3 tutorials here for
landofart challenge #26 -
Riddle Tutorial Me This. Should I have had these done earlier, instead of diving in last minute? Yes, but, I find tutorials SO hard to do, that's why I procrastinated. Anyway, check 'em out. Tell me if they are helpful at all.
Intermediate Level Tutorial - Black & White and Lightening - Made with Photoshop CS5; May or may not be translatable to Gimp and other Photoshop Versions. Requested by
notashamed. (I know you requested 3, but this might be the only one I'll be able to do. :( So sorry! )
Start out with your base
image. I'm working with an HQ, promotional picture of Susan Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia. Crop/Scale it down to your desired size; in this case, 100x100. I picked the crop for this one to allow text.

(I apologize for the crop not being exactlly the same. I have no PSD. for this one.)
Then you are going to want to
Desaturate your image. Image ---> Adjustments ---> Desaturate.

Now, you are going to want to add a Levels Layer and set it to Auto. Layer - New Adjustment Layer - Levels. See screen cap below.

This doesn't seem to do much, but it's probably going to help you out in the long run with your lighting and such. Now, you are going to
Duplicate your
Base Layer. (Right Click on your Layer that is your image. Duplicate Layer.)
Set this new layer to Softlight - 100%. Your image is now a bit darker/bolder. Definitely an important step.
Now, you are going to add this texture by
innocent_lexys -

. You are going to
Desaturate it. (Image ---> Adjustments ---> Desaturate. Same as before.) And set it also to
Softlight at 100%.
Duplicate your Base Layer again, and set it to Softlight -100%, again. Duplicate your base layer for the third time, and
set it this time to Screen - 22%. Your image now should look something like this:

Now it's time to add this texture by (?) -

Simply s
et it to Softlight -100%Duplicate your base layer again,
set it to Softlight -100%. Duplicate your base layer another time and
set it to Screen - 69%. Make sure your Screen Layers are ABOVE your Softlight Layers in the Layers Menu. Screencap Below:

Your icon looks something like this:

Now you are going to add your text. Take this texture by (?) -

and s
et it to Screen - 100%. Move it down just a hair so it's not in her face. Now your done:
New one:

Original:

Close enough? I hope so! :D