[Tutorial #6] Muted Yu-na with Flowers

[aurora_amethyst]

Going from this: to this:

Requested by starla and applepips at Ask the Maker 2022 @ icontalking


^^ Click on the banner for my thread

The prompt was flower, and I knew I wanted to go for a unique look. I had already done the umbrella flower look, but I didn't think I could pull off a flower dress look. So the process for this icon was rather experimental, lol!

First, I started out with this image of Yu-na. I cut her out of the original image in its original size, so that when I resize her, the edges are cleaner looking. Then I opened a new canvas that's 100x100 and pasted the cutout of Yu-na. I always duplicate that layer just in case I resize her and don't end up liking how she fits in the icon. At this point, I didn't resize her because I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted her to fit into the composition.

So, I started out with this light pink/yellow texture by tomycoffee.



I liked the texture of the texture (lol!), but I wanted a bit of a different color. So I decided to add a gradient map. I think the gradient map set came with Photoshop, but I'm not positive. It's the Blues gradient from the Noise Samples gradient set. I set this on soft light, 100% opacity. I love how adding the gradient map added more purples and toned down the yellows and reds in the texture.



After trying several textures, I decided that I wanted to use a circle for the background, so I added this texture from y0ngshin's second texture set and inverted it, setting it to screen, 100 opacity. I wanted to keep the pink background, and the white circle would give me an interesting canvas to work with.



Next, I duplicated Yuna, brought her to the top, and resized her. I wanted to incorporate the previous texture and used it in the layer mask to make things more interesting.



I thought Yuna's original coloring stood out to much, so I added #28 from the Pastel Skies gradient map set by fractured-simplicity. I set the gradient map layer to soft light, 40% opacity, and clipped it to the Yuna layer (just right-click the gradient map layer and click "create clipping mask"). You can also use a layer mask to make sure that the gradient colors only Yuna and not the rest of the icon. Now, Yuna matches the background, lol!



I duplicated the Yuna layer, and brought it to the top and set it to soft light, 40% opacity, to give a little more definition. You may have to reclip the gradient map to the original resized Yuna layer.



Now for the flowers! I added this texture from itsvenue's flower png texture set. I set the layer to multiply, 100% opacity.



I was thinking that I really did not want to cut the flowers out, so I was hoping that the texture would look good on multiply, but I didn't like how the blue flower looked on top of Yuna's neck. So, I opened up the texture separately and cut it out the best I could before pasting it back into the icon and resizing it. I left the layer on normal, 100% opacity.



However, the texture seemed to bright, so I added #8 from the Mix 'n Match gradient map set by fractured-simplicity and clipped it to the cutout texture. I set the layer to soft light, 100% opacity. The gradient map layer toned the colors slightly and evened out the overall coloring of the flowers to match the rest of the icon.



Next, I added a vibrance layer to bring out the colors. The settings were 100% vibrance, 100% saturation. I thought that the center of the largest flower was a little too bright, so I masked it out a bit and then blurred it out several times to make the colors look a little more natural.



I added #21 from the Pastel Skies gradient map set by fractured-simplicity. I set the gradient map layer to soft light, 100% opacity. This gradient map layer brightened the overall icon and gave the icon a slightly matte look.



Now for a trick I learned from nadya149's tutorial on brightening screencaps. Usually, this gradient map would be used on a yellowy cap, but It goes from a light gray (b9b9b9) to a light blue (92b9f2). I set the gradient map to soft light, 60% opacity. This gradient map both brightens and lightens the whole icon.



Next, I added some textures! First, I added this texture from the Charm set by danceground. Using Yuna and the circle texture as a guide, I masked them both out. I set this layer to color burn, 30% opacity. This adds some definition and splashes of color to the background as well as the flowers.



The second texture is from the flower set by j_k_icons. I wanted the background to have a little bit more of a floral feel. I set this layer to soft light, 40% opacity.



I selected the whole icon (ctrl+a or command+a) and copy-merge (or copy-visible). Then I pasted the copy-merge layer back into the icon. I decided to put a high-pass filter on the icon and set it on soft light (one of my favorite ways to bring definition to an icon) but with a different twist. First, I put a high pass filter (filter>other>high pass) and set the radius to 10. But I decided to invert the layer before setting it on soft light, 100% opacity. Inverting a high pass layer instead of a regular layer gave it a matte feel while brightening the whole icon (I don't know if this works with all icons though).



I did another copy-merge layer, this time for sharpening. As I've mentioned before, lately, my favorite way to sharpen is using the paint daubs filter (filter>filter gallery>artistic>paint daubs) with the following settings: brush size: 1, sharpness: 1, brush type: simple. In this case, the sharpness was just right. However, if it is oversharpened, I just adjust the opacity.



But I still wanted some definition, so I duplicated the high pass layer (this is why I don't merge down) and inverted the layer then set it to soft light, 40% opacity. This gives the icon a little definition without ruining the matte look.



The icon still needed a little more harmony. I didn't like how the background still felt separate from Yuna and the flowers. So I pasted the pink texture from earlier and masked out Yuna, the circle, and the flowers. Then I set this layer to multiply, 40% opacity. Now the icon feels a bit more harmonious and warm.




Voila! There you have it!

.psd

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Comments

[applepips]

oh wow, this is absolutely lovely and so so creative! the difference between the original and icon is so startling! tbh I think it was a fantastic way to interpret the theme of flower dress. great job and thank you so much for sharing a look at your process! <3

[aurora_amethyst]

Thanks so much! ^^ I'm glad you liked it!

It appears that half of the tutorial didn't show up because Dreamwidth seems to hate when I tag people/comms from Livejournal. Sorry about that. >.

[tinny]

Very cool! Is it possible that you forgot to link some textures? I am wondering how you got from the cut-out Yu-Na to the one covered in flowers. :)

I love the look of this icon! Thank you so much for writing up the process. I really need to play more with high pass. I wouldn't know what happens at all when you invert it! Interesting!

[aurora_amethyst]

Uuuugggh. Thanks for letting me know. It was there (thankfully), but Dreamwidth seems to hate when I tag people/comms from Livejournal and hid part of my post. T-T

I usually double-check, but, for whatever reason I didn't. >.< But you should be able to see it now! ^^

I really need to play more with high pass. I wouldn't know what happens at all when you invert it! Interesting!

Yeah, I was just messing around with the invert because I remember that you had mentioned using invert layers to do the matte effect. I never tried it on a high pass layer before even though I've been using high-pass layers for forever! ^^

[tinny]

OMG it hid half your post! O_O I'm glad I noticed, this tutorial is even more interesting now! :D

I remember that you had mentioned using invert layers

Are we influencing each other's iconmaking process? \o/ \o/ This is awesome!

I use inverted layers set to soft light a lot, true. Although I've never once tried it with a high pass layer! This is so cool.