Go easy on me, it's my first attempt at writing one of these. :-D

Go from this: to this: in PS CS2 (but it should carry over to other programs)

(image heavy)



Starting with this image from Google Images, I cropped it to 300x300 and then resized it. Auto-contrast to get this:


Sharpen the image, then use the blur tool with a soft, round brush at anywhere between 20 and 40% to smooth out her skin. Sharpen the eyes and lips (LIGHTLY!) with another soft, round brush set at about 25%:


Desaturate the image, then duplicate it and set to Screen. It was really bright, so I lowered the opacity to about 75%. Duplicate the base again, drag it to the top, and set it to Soft Light. Merge the Screen layer down to the base, then the Soft Light layer. You'll end up with this:


Create a new layer, then fill with #efe1c1 and set to Multiply at 100%:


Take this light texture (sorry, I don't know the maker) and set to Screen, 100%:


Take this gradient (made by crumblingwalls) and set to Color at 80%:


Duplicate that layer, then take this gradient (also by crumblingwalls) and set to Hard Light at 85%, and then duplicate it:


Duplicate your base, drag it to the top, and set it to Soft Light at 100%:


Take this texture by Tre and set to Multiply at 66%:


Now, take this brush (made by, I have been informed, 77words): and slap it on a new layer in white, then flip it horizontally (Edit --> Transform --> Flip Horizontal):


Use your rectangular marquee tool to select the area inside the frame:


Click on your first multiply layer and hit 'delete'. Repeat for all four gradient layers and the last texture by Tre. DO NOT clear your base, the soft light layer, or the light texture:


For reference, here is what my layers look like:


Now, add this brush (by 77words) in white:
to get this:


Finally, add some text (I used Passions Conflict ROB [it's commercial, sorry]) in #774293 with this gradient overlay (Layer --> Layer Style --> Gradient Overlay) (also by crumblingwalls, I think):
at these settings. Play with the gradient a little until you get the colors you like.

And we're done! The finished product:


For reference, here are my layers.



I hope you all enjoy, and I'd love to see what you come up with if you decide to use it!