Icon tutorial: colouring

[GwenRaiden]

Okay, we're going to from this to this, using one of @Jam's lovely screencaps from her gallery.
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First thing's first. I usually open a new file at about 500 x 500 for icons, then drag the screencap into the new document, meaning you can scale/rotate within that 500 x 500 box until you find the crop you like. It looks like I went for a corner crop and rotated the original image a bit too.

Next, when I'm happy with how my icon will look, I resize down to 200 x 200. Some people resize larger or even work on the icon at 500 x 500 before resizing to 100 x 100, but I'm comfortable at 200.

So this is where we are.

I duplicate the layer and set it to Screen, opacity 100%.

Next I add this gradient map (photoshop users, it should be in your presets already and is called "copper"), and set it to Normal, opacity 15%.

I then add a black and white gradient map, to add some contrast, set to Soft Light, opacity 70%.

And finally I add another black and white gradient map, as above, only this time set to Normal, opacity 100%.

So here's where we're at.

I add a new layer (transparent) and with the colour #ff8888 selected, I paint over Buffy's lips. I set this layer to Multiply, opacity 100%. (Note: At this point, for colouring, I am zoomed in on my PS screen to about 400% to be able to colour in detail).

I do the same again as above, a new layer (tranparent), only this time using the colour #88eaff, I paint the iris of Buffy's eyes and set this layer to Multiply, opacity 100%, too.

Using this gradient map (gimp users: I'm not sure you can use gradient maps the same way as PS users, so I'll include the colour codes, you'd probably use the second code, and you can do the same as the above steps, it's basically the same thing) with colours #141008 to #fed517, I set the gradient map layer to Normal, opacity 100%, then add a layer mask and press CTRL + I to invert the mask. Using a white brush, I paint over Buffy's hair to make it appropriately yellow.

I add a second gradient map with colours #150b0d to #f7d1b3, set to Normal, opacity 100%. I use the same steps as above, adding a mask and inverting it, using a white brush, to add colour to Buffy's face.

I then added some curves to brighten the image, and I also used Selective Colour to add some oomph to the yellows. I also added a transparent layer again, using the colour #d188ff I painted some eyeshadow above Buffy's eye. I set this layer to Multiply, opacity 75%.

I add some contrast, vibrance and brightness, and we're around about here.

At this point I'm happy with how it's looking, so I flatten my image and crop it down to 100 x 100.

Using the colour #39be7e, I fill in the background behind Buffy's head.

I added a black and white gradient fill layer (again, gimp users, not sure if this option exists on gimp? I'll investigate) to add some shadows and light to the icon. These were my settings.

I then added this texture by lookslikerain and set it to Screen, opacity 100%.

I also added this texture, also by lookslikerain, and also set it to Screen, opacity 100%.

I masked away anything covering Buffy's face from the second texture. These textures give the icon a bit of graininess and depth. I think? Everything looked good enough to me by this point so I flattened my image and sharpened it using unsharp mask with these settings.

And that's it. We're done. I flatten everything and save the icon as a png.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

This one sounds way more complicated. ::Cracks knuckles:: I should probably be working but this sounds more fun.
 
::clears throat:: here come the questions.

I duplicate the layer and set it to Screen, opacity 100%.

What does this mean?
 
Nevermind found it! I'll try to use google as resource instead of coming in here and asking tons of questions Gotta learn to be resourceful!

 

[GwenRaiden]

What does this mean?

I think it's the same in gimp. Right click your base image, your first image, and select Duplicate Layer. Then with that layer active, select Screen from the drop down Mode menu above. See here. Does that work? It's just a method to lighten up screencap images, because they are usually quite dark.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

Next I add this gradient map (photoshop users, it should be in your presets already and is called "copper"), and set it to Normal, opacity 15%.

I then add a black and white gradient map, to add some contrast, set to Soft Light, opacity 70%.

for these are you adding new layers? or are you adding the gradiant map to the first layer or the screen layer?

The copper thing is tough for GIMPers but I found one here... idk how great it will look but...Post Your Gradients Here • GIMP Chat

 

[GwenRaiden]

Photoshop lets you add gradient maps as their own individual layers. That seems to be where Gimp is different. I know you can make a New Layer From Visible and add a gradient map to that (Colours > Map > Gradient Map) but there doesn't seem to be a way to add a gradient map as its own layer, if that makes sense?

