the pictures, do not alter and do not hotlink 'em. Enjoy!

Joining this community is much appreciated:)

Deco masks

natangel — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 19:29:14 GMT

Brushset set#9. Deco masks.
The set includes:
24 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) + an imagepack.

Semi-preview:

Download here

Please do not forget about the

Rules:
//comment
//credit natangel or upics
//use and enjoy!
//feel free to join this community if you haven't :)

How to use mask brushes?
Mask brushes add an interesting effect to your icon. It makes a white or whatever color you want border aound it. To use the brush, fill a new layer with white and set it to screen. Then stamp the mask brush in black anywhere you want - the black areas get transparent, so that you can see your former icon through..:)
And that's it!:)

Fashion icons

natangel — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:18:46 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11.

Material used:
[1-3] Dollhouse photoshoot by Inez Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
[4-11] Photos by Nicole Nodland

Please comment and credit upics, do not alter and do not hotlink 'em. Enjoy!

Joining this community is much appreciated:)

Coming soon:
- Kurt Halsey art
- NoCandy art
- mask brushes

Sarah Jessica Parker

natangel — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 21:26:25 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11.

Please comment and credit upics, do not alter and do not hotlink 'em. Enjoy!

Joining this community is much appreciated:)

Coming soon:
- Kurt Halsey art
- NoCandy art
- Fashion: random models

Light texture set#2. Holiday lights

natangel — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 10:45:34 GMT

Light texture set#2. Holiday lights.
The set includes:
18 .png 100x100px textures.
*made out of stock images.

Semi-preview:

Download here

Please do not forget about the

Rules:
//comment
//credit natangel or upics
//use and enjoy!
//feel free to join this community :)

Love, Natalia.
Happy holidays everyone!:)

Holiday icons

natangel — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 19:58:56 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11. 12.
13. 14.

Tutorial #6. Glaming up a base.

natangel — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:25:08 GMT

Okay a new tutorial today!:)
I am going to explain how to "glam up" your icon, make the colors more shiny and intensive.

> > >

As always, I am using Photoshop CS, though I am sure my tut should work for other PS versions.

1. So first we are starting with the base. When you resize the picture to 100x100 it always looks too blurry, that's why we should sharpen it. Go to Filter => Sharpen => Sharpen.
Then, the usual base preparation includes the skin smoothing. Take the Blur tool from the tool panel. I usually use these settings: Strength about 35% and a 5-6 pix soft brush.
Go accurately around her forehead, chin and cheeks. Don't blur it all too much.
Now time for the Sharpen tool! If you right click the Blur tool, you can see it in the menu. I use the Strength of about 10-12% and a 3-5 pix brush. Go around her eyes a couple of times, and the lips - but just a little! Also you can use it for her hair, but you should be very accurate.
The result:

2. Now you have your base prepared! Lets continue.
Duplicate the base three times. Set the first copy to Screen, 50%; the second and the third copies to Soft light, 100%.
Looking this way now:

3. Now add an exclusion layer. I created a new layer, filled with #040925, Opacity 100%.

4. Now time to prepare the lips and the eyes. Create a new layer. Pick up a color from the lips (I chose #C6616E), and second time from the eyes (or, if they are not very bright, chose any color you want. I chose blue - #4E3B96).
Take a little round brush and paint over the lips and eyes with the needed color. After that I usually blur this layer a bit (go to Filter => Blur => Blur).
After that set this layer to Overlay, Opacity 100% - but if you think 100% is too much, lower it a bit.
Looking pretty, eh?

5. Now we'll make her skin look better. Again, take the eyedropper tool and chose some color from the skin. Mine is #DEB79A. On a new layer, set to Soft light, paint over her skin. As it looks unnaturally bright, lower that opacity to somewhat like 30-40%.
For the hair create a new layer and paint with something similar to the hair color. My choice is #F4ECC8. I set this layer to Soft light, Opacity 45%.
After that take the Eraser tool and carefully delete from each of these layers which you think cover something they shouldn't :)
Then, create a new layer again, choose the white color, take a little round brush and paint over her lips and eyes. Blur this layer too. Set it to overlay, Opacity 90%.
The result:

6. Turn back to your base, duplicate it and bring to the top. Set it to Soft light and desaturate (Image => Adjustments => Desaturate).
Then create a new layer and fill it with #D29E6B. Set it to Multiply, Opacity 30%. It gives the icon a slightly tanned look. Then, retun to your desturated Soft light layer, duplicate it and bring to the top.
And finally.. create another layer. Fill it with with white and set to Color, Opacity 10%.

And well, my icon is finished! This was quite an easy tut, though it requires some knowledge of PS and accuracy of course:)

Comments on this tutorial and joining this community are much appreciated:)

Natalia.

