[Tutorial]Making an Avatar

[K4rMa]

Hello Everyone!

 

Today I will show you how to make a simple avatar!

It's pretty easy and I made it step by step for all of the

Photoshop beginners. Before I begin I will like to

say that there's more ways to do them, but the most

easy way is the following. This will come in handy to make

other things, not just avatars so get ready to learn something new!

 

---------STEP BY STEP---------

 

STEP 1.

Open up Photoshop and create a new document:

Input these settings:

 

 

 

STEP 2.

Now that you have your new document make a new layer.

(Shift + Ctrl + N) and name it whatever, default is "Layer 1".

 

 

STEP 3.

Now you have your new layer let's get on with the avatar shall we?

Simply go to the tools you have on the left side, Select "Rounded Rectangle Tool".

 

 

You'll also noticed that the top bar will change, forget all of it, just focus on "Radius"

and input "18 px" or whatever you choose to.

 

 

 

STEP 4.

Go to your document and simply draw a rounded rectangle from in the

center of your blank layer, not the background. Once you draw it right click

and select "make selection" and input the following:

 

 

STEP 5.

With your selection just head over to the paint tool and with any color

paint over the selection, it will give you something like this:

 

 

STEP 6.

Deselect and double click on the "Layer 1" layer, it should bring up

a new box. Go directly to "Gradient Overlay" and select the colors of your choice.

Now go to "Stroke" to create a stroke, choose the color and set it to only 1 px.

It should be about the same as the color you chose earlier.

 

 

STEP 7.

The fun starts, you have the basic structure of it.

Next we would like to put a basic symbol, this is for our beginners.

Chose anyone, I prefer you to paint it white.

Note: Make the symbol on a new layer, just to fix it later.

You can double click on the layer to tweak it and make changes in color

as well as give it a stroke.

 

 

STEP 8

The Shadows and Lighting.

 

We have the basic, now we need to make it shiny from the top and dark from

the bottom. Let's begin. Head over to your tools and choose "Elliptical Marquee Tool"

 

 

 

We now go to our document, please create a new layer. And simply draw

it over the top centered part of your avatar And paint it white* and reduce the opacity to about

30-40%.

Like this:

 

 

Now we need to remove the excess white paint, so all we do is delete it.

For beginner I would recommend making the layer called "background"

Black or any other color so you can see what you're deleting.

 

We need SHADOWS!! It's time to use our Gradient tool.

 

 

 

Select a darker color, I'll use black. Make sure you have selected

the gradient to go from a color to transparent like this:

 

 

Ok, now we simply go over from the bottom to the middle of our avatar

Also delete the excess gradient. Then lower the opacity as desired.

We should have something like this:

 

 

nd that's the basic avatar anyone new to Photoshop could do!

Now if you want to tweak it a little I'll show you some tips.

 

Tip #1.

Use a lighter shade color of your main color and with the help of gradient

go over it in the middle but this time, select the "Radial" option like this:

 

 

Note: You're making a new layer all the time ok?

Now go to your layer, you should see

something that says "Normal" "Opacity" and "Fill" above. Simply go to "Normal"

and select "Color Dodge" This will give it a little shine.

 

 

 

Tip #2.

Drop Shadow.

Go back to the original template and double click it to bring the setting, go to

"Drop Shadow" and input all of these settings then click ok:

 

 

This is the our result after just following simple instructions and some tweaks:

 

 

I know the paw wasn't a great idea, but it's just a symbol

Note: You can always put your name/username/script on it to make

it more personal. This is my first tutorial and look out for a new one soon.

 

I'm including the template for y'all to use. but not the PSD.

 

 

 

Hope this helps people! Especially the new ones to Photoshop.

With practice and patience you can make great things!

Always remember that.

 

CREDITS ~~> kifac

[stackman]

thnxxxxxxx! :D

[GregHouseM.D.]

very nice tutorial, and for Photoshop :) great work

[AndreisS]

great work indeed. +++

[krzysiu]

nice tut i like it

 

[JavuS]

Any guide to make an animated avatar? =P

 

May be i will try this later ;) ty

[CriticalError]

very nice guide karma i see you are very good with PHOTOSHOP keep sharing is a nice job you do