ext_81988 ([identity profile] offensive.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] herbskillz2005-04-03 02:26 pm

Icon Tutorial >> iPod icons

...So, since I've had a few people ask on my other journal and in IM, I figured I'd compile a proper tutorial for making the coveted iPod icon. Since I've NEVER seen one for PSP.

I'm using Paint Shop Pro 7, but this could be easily translated to Photoshop. I'm just too lazy to do a tutorial for that too, since I don't use it.

MAJOR props to [livejournal.com profile] grapejelly for being the one who originally taught me to do this, and the steps and everything are total credit to her. I'm just putting it into imagey form.



First, Open your program. Duh. Then select your image. I'll be using this one of Yuna from FFX-2, since it's got a nice white background. (you can use colored backgrounds, you just have to work with it more then.)



Now, you want to go to your menu and select color>>Grayscale
This will make your image all black and white, like so.



Then, you want to go BACK to the color menu, and go to Adjust>>Brightness/Contrast
that'll bring up the Brightness/Contrast window. You want to up your Contrast up a LOT. I usually have it somewhere in the 80s or 70s threshold. You can go to 100 if you want, but it might look bad, depending on the image. The brightness, depending on the background and the picture you're making into a silouette you can either up or down. Play with it, and find out what works best for each image.



now your image will be really dark, but there will be some white on it still, more than likely.



So, then you need to go BACK into the color dropdown (note the pattern? XD) Adjust>>Gamma Correction and click!

This will bring you to the Gamma correction palette. Just pull it down so it's darker. sometimes you can skip this step, but I won't here.



Now, make a new layer (Layers>>New Raster Layer)

On the new layer, color everything that you can see white black. With your paintbrush, or airbrush. I always use my airbrush because my paintbrush is reserved for special brushes.

Once you're done, your image should look something like this.



Okay, now, you need to go back to your color palette, all the way to the bottom, and click Increase Color Depth. Then to the bottom of that submenu, and 16 million colors. Which should be the only thing not greyed out anyway. This will allow you to make your background color.

After that, make another new layer, and put it below all your other layers.

Then, fill it with the color of your choice. I chose my favorite pink (#FF7BAA) the entire layer should be colored then.



Next, go to the layer your image is on, and set it to Multiply. this will turn everything white pink.




Now for the tricky part. make a new layer above all the other layers, and change your color to white, and shut off your BG color.



Then you need to draw in the wires. I use a bezier curve line, and you'll just have to expirament with it until it looks right to you. To make it easier to match up the ears, I suggest making the layer which you colored the black in on off, so you can tell where the ears are better. Once you finish that, the image should look something like this



Now, it's up to you to leave it like that, or add an actual iPod, (or iShuffle, if you'd rather.) THOSE, you can make with an easy rectangle tool filled white, and then a circle tool. I'm still expiramenting with that, so feel free to figure out what works best for you too. I'll edit this once I figure out what works best. Right now I just used the retangle tool, and then two smaller circles from the shapes palette, set with their opacity low.



This is my final result. Now, you can merge it, resize it as you will, and put it into an icon!

Here's my final result!



Hope that was helpful! ^__^ Any questions, feel free to ask them!

[identity profile] regen.livejournal.com 2005-04-03 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
That's wicked! Thanks for posting this! :D:D:D

[identity profile] regen.livejournal.com 2005-04-03 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Ack. =/ Sorry, I have a few quick questions. I use Photoshop and I'm trying to experiment with this, but I'm having a few problems translating some of the steps from this tutorial to Photoshop. The steps I get stuck on have to do with these tools:

Adjust>>Gamma Correction and go back to your color palette, all the way to the bottom, and click Increase Color Depth. Then to the bottom of that submenu, and 16 million colors. Which should be the only thing not greyed out anyway. This will allow you to make your background color.

If you're not sure, I'll ask in a community. I figured since you were kind enough to post the tutorial it'd be easier to ask you first. :)

[identity profile] regen.livejournal.com 2005-04-03 09:48 pm (UTC)(link)
XD

Well, I'll mess around with it. It doesn't seem that hard, in theory. >___>

[identity profile] copellia.livejournal.com 2005-04-05 11:58 pm (UTC)(link)
What version of photoshop are you using? I don't have the Gamma tool either...:( I have PS 7.0...

alternately, i could just "color" carefully ^^;;..

[identity profile] kiino.livejournal.com 2005-04-06 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
:D I made my Beatrix one using your tutorial. Thanks so much for writing it up! I was desperately trying to try and make one before seeing this.

I hope you don't mind that I linked this tutorial as I wanted to give proper credit where credit is deserved. :D

[identity profile] oyamadayoh.livejournal.com 2005-04-08 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
That is so awesome. Thank you for the tutorial. I'll definetely be using it, and crediting! Very helpful, and such a clever idea!

::pets ipod:: I love my iPod. It's my baby. It deserves to have an icon, and everything.

[identity profile] aisutenshi.livejournal.com 2005-04-08 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
Woah~ this looks spiffy :3
Thanks for the tutorial! ^^
I'll most definitely be using this sometime in the future xD

[identity profile] fearlessfirefly.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm using PSP8, and every time I try to draw in the wires, it makes an error and I have to start all over again.

[identity profile] jewelofthemoon.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I use paintshop pro8 and I could not get the background to go to the color I wanted. But everything up to that point was awesome.

[identity profile] fearlessfirefly.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I did it freehand.

Thanks for the tutorial! ^__^

[identity profile] jewelofthemoon.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
For some reason, the layers will not move to where I need them to go. I have no idea what i'm doing wrong.

[identity profile] jewelofthemoon.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
ok, i got the background image to promote to a raster layer. let's see if this will work. thank you for your paitence!

[identity profile] jewelofthemoon.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
it did. now i just have to fine tune making the ipod so it'll still look good when I resize the icon. but other than that, i finally figured it out!

[identity profile] jewelofthemoon.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
*points to icon*

Well it's close to what you made. The ipod part still sucks though. when I resize the icon down to 100x100 is when i loose the quality of the ipod and the headphone wires.

[identity profile] jewelofthemoon.livejournal.com 2005-04-19 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I just noticed you didn't use a paintbrush to draw it. Next time I'll use that bezier line curve thing.

Way to go Jess. No wonder you always got in trouble for not reading the directions completely...

::headdesk::

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