Tbh, as long as your base is black and white with some decent contrast, the tutorial will still work. I use gradient maps on PS mainly to flatten out grainy caps but Jam's caps are already nice and clean looking.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

@GwenRaiden - Ok so I'm circling back around to this, I looked online as to how to use gradient maps on GIMP. I am worried the image is coming out too dark and is defeating the purpose of creating the base with a high contrast.

What I did (so you can maybe tell me what I did wrong) is I desaturated the image, clicked luminosity then I basically created additional layers and the first layer I put the black and white gradient and changed mode to lighten only because it was too dark, the third layer I set to same black/white gradient and then changed mode to soft light and lowered the opacity down alot.

I think the image is too dark and doesn't have the contrast that yours does - thoughts on how to lighten the image while maintaining the contrast?

 

[GwenRaiden]

You can try duplicating the base image twice and both of those set to screen, then a soft light layer for contrast. The best caps for that sort of colouring should already be well lit, eg an outdoor scene or a bright indoor scene.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

I paint over Buffy's lips.

What tool do you use to paint Buffy's lips?

 

[GwenRaiden]

What tool do you use to paint Buffy's lips?

Just a small soft paintbrush. Can you zoom in on gimp? That'll make it a lot easier.

 

[Mrs Gordo]

I don't know what the "multiply" feature does but it is saving my collective ass right now...

 

[Priceless]

Nothing went right with this one. My list of questions would be endless, but how did you get such a smooth brush stroke? I kept changing the size of the brush but nothing seemed work

 

[Spanky]

 

[GwenRaiden]

Nothing went right with this one. My list of questions would be endless, but how did you get such a smooth brush stroke? I kept changing the size of the brush but nothing seemed work

I use a graphics tablet which helps with small colourings and fine detail. You can also download brushes. With a graphics tab there's a thing called pen pressure, which means depending on how soft or hard you draw on the tablet, the lower or higher the opacity of the brush will be, or thin/thick etc.

I got the graphics tablet as a gift, in no way am I recommending going out and buying one to make stuff on gimp, lol. Just explaining how I use brushes.

View attachment 10032

That looks awesome! The black and white base would've worked perfectly on that image. Black and white as the base works best with that kind of colouring, I think, because everything can be coloured in the same way and have the same amount of natural shadows and highlights. Multiply is my fave, it works so well.

 

[Spanky]

That looks awesome!

I don't think it looks awesome. I just did it while awaiting them to deliver my groceries. You can see where it wasn't really precise.

 

[GwenRaiden]

I don't think it looks awesome. I just did it while awaiting them to deliver my groceries. You can see where it wasn't really precise.

I think the choice of colours is really good tho! If you were to resize it down to 100px you wouldn't see the mistakes anyway. Who is delivering your groceries? Angel Investigations?

 

[Spanky]

I think the choice of colours is really good tho! If you were to resize it down to 100px you wouldn't see the mistakes anyway. Who is delivering your groceries? Angel Investigations?

I hate 100x100, seems such a cop-out. Peapod delivered as there aren't that many good groceries in my area. I got my stuff in for christmas; got the tofurky holiday roast, portabella mushrooms which I will stuff with spinach and artichoke, and cauliflower rice.

 

[GwenRaiden]

I hate 100x100, seems such a cop-out.

Aye, 100x100 is really only a livejournal thing, that's the size userpics have to be there. 200x200 it should be for here?

That's good you got your stuffin'.

 

[Spanky]

200x200 it should be for here?

That's here yes, then they downsize it to 100x100 for comments. Which is why when people do 100x100 here and you look at the profile page they are pixelated; the system blows them up to 200x200. So like all those icons you guys are making for the icon contest, none of them are really optimal to use here.

 

[Jam]

I've always wondered how icon makers get that amazing vibrancy! I really like this method; it felt like I was painting.

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[Mrs Gordo]

I've always wondered how icon makers get that amazing vibrancy! I really like this method; it felt like I was painting.

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This looks so great! Did you use photoshop?