Civilization V-style Icons with Gimp

I've cheated with your excellent tutorial, simply taking the sunburst image you uploaded and recoloured it a few times in GIMP. Then, with careful use of the eraser tool, I've merged another image onto the sunburst. Here's some of my icons using this method for Anno Domini:

AncientSoldier26.jpg
AncInf26.jpg
Explorer26.jpg
Tribune.jpg
ClibRomanUnit.jpg
LaquerwareShop02.jpg
Bow27maker.jpg
Embalmer.jpg
Gatehouse02.jpg
 
Oh, that's good :D

It's supposed to be ''yield'' instead of yeild, right? :p

Damn I before E. Thanks for spotting that, I'll just go ahead and fix that, then pretend like it never happened... :P
 
I've cheated with your excellent tutorial, simply taking the sunburst image you uploaded and recoloured it a few times in GIMP. Then, with careful use of the eraser tool, I've merged another image onto the sunburst. Here's some of my icons using this method for Anno Domini:

Ah, smart :) It's sometimes better to draw a custom sunburst, since not all images may fit. I don't think it's very difficult, though I found that it doesn't always work with all colours, and with all images. If there's a rather complicated background image, I usually airbrush a colour over my 'drawn' sunburst first. A couple of GIFs might make it all clear, but I've no idea how to make a GIF, or how to record what I'm doing on-screen. Still have to tweak this guide, as well :) I've learnt some new things on the way.

Damn I before E. Thanks for spotting that, I'll just go ahead and fix that, then pretend like it never happened... :P

No problem :P
 
Updated OP with links to 2 vids, hope that'll help. First one is messy, but some parts are still useful for the second vid (parts which were left out in the second one), namely: the adjustment of the leader image and adding the gloss in the last past of the vid, using airbrush and dodge/burn.
 
I always go back to this guide when making icons. The icons I tried to follow your exact instructions but they still didn't turn out as good as yours! I'll keep trying though.
 

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iNbQZKw.png


Inevitably, you're bound to get it down to the point where it looks good. I'm happy with the results.
 
iNbQZKw.png


Inevitably, you're bound to get it down to the point where it looks good. I'm happy with the results.

Good :) Always aim for improvement when making new icons; that's what I always try.
 
This helped me quite a bit! Would love some feedback if anyone can provide :)
Spoiler :
5CoOhHF.png

 
This helped me quite a bit! Would love some feedback if anyone can provide :)
Spoiler :
5CoOhHF.png


I see that the right 'ray' doesn't diverge. They usually do, if only slightly. Also, if you used the free select tool, consider setting the 'feather' (or whatever it's called in Photoshop) to 2 or 3, so the edges will look smoother. Looking at the background, I see the guy is covering one ray. In this light it's useful to work in layers (if you didn't), something that's not addressed here, so you can first copy/paste the dude on the background, then select just the background, so you do a better job 'drawing' the sunburst. Lastly, the actual shiny 'sun' of the icon is usually brighter, especially near the edges of the guy/object, for example:

RZYnHM3.png


I don't know how long it is in the full image, but if not much, it'd probably look nice if you made the gun stick out of the circle.

True, but it looks like it's too long. Or it's a weird rifle :p
 
Here's a new one of Leopold II of Belgium. Still can't get the effects perfectly right for some reason, but I'm satisfied with this result.

cQWTHb4.png
 
Here's a new one of Leopold II of Belgium. Still can't get the effects perfectly right for some reason, but I'm satisfied with this result.

cQWTHb4.png

Yeah, it's quite annoying if it's just not exactly what you were aiming for, right? But that's also good, because you'll keep aiming for improvement! I'm never fully satisfied with the art I make too.

Sometimes desaturating and/or making the background image darker will make adding the shiny stuff easier.
 
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