The Island

natangel — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 12:34:36 GMT

A table of 100 icons for ru_icons100
Made: 19/100

Одиночество(1)	Смех(2)	Подарок(3)	Мечта(4)	Сожаление/ Печаль(5)

Танец(6)	Все не так, как хотелось бы(7)	Улыбка(8)	Все в порядке(9)	Воспоминания(10)

Умеешь хранить секреты?(11)	Подмигивание(12)	Небеса(13)	Сожаление(14)	Солнечное(15)

Объятия(16)	Страдание(17)	Эгоизм(18)	Для души(19)	Любовь(20)

Огонь(21)	Холод(22)	Цветы(23)	Звезды(24)	Время(25)

В лунном свете(26)	Вода(27)	Зеленое(28)	Голубое(29)	Красное(30)

Ненависть(31)	Прощение(32)	Счастье(33)	Надежда(34)	Красота(35)

Поцелуй (36)	Радость(37)	Тишина(38)	Беспокойство(39)	Удивление(40)

Неистовство(41)	Праздник(42)	Восторг(43)	Дружба(44)	Геройство(45)

Сексуальность(46)	Шелк(47)	Раскаяние(48)	Работа(49)	Попал впросак(50)

51	52	53	54	55

56	57	58	59	60

61	62	63	64	65

66	67	68	69	70

71	72	73	74	75

76	77	78	79	80

81	82	83	84	85

86	87	88	89	90

91	92	93	94	95

96	97	98	99	100

Tutorial #5. A tanned look.

natangel — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:05:42 GMT

> > >

I am using Photoshop CS, but it works the same way for other Photoshop versions.

1. First of all we are starting with our base:

Mine is already well-prepared, I mean I am not going to explain resizing/sharpening/blurring and all that jazz. If interested you can find these instructions in the other tutorials from my community.:)

So, what we are doing first is taking our base and duplicating it twice. Set both copies to Soft light, Opacity 100%. It looks a way too dark, but don't worry about it!

2. Second, create a new layer. Go to Layer => New => Layer. Take a Paint Bucket tool and fill it with #C39257. Set this layer to Normal, Opacity 50%. Looks this way now:

3. Now create another layer and fill it with #061E4A. Set it to Difference, Opacity 60%. The result:

4. Another layer! Fill it with #ECCEA2. Set to Color, Opacity 40%.

5. Now go back to your Soft Light layers. Duplicate one and move it to the top. Then desaturate it(Image => Adjustments => Desaturate).

Looks nice and practically finished! Though we can add a few steps more to achieve a better result.

6. So you create a new layer again! Filling it with #FFD8A0 this time. Set to Color Burn, Opacity 30%.

7. Well, another new layer!;) Fill it with #FED1DE, set to Soft Light, Opacity 60%.

8. Now go back to your desaturated Soft light layer and duplicate it one more time. Bring it to the top.

Looking pretty.. pretty good!

9. And finally we've moved to our last step! It's.. a blue exclusion layer! Fill a new layer with #030827 and set it to Exclusion, Opacity 100%.

So the icon is done! I prefer not to use any gradients/textures/brushes/texts in tutorials because I'm just explaining how to make such effect in general! It's more like the guidelines I guess.

Here are a couple of other examples I made using this technique:

Comments on this tutorial are welcomed!
And there are a lot more stuff [tutorials/brushes/textures/icons] to come.. So feel free to join the community:)

Natalia.

AFFILIATES

natangel — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:07:24 GMT

If you would like to become an affiliate just leave a comment here and I'll add you to my list (in this post and also in the community userinfo).
Before applying you should add me first to your list. Please add upics or use my banner:

icons_on_pluto
_wicked_icons
porcelainveins
colloquiaal

CONTEST AWARDS

natangel — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:01:42 GMT

The awards I received participating in the contests can be found here.

Awards:

RESOURCE POST

natangel — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 13:52:15 GMT

Credits for the brushes/textures/gradients/images I use in my work.

Icon brushes, gradients, textures:
1-9
100x100_brushes

A
amore
absolutetrouble
aronia
astarte59

B
braggadocio_org
brokenicon

C
chouchoune
_coquettish
colorfilter
colortone

D
daughterofsnape
detoxcocktails
_diversion
disasteriffic
dactyliotheca

E
ech011

F
filipinoz_rule
forbiddenstorm
fluffy_monster

G
dearest
grafikitty
geishawagun
graphical_love

H
hermyonegranger
hakanaidreams
honerbright
Hybrid Genesis

I
iroka
incarnatus

J

K
kyrielfalafel
kisekinoumi

L
lostluck_icons
luthien_annare
lady_corsair18
my_givenchy

M
my_wonderful
masquerademasks
myrasis
meleada
mediocrechick
merely_anger

N
niqii

O
ohpaintbrush

P
petticoatrow

Q

R
zekkai
rough_draft___
risha666

S
sheld0n
neke
ohfreckle
snarkybecky

T

U
unmasked_icons
upics - by me:)

V
eluminat

W
wash_when_dirty

X

Y
asya_17

Z

Icon tutorials:
ru_icontutorial
icon_tutorial

Images:
Stock:
Getty Images
Age Photostock

Art:
Kurt Halsey works

Fashion:
foto_decadent

Keira Knightley in the "Wizard of Oz" photoshoot by Annie Leibovitz

natangel — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 16:45:54 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.

