GIANP! (gratuitous icon advice-needing post)

[prillalar]

Anybody got any links on icon-making advice? I've googled with no success. I've been getting along OK with The GIMP and Graphic Converter, but now I am be-Photoshopped and can do cool stuff with type, etc, that I struggled with before. So, I feel I'm ready to move to the next level. :)

This would also be a good time to plug sabine101's new weekly low-key multi-fandom icon contest (am I suppose to say icontest?) community: multi_pass. It's for fun, not glory. And this week, there's Mulder.

Comments

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

I don't know of any links, but whenever I wanted to do something in Photoshop that I didn't already know how to do, I just asked friends.

Feel free to ask! ;)

[prillalar]

Thanks. :) It's more a case of needing to know "what" rather than "how". I use Photoshop a lot a work, so I'm pretty proficient with the mechanics of it, but I'm not much of a designer and I'm trying to improve in that area.

I have seen posts from people about design advice specific to LJ icons -- specifics about type treatment, etc -- but I cannot locate them.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I'm always here if you want to bounce something off me. I crop all day for work, so I may be useful in that regard. But I think your icons are pretty great already.

[prillalar]

Thanks, sweetie. :) I don't think my icons *suck*, but I think I could be doing better. Like I want to jump up to another level or something. I may be asking your opinion on some things.

[thisredrock.livejournal.com]

Not sure exactly what sort of advice you're looking for. Get some pixel fonts, first and foremost, so that any text you use at tiny sizes will be legible. For interesting effects, play around with layer modes. "Hard light" and "overlay" are usually interesting, but try different combinations, and different layer orders to see what happens. You can also play around with blending options to add a stroke or drop shadow, etc to text. Try just playing. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[prillalar]

Thanks for the advice. :) I do have a few good pixel fonts, which are very useful. I'll try some stuff with the layer modes -- that sounds cool.

I think what I really need to work on is cropping, but I suppose that I'll just have to learn by doing. At least with Photoshop, it will be easier to try things and make changes.

[thefakeheadline.livejournal.com]

I'd recommend icon_tutorial - its memories section has a lot of interesting tips and tutorials and such.

[prillalar]

That's très cool! Off to check it out.

Icon making tips

[taverymate.livejournal.com]

Laura Kaye had an informative post on icon making tips with Photoshop last fall. Look for Nov 12th in her livejournal
http://www.livejournal.com/users/laurakaye

Re: Icon making tips

[prillalar]

Thank you! I remember reading that, but I couldn't recall *where*.

P.S.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

That multi_pass thing looks like crack. I'd better stay far, far away from it. (:

Re: P.S.

[prillalar]

Join us. Jooooooooin us!

Re: P.S.

[prillalar]

Are you still determined to stay away? Cause look who we have this week:
http://www.livejournal.com/community/multi_pass/9475.html

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

::channelling Sir Galahad:: "Away, vile temptress!"