Tutorial #7: Jake Gyllenhaal

I'm getting tempted to stop posting here and just start a community. Maybe I'd post more if I didn't have to keep signing in and out of an account. *shrugs* Anyway.

Another tutorial, this time for hadria.

Usual notes apply: this was made using PSP7, but odds are it can translate rather nicely and easily to PS, and this tutorial takes into account you know how to the most basic things with your program already.

Icon being made:

Step 1: Choosing/Cropping Your Picture

Erm. Here's the deal: the icon you see up top? Isn't the first version of that icon. It's more like the sixth. So, um, I didn't save the exact picture; I saved the icon how it was and that didn't include a version of the picture before I mutilated it. But, uh, here's the picture after it was cropped and sharpened (and possibly grey-scaled, but I'm not sure, this tutorial will probably work best with grey-scaled), and obviously I rotated part of it:

Step 2: Getting It Gradient Ready

First, you'll want to take the two images (or however many images if you're going the multiple route), and merge. Then copy and paste as a New Image, but keep the other image around; you may decide to move the placement around and what-not. So, take the New Image and Duplicate five times:

In order from Top to Bottom:

Overlay, 10%
Screen, 100%
Screen, 100%
Screen, 100%
Multiply, 100%

Step 3: Fun With Gradients and Other Various Coloring Methods

Gradients. Man, do I hate using gradients. Too complicated. I prefer easy things. Which is why all my tutorials have more than five steps. Yeah. The following gradients are by crumblingwalls, who makes some amazing gradients.

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First gradient is set at Screen 100%; second gradient Saturation 100%; third picture is obviously the icky result.

Jake looks very washed out. So, go the bottom-most layer (the one before you started fiddling); Copy, and move to the top of the layers. Set this at Overlay 93%:

...Anyone else notice I do something, and then immediately do something to counter it? Or is it just me? *shrugs* Oh well.

And more gradients:

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First gradient: trash_graphics, Lighten 100%. Second gradient: sistasouljah99, Multiply 100%, Duplicate. Third image: pretty result.

Step 4: Umm...Pretty Base. Go Extras!

Right. So, the icon's done except for the brushes, text, and border. Which, I didn't use any brushes, text is Georgia, and the border's just a plain rectangle. But feel free to go crazy; it's YOUR icon.

And a quick note: this tutorial almost had six steps, but I didn't see the point in having a step dealing with gradients, a new step dealing with the duplicated original base, and then another new step dealing with gradients. So you get one long step.

Truthfully, here: are these tutorials fine the way they are, or could I cut down on the chatter a bit? I just find the tutorials that are all 'I did this, this, and this. Voila.' a bit...robotic. No offense to anybody; I can't think of anybody's whose tutorials are like that, so it's not as if I have somebody in mind. It's just always nice to see a tutorial with a bit of the icon maker, you know? Or something.

Anything confusing? Let me know! I'll be glad to help if I can.

ETA: And because now's as good a time as any: Look! Jumping on the suggestion post bandwagon! Whee! ...That's all, really.