Using a beautiful hibiscus I photographed back in July, this time I'll show you how to go from
this to this or this

This should work best on orignally dark-ish photos with a good amount of yellow and/or red. But I'm sure it can be tweaked to fit others better.

Made with PSP8 (Translatable)


1. Start with your base. Sharpen as needed. Duplicate the base twice.

2. Set the first copy to screen, 50%

3. Set the second copy to soft light, 100%

5. To really pull out the reds and yellows, reate a color balance adjustment layer (Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance).
Settings:
30 0 -49

6. Add this texture (Both used here are by weapon_icons) and set to screen, 70% (For my icon, I mirrored it)


7. Create a new curves adjustment layer. Use settings similar to these


8. Add this texture and set to overlay, 100%


9. Duplicate the base and set to soft light, 40%

10. Add this brush (by big_rock_show in black.


You can stop here for the first icon

11. OR you can add your own text. I used MS Reference Sans Serif (I'm not sure how widespread that font is...It is one of my computer's default fonts) at size 8 in black. Set the layer to burn, 60%.

12. Duplicate your text layer, set it back to "normal" and set at 15%.

13. Then add a tiny text brush beneath that. Add anything else you'd like then you're done :)