Design a simple icon - Photoshop Tutorial

“Design a simple icon”

Requirements: Adobe Photoshop CS and newer
Difficulty: Easy
Time: Maximum 1 Hour

Outcome:

Ever wondered how these little picture that are on our desktop are made? Well, everything starts with an idea. Can we make an icon? Yes we can! I will show you simple tips and tricks that will help you to make an icon for everything. Today we are going to design the Photoshop icon. So, let’s start. . .

1. Open up a new document. Shortcut ( CTRL N ). I named it ‘Photoshop_Icon’ and gave it 10 Centimeters in width and height. Do not forget to set resolution to 300 Pixels per Inch. If your computer has problems with big images just resize it to how much you want but keep it the same width and same height.

2. Create a rounded rectangle with the rounded rectangle tool ( U ). Mine is 7 Centimeters in both width and height with radius of 30 pixels.

3. Transform it ( CTRL T ) and set it to the center by changing X and Y to half of the document’s width and height. In this case – 5 Centimeters.

4. Create a new layer ( name it ‘Color’ ). Now click CTRL ALT G to make a clipping mask on the layer below. After, pick a gradient and gradient it like this. From top right to bottom left corner.

5. Create a new layer ( name it ‘Border’ ). Now CTRL CLICK onto the little icon of ‘Box’ layer. Go SELECT > MODIFY > CONTRACT and contract your selection by 25 pixels. Fill that selection with white color. Put it to ‘Soft Light’ blending mode with 25% opacity. Duplicate ‘Border’ layer with RIGHT CLICK > DUPLICATE LAYER or shortcut ( CTRL J ). Now we need to blur it a bit, FILTER > BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR around 15 pixels. Put that layer to ‘Overlay’ on 25% opacity.


6. Type something with Text tool ( T ).


7. Duplicate that layer, then move it down for 5-10 pixels and set it to 40% opacity.


8. Make a new layer ( name it ‘Ps_Fill’ ). CTRL CLICK on text layer icon to make a new selection. Now contract it for 10 pixels. ( In case you forgot, SELECT > MODIFY > CONTRACT.


9. Fill it with gradient of your choice. I filled it with Soft Gray to White gradient.


10. Make a new layer ( name it ‘Highlight’ ). CTRL CLICK on Box layer icon to make a selection. Now using White to nothing radial gradient fill it like I did.


11. With Elliptical Marquee Tool ( M ) make a selection like this than hit delete.


12. Put it to ‘Soft Light’ blending mode with opacity around 75%. Duplicate the same layer, transform it ( CTRL T ) to make it bigger and put it’s opacity to 50%. Duplicate it again, make it bigger again and put it’s opacity to 25%.


13. Make a new layer ( name it ‘Noise’ ). Fill it with black. Now go FILTER > NOISE > ADD NOISE and add some noise. The options do not matter. Set it to be 3% opacity.


14. New layer ( name it ‘Result’ ).


15. Put it to ‘Color Burn’ blending mode with 75% opacity.


16. Make a new layer below ‘Box’ layer. Name it ‘Shadow’. Using Elliptical Marquee Tool ( M ) make a selection like I did and fill it with black. FILTER > BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR , around 15 pixels.


17. Duplicate that Shadow layer and bring it on top of the document.


18. CTRL CLICK on the ‘Box’ layer icon. RIGHT CLICK on your selection > SELECT INVERSE. Hit DELETE.


19. That’s it. Now you can play around with colors or whatever you wish.

If you want to make a real icon that you can use on your computer ( .ico extension ) there’s a really simple solution here.

Continue reading here: Mustang wallpaper - Photoshop Tutorial

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Readers' Questions

  • zula
    How to create icon in photoshop?
    1 year ago
    1. Choose a size for your icon. Common sizes are 16x16, 32x32, and 64x64.
    2. Create a new file with the dimensions for your icon, with a transparent background.
    3. Select the shape, brush, or pen tool that you will use to create the icon.
    4. Begin sketching out your icon. Keep it simple - it should be easy to recognize and remember.
    5. Select the Paint Bucket tool to fill in the shape with color.
    6. Select the Eraser tool to refine any edges or details.
    7. Use the Select tool to copy, move, or resize any elements of your icon.
    8. Save your icon as a .PNG file.
    • dora
      How to make icons photoshop?
      1 year ago
      1. Create a new file in Photoshop, set the width and height to whatever size of icon you need.
      2. Use the shape tools (Rectangle Tool, Ellipse Tool, etc.) to draw your icon.
      3. Use the Paint Bucket tool to fill in your icon with a solid color.
      4. Use the Brush tool to add any details you want to the icon.
      5. Select the icon and go to the Image menu and choose "Image > Adjustments > Desaturate". This will convert the icon to grayscale.
      6. Use the Refine Edge tool to make the edges of your icon smoother.
      7. If you want to add texture to the icon, you can use Filters from the Filter menu.
      8. Save the file as a .PNG file to make sure it stays in high resolution.