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[so_out_of_ideas]

Omg! I've gotten my first official tutorial request. I mean, I've gotten like questions before but never an actual "write me a tutorial" on a specific icon! I don't know why I find this so exciting. So, tried to recreate one of my recent DV icons in GIMP. For cha_aka and whoever else. Inspired by aruna7's Duncan/Tessa vid. Go figure; I turn it into Daniel/Vala. Anyway, the coloring in the recreation isn't exact, but it's about as close as I can get. Hope it's still useful.

We'll be going from this to

*Image and resource credits can be found in my resource post.



A note on coloring tutorials in general and this tutorial in particular: Coloring techniques aren't exact because of the differences in coloring of the original image, even if you're using a desaturated or grayscale picture. Don't copy the tutorial verbatim; play around with blending modes and opacities if you find that it isn't working for you.

Tutorial 10: Feels Like Forever

Step 1: Choose an image and resize to 100x100. Since I continue to get questions about this…a little explanation. Scroll on down if you don't need it.

-- With your image open in GIMP, go to to File>New and open a new blank image, 100x100. Then go back to your original image, copy it and paste into the 100x100 base that you just made. You'll end up with part of her face taking up the whole icon, but don't worry. Now go to Layer > Scale Layer on the image window. Resize it to anything between 75-20 percent, depending on the image. For the Daniel/Vala pic, I used 60 %. Then just take your move tool and slide the resized image down until you have something like:



Step 2 Sharpen. Filters>Enhance>Sharpen. Play with the controls until it looks right. I used a setting of 30 and got:



Step 3:Unsharp Mask.

Duplicate the base layer. Technically you don't have to, but I always make adjustments on another layer in case I mess something up too much to correct with undo.

Filters>Enhance>Unsharp Mask with these settings:

-Radius: 5.00
-Amount: .50

-Threshold: 22

If it looks funky, bring the sliders down; if you need your image more crisp, bring them up.

Your icon should now look similar to this:



Step 4: Flatten the image and colorify (is it me or is that the stupidest name for a program feature ever???)

--I'm incredibly insane about keeping my layer files intact, so I duplicate the image (CTRL +D) and save under a secondary filename first. It's not necessary, but again, if I mess something up I don't lose all my work, or if someone asks, I later know what I did. Can't even tell you how many times this has been helpful to me; you can always delete the GIMP file later if you need space.--

Filters>colors>colorify.

Choose white and you'll have:

You can probably also do this by converting to grayscale or desaturating the layer; I just stumbled on this method and found I liked it.



Step 5 Copy and paste this as a new layer: and set to soft light at 70.2%.

Edit>Paste Into, then
Layers> New layer or open your layers dialogue and click the new layer button to defloat.

It's actually a PSP gradient that I copied as a png for the tutorial. Anyway, now you have:



Step 6: New layer. Flood fill with white and set to saturation. You really have to play with the opacity because it depends on the image. This step might not be necessary either, it's personal preference. I set it at 18 % to get:



Step 7: Take this gradient, paste as a new layer:

Set it to Hue at 100% for:



Step 8: New layer, flood fill with #50b0c1 for this:





Step 9: Flatten the image and duplicate the layer. (duplicate the image and save first if you want.)

On the duplicate, Filters>blur>Gaussian Blur with horizontal and vertical radius at around 8 to 8.5

Set to overlay at 100% for:



Step 10:Copy visible, paste as a new layer and set to screen at 50%



Step 11: Repeat the gradient from Step 7. Set to color at 70 % for



Step 12: Finishing touches

You're almost done, but there's a faint reddish line thing around their foreheads. Use your eraser tool on the gradient layer to get rid of it, then smudge the area to smooth it out. And you're done!

Comments

[aruna7.livejournal.com]

I think I might have to try GIMP one of those days, seeing this tutorial, or maybe try something similar on photoshop when i get it back :) and happy to know that my vid inspire you. But you just switch from 1 OTP to an other ;)

[so-out-of-ideas.livejournal.com]

GIMP takes a little getting used to, but it's not a bad program at all. PS is sooooooooo expensive.... of course I prefer PSP over GIMP, but for icon making, both will work.

And yeah, I did. Still think we need a Duncan/Amanda/Daniel/Vala Xover...lol.

[aruna7.livejournal.com]

I still have the vid project with Duncan/Daniel being away, the girls getting in trouble and the guys wanting to save them, and of course the girls going mad at them, cause they fought they were in control of the situation lol, just have to find the music(s)

[so-out-of-ideas.livejournal.com]

"Girls Lie Too?"

[cha-aka.livejournal.com]

Wheee!! Here's what I gotted:

[so-out-of-ideas.livejournal.com]

Yay!!!!!!!!!! y'know, yours looks closer to the original than mine, I think. lolol.

[cha-aka.livejournal.com]

lol, thanks.

[so-out-of-ideas.livejournal.com]

you're welcome