for later...

Icon tutorial will be up sometime later tonight (or tomorrow).
Because -- seriously -- I needed to mess around and have a bit of a laugh. <3

And now off to orchestra! Fear for your lives, I'm driving.

Love,
look forward to it?

Post Script -- popsiclehands, try not to grin when you see the base image, okay? ;D

icon tutorial(s)

Program(s)+Version: Adobe Photoshop CS3
Involves: Levels, Selective Colour, Hue/Saturation, Brightness/Contrast, Colour Balance, (Various Layer Modes), [Various Filters], Textures, Text
Translatable? Theoretically, everything can be done in another program that provides these options.
Steps: Several. It depends on the result you're seeking.
Difficulty: It ranges in difficulty from intermediate to advanced -- basic skills are necessary.

NOTE: This is not a process that is 'set in stone.' While many of the steps you see here are applicable to a diverse set of images, I would not advise always plugging in the precise values you encounter here. (Alas, every base image is indeed different, and the results you obtains will be too!)

WARNING(S): Image-heavy. Sorry, dial-up users. Also, be patient! A lot of the changes are subtle.
Icons are such a pain, huh? :D 

start -   finish - / /
start - finish -
start >  finish - /
start > finish -

( everything )

Well, that's really it! Finally, I know.
This was my first-ever icon tutorial, and I am by no means an expert. {Even so, do not repost without permission, or claim as your own.} Comments and constructive criticism are greatly welcomed and appreciated. If you're confused, please don't hesitate to ask questions (I shall do my best to answer them). For anyone who is interested in learning more, I would suggest paying a visit to good_tutorial, as they have an astoundingly-wonderful collection of -- erm -- good tutorials there.

Love,
*doesn't want to see a mohawk for a while*

Post Script -- ...Stupid LJ-cut. Fixing now.