How do most people make their icons? and how do they make it so clean?
I first make my icon by drawing it out on paper, then import it into photoshop. In photoshop, I then began to trace over the outline to darken it but there are so many dots from the ink of the pen that its really hard to make it look clean. How would it make it more clean?
I think most of the artists that sketch or at least the one's who do it for a living use a tablet?
Nothing comes to mind other than tracing over your sketch on another layer which obviously is a big
pain. It's been years since I used PS also.
PS. I moved your thread to Digital Studio.
Then how do people make it so clean? I traced over the line so many times but was still unable to make a clean outline.
they use a tablet
Whats a tablet?
I don't use a tablet. 
I don't think actually drawing an icon (if you want the lines to be clean) is the best route. Generally with icons having crisp lines most people would manipulate shapes or use the pen tool (assuming the shape itself isn't a conventional square or circle). The shading itself can be the result of gradients, brush work with a mouse, or even a tablet if you have the luxury, but usually it's either clipped into the shapes themselves or within a selection of the shape, or masked.
It's also good practice to create a master image that's scaled down. Generally icons are created within a canvas that's 1024 x 1024 or even larger despite the current standard (with leopard anyway) only going to 512 x 512. Each smaller size is usually scaled down and almost always has to have corrections made to any aliasing issues, inappropriately scaled blending options (if you even use them), ambiguity of having too much detail to be represented with a small amount of pixels (albeit textures or number of objects or colors) etc.
Hopefully that wasn't too confusing.
Oh, and a tablet is like a mouse pad that lets you use a stylus to draw stuff on a computer as if you were using a pencil on a piece of paper. A big advantage at least with creating artwork is the ability to use layers, to erase without the issue of it not disappearing entirely and to use a low opacity brush setting to draw over a line several times to get it perfect.
It's also good practice to create a master image that's scaled down. Generally icons are created within a canvas that's 1024 x 1024 or even larger despite the current standard (with leopard anyway) only going to 512 x 512. Each smaller size is usually scaled down and almost always has to have corrections made to any aliasing issues, inappropriately scaled blending options (if you even use them), ambiguity of having too much detail to be represented with a small amount of pixels (albeit textures or number of objects or colors) etc.
a-HA! i've been googling this for the past week and all i had to do was login. that crept across my mind actually but i didn't think to go bigger! (1024x1024) thanks for the tip.
I don't use a tablet.I don't think actually drawing an icon (if you want the lines to be clean) is the best route. Generally with icons having crisp lines most people would manipulate shapes or use the pen tool (assuming the shape itself isn't a conventional square or circle). The shading itself can be the result of gradients, brush work with a mouse, or even a tablet if you have the luxury, but usually it's either clipped into the shapes themselves or within a selection of the shape, or masked.
It's also good practice to create a master image that's scaled down. Generally icons are created within a canvas that's 1024 x 1024 or even larger despite the current standard (with leopard anyway) only going to 512 x 512. Each smaller size is usually scaled down and almost always has to have corrections made to any aliasing issues, inappropriately scaled blending options (if you even use them), ambiguity of having too much detail to be represented with a small amount of pixels (albeit textures or number of objects or colors) etc.
Hopefully that wasn't too confusing.
Oh, and a tablet is like a mouse pad that lets you use a stylus to draw stuff on a computer as if you were using a pencil on a piece of paper. A big advantage at least with creating artwork is the ability to use layers, to erase without the issue of it not disappearing entirely and to use a low opacity brush setting to draw over a line several times to get it perfect.
Wow that really help, I have one question though. How do you manipulate shapes?
well you can use the shape tool in Photoshop or (if you know how to use this) use the pen tool. the pen tool is usually used by people in Illustrator but it's in Photoshop as well.
http://hubelial.deviantart.com/art/3Kids-74531981
look at that picture, notice how the outline is really messy? I try using the path tool but it didn't really help.
they use a tablet
People don't use tablets for icons. :/
I use Photoshop CS3 and Inkscape 7 for mine. It's really not that hard. 
People don't use tablets for icons. :/
Actually, quite a few professional site's I've come across mention that they do.
Doubtful many skinners do.
I've really got to learn Inkscape.
http://hubelial.deviantart.com/art/3Kids-74531981look at that picture, notice how the outline is really messy? I try using the path tool but it didn't really help.
Hmm.. I know with Adobe Fireworks, the pen tool has a stroke option so you can set the thickness of the pen. I'm relatively new to Photoshop so I'm not sure what the equivalent would be..
http://hubelial.deviantart.com/art/3Kids-74531981look at that picture, notice how the outline is really messy? I try using the path tool but it didn't really help.
Ink it with the brush or pen tool, then see how it turns out. Another thing you could do (which really comes in handy if you don't have a tablet) is to ink it traditionally and a use Illustrator or Inkscape's livetrace to vectorize it.
Well I just strated Icon designing from scratch. I have a tablet that I use off and on (I mainly use it for shadows, Highlight and such) I just mainly use my finger (laptop touchpad) lol and Photoshop.
I don't know how to use the pen tool. If you are a good drawer, you know must things are really broken down into shapes. Thats basically it though. I'm still trying to practice learning the pen tool. It would make icon designing much easier lol
I don't know how to use the pen tool. If you are a good drawer, you know must things are really broken down into shapes. Thats basically it though. I'm still trying to practice learning the pen tool. It would make icon designing much easier lol
yeah, i would love to know how to wield the pen tool with expertise. ah, gotta keep practicing.
LMAO! i just skimmed over his post, can't believe i missed that.
I am horrible with highlights, but decent with the pen tool. I really need a tablet.
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