Tutorial#4. "Pencil sketch".

natangel — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 19:19:13 GMT

Learn how to make your icon look like a pencil sketch:

> > >

I am using Photoshop CS, but it works all the same for other Photoshop versions!

I suppose this tutorial is mostly for photoshop users of Intermediate level, though I am always trying to explain everything in a clear and simple way:)
So we shall start from...
1. Our base:

Sharpen it once or twice, depending on how blurry it is [Filter => Sharpen => Sharpen]
Duplicate the base layer and set it to Soft light [Opacity 100%]
If the picture seems too dark, create another copy and set it to Screen [Opacity depends on the picture]
Merge the layers [Layer => Merge Visible]
Now we should desaturate the base [Image => Adjustments => Desaturate]
And here it goes, well prepared for the main part of our work:

2. Pencil Sketch effect.
a) Start from duplicating your base layer.
Now it's time for the little trick.. which will affect the whole icon appearance in fact!
It's one of the artistic filters. Go to Filter => Artistic => Neon Glow.
Use the settings: Glow size: -24, Glow brightness: 50. After all set this layer to Linear Dodge [Opacity 100%]
The icon should look like this (looks like a sketch already, doesn't it?;)

b) The two following actions should make our icon a bit more bright. Go back to your base layer, duplicate it and move to the top. Set it to Overlay [Opacity 100%]
Then create a new layer and fill it with #A4A4A4. Set it to Color Burn [Opacity 100%]
This is how your icon should look now:

c) As the main contour is "drawn", we should continue with the details.
Retuen to your base layer again and duplicate it twice. Move these two layers to the top and set the opacity to 30%.
The icon looks this way now:

d) Practically finished! Now the last step!
Duplicate the topmost layer again and set opacity to 35%.
Now using a filter again! Go to Filter => Artistic => Film grain and choose such settings:
Grain: 4, Highlight area: 2, Intensity: 10.
After that take the Blur tool from the tools panel [Opacity 10-20%] and go aroung her skin if in some parts of it it looks a bit too 'grainy'.
And that was our final step!
The result:

Looks nice, eh?;)
By the way, as you can see my tutorial is brushes- and gradients-free, and all in all quite simple, cause it's just explaining the effect in general.

UPD. A modification:

Get this using all the step of the tutorial except c).
Instead of this create a new layer, fill it with #F0CFA8 and set to Multiply [Opacity 70%]

Comments on this tutorial are warmly welcomed!
And there are a lot more stuff [tutorials/brushes/textures/icons] to come.. Haven't you joined the community yet? :)

Natalia.

SUGGESTION BOX

natangel — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 19:53:41 GMT

If you have any ideas about the graphics you would like to see in my community, I'll be really grateful to hear them from you.
Suggestions about the icons/headers/banners/brushes/textures/tutorials are highly appreciated and will be taken into consideration!
Thanks in advance to all of you!:)

Дорогие участники сообщества, если у вас есть какие-либо идеи насчет тем для моих юзерпиков, баннеров, кистей или любых других видов графики, я была бы очень признательна, если бы оставили комментарий к этому посту и высказали свои пожелания!:)

Love, Natalia.

Chocolate and Christmas candies

natangel — Sat, 03 Dec 2005 13:59:40 GMT

01. 02. 03.
04. 05. 06.
07. 08. 09.
10. 11.

Vintage Christmas

natangel — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 11:40:38 GMT

1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.

Lace brushset

natangel — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:45:33 GMT

Brushset#8. Lace deco brushes.
The set includes:
25 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) and an imagepack.

Semi-preview:

Download here

Pleace do not forget about the

Rules:
//comment
//credit natangel
//use and enjoy!

If u liked this set and wanna see which one's gonna be the next feel free to join this community :)

[ By the way, it's our first little jubilee - 100 members of the community, so thanks to those who joined and enjoy your stay:) ]

Love, Natalia.

Pretty flowers

natangel — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 13:27:26 GMT

Brushset#7. Pretty flowers (big and icon-sized brushes + lines, boxes and circles decorated with flowers).
The set includes:
55 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) and an imagepack.
This set was created using the artwork of GranGran:

Rules:
Download/comment/credit natangel

Semi-preview:

Download here (a zipped folder)

Hope you enjoyed this set =)
If u liked it and wanna see which one's gonna be the next feel free to join this community :)
Thanx.

Hand drawn scribbles

natangel — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 19:01:17 GMT

Brushset#6. Hand drawn scribbles (hearts/lines/flowers/signs).
The set includes:
40 brushes for Photoshop CS (.abr) and an imagepack.

Rules:
Download/comment/credit natangel

Semi-preview:

Download here (a zipped folder)

Hope you enjoyed this set =)
If u liked it and wanna see which one's gonna be the next feel free to join this community :)
Thanx.