Icon from photograph - Tutorial

Learn how to make an icon from a photograph in RealWorld Icon Editor. This video explains how to remove background from a picture and how to crop it before converting it to icon.

More tips about making background transparent.

Narration transcript

How to make an icon from a photograph.

Start by opening a photo, for example by dragging and dropping it on the application window.

Switch to Transformation tool and select a region of interest - a little dog in my case.
Right click and select "Crop to selection" in context menu.

Switch to Pencil tool and select a transparent color (the 4 gray squares).

Click on the image and zoom in with mouse wheel. You can move the image by dragging with the mouse wheel or by moving the scrollbars.

Draw with the pencil around the object of interest. You do not need to be extra accurate, we will fix the edges later, but do not leave any gaps. That is important! The line needs to be continuous, it is OK if it overlaps.

I do want the rear half of the dog on my icon, so watch me cutting that half off.

Switch to Flood fill tool. Then set the matching mode to 'Alpha'. Finally, click outside the outlined region on the image.

Switch to Brush tool and start repairing the edges. Again, accuracy is not that important if the resolution of your photograph is high enough. Icons are small and the imperfections will not be visible.

I intentionally picked a very furry animal to show you that a good icon can be obtained form almost any photo.

Click on Remove empty border and then OK.

Click on Create icon from image and then OK again.

Our icon is ready, as you can see, all the pictures look very good and there are no traces of grass or other background - just the good dog. Save it and you are done.

Thanks for watching.

Recent comments

My Icons registered user on November 15th 2010

The voice of the man for the 'ICON from PHOTOGRAPH' Tutorial is inaudible to me. Maybe it's his foreign accent, maybe it's his monotone deliverance, but I can't understand a word he is saying. It sounds like he's mumbling.

Tutorials must always be delivered with a clear, strong voice, with attention to Tone, and Enunciation.
The consumer is trying to learn how to use this feature... it would be beneficial if we could hear and understand what the instructor is saying.
-BP

Anonymous on January 7th 2011

Thank you for this clear instruction video. I now know how to create an icon from an image.
-Henk

PAMELA LOONEY registered user on March 23rd 2011

THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE VIDEO WAS VERY ACCURATE AND UNDERSTANDABLE! AND, I AM REALLY AMAZED THAT IT WORKED AND I AM NOW ABLE TO CREATE ICONS USING MY OWN PERSONAL PICTURES! I LOVE IT!

I THANK EVERYONE FOR THE REAL WORLD ICON EDITOR.

HAVE A BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS YEAR!

TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
PAMELA LOONEY

Anonymous on October 23rd 2011

Anonymous on October 24th 2011

Anonymous on November 1st 2011

Nice tutorial & tool!

Anonymous on February 3rd

thanks for teaching

Anonymous

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