I was bored so i decided to make a tutorial on how to make icons because why not
They're actually not too hard to make once you get used to it! What makes an icon nice really depends on the colouring!
I'll be making 200x200px square icons (you can always adjust the size of the icons though) and I'm using Photoshop CS5 (this tutorial should also work on other versions of photoshop as well)
the tutorial includes:
-cropping the image to icon size
-sharpening the icon
-colouring the icon
preview:
tutorial under the cut!
Cropping your image to icon size
This is the image I'll be using:
First, get your screencap/picture and open it in photoshop. (file > open)
Next, look at your layers panel. Double click on the "background" layer (your image) and a dialog box will appear. Click "ok".
Now your layer is editable!
After this, click on your crop tool (or press C on your keyboard)
Look at the top of your screen, and under "width" & "height", type 200px (or any other size you want for your icon) for both boxes. This will adjust the size of your image after cropping!
Next, using the crop tool, drag over the part of the image you want to be your icon and adjust it till your liking. (Notice when you drag it is a square)
Press enter on your keyboard or click the tick on the top right of your screen. The image should be cropped to 200 x 200px (or any other size which you have typed in)
You should get this!
Sharpening the image
Click on Filter > Convert for smart filters
Next, click on Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen
Use these Smart Sharpen settings then click "ok" (if 0.3 px is overly sharp, you can reduce it to 0.2px)
Your icon should be sharpened now!
Colouring the Icon
Technically, your icon is done! But if you want your icon to look even nicer, colouring the icon is important.
You can use an icon psd or do it yourself!
If you are using a pre-made psd, just open the psd in another file and drag it to your icon document.
There are many ways to colour your icon, below is my way of going about it. This colouring tutorial can also be applied to your other graphics/gifs!
To colour your icon, we'll be working with the adjustment layers.
Under the layers panel, click on the adjustment layers button
Click on "levels".
You should get this:
There are 3 "dropper tools", click on the white one first (the bottom one)
Next, click on the whitest part of your image. (I usually select the eye whites)
Then click on the black dropper tool (the top one) and click on the blackest/darkest part of your image (i usually select the pupils)
my image now looks like this:
((this is a very good way to instantly brighten dark scenes too!!))
e.g.:
Next, click on
again and select "curves"
adjust your curves by dragging on the graph. Mine looks something like this, but you will have to adjust it depending on your image.
you can also click on the drop down menu and select red/green/blue and adjust the curves for those too.
this is my result:
this is how my image looks like now:
Click on
and select "brightness/contrast".
Change the contrast to 5
Click on
again, select "vibrance/saturation"
change vibrance to 15 and saturation to 5 (do not make it too saturated or it will look too bright-coloured)
[optional] Click on
, select "gradient map". Choose one of the gradients you have and click ok.
Select your gradient map layer and change the blending options to "soft light"
then lower the opacity of the layer to about 35%
[optional] click on
and click on "selective colour". adjust the sliders for colours you want to enhance/reduce. Do not drag the sliders too much. You can click the dropdown menu to select the different types of colours to adjust.
e.g.
[optional] click on
and choose "channel mixer"
adjust the sliders. do not slide too much if not the colour will look weird
these are my settings:
next, click on
and choose "solid colour"
type #8a8a8a then click ok
under the layers panel, click the colour fill layer and change the blending options to "screen".
then lower the opacity of the layer to about 20%
adjust the brightness under the brightness layer if it's now too bright.
[optional] select a soft, large brush (press b on your keyboard)
create a new layer above the adjustment layers.
choose white (or any other colour you want) and brush around the sides of the image.
change the blending options to screen lower the opacity of the brush layer to about 30-40%, or change the blending options to soft light.
this is my final result!
this was the original:
to save it, go to file > save
and save it as a .png or .jpg and you're done! :D
sorry for being so long-winded orz if you have any questions feel free to send me an ask (preferably off-anon) so i can try to help you out! ^^
