@Sun Ce of Wu
I have optimized the process, the step with circle is not needed anymore. You can extract an image already circle-shaped using Ellipse Select with Shift.
Effect - step by step instruction.
0. I use paint.net.
1. Find a good picture on the internet. Good means having a background that can be easily removed. If you see that background and head/hair
are of the same color/shade - don't use it. Also, find a picture that you can extract a head of the size of at least 150x150 pixels, the more the better.
2. Open it in paint.net, resize if necessary and cut the circle with head centrally placed. This is very important step - the relative sizeof the head and
its placement will stay until the final icon! Also flip horizontal if necessary to make head facing to the left. I use "Copy" and then "Paste into new Image".
3. Now resize it to approx. 1000x1000. It will be easier to get rid of the background.
4. Remove background. This is very important step - whatever is left around the head/hair will be later visible. Some manual work here is
usually required for best results. I use Magic Wand and then Eraser manually.
5. Now you can do some brightness/contrast adjustments, if necessary. Just make sure that the picture isn't too dark.
6. Apply the Sepia effect.
7. Resize to 160x160 and save as .dds with file name in format RGP_Great_Person_Name.dds. Must use underscores. DDS format A8R8G8B8 (default in paint.net).
Icon's ready
Much easier and faster!
I have optimized the process, the step with circle is not needed anymore. You can extract an image already circle-shaped using Ellipse Select with Shift.
Effect - step by step instruction.
0. I use paint.net.
1. Find a good picture on the internet. Good means having a background that can be easily removed. If you see that background and head/hair
are of the same color/shade - don't use it. Also, find a picture that you can extract a head of the size of at least 150x150 pixels, the more the better.
2. Open it in paint.net, resize if necessary and cut the circle with head centrally placed. This is very important step - the relative sizeof the head and
its placement will stay until the final icon! Also flip horizontal if necessary to make head facing to the left. I use "Copy" and then "Paste into new Image".
3. Now resize it to approx. 1000x1000. It will be easier to get rid of the background.
4. Remove background. This is very important step - whatever is left around the head/hair will be later visible. Some manual work here is
usually required for best results. I use Magic Wand and then Eraser manually.
5. Now you can do some brightness/contrast adjustments, if necessary. Just make sure that the picture isn't too dark.
6. Apply the Sepia effect.
7. Resize to 160x160 and save as .dds with file name in format RGP_Great_Person_Name.dds. Must use underscores. DDS format A8R8G8B8 (default in paint.net).
Icon's ready
Much easier and faster!
