Icon Tutorial #2
Here we're gonna go from this
to this 
(original picture).The first thing I do is to screen the picture twice, it's way to dark to work with. Then merge visible (ctrl+shift+E).
Second (like I always do) is to sharpen the icon. It brings out details you wouldn't see otherwise.
As I want this icon to look soft, I smooth her face and cover with the smudge tool.
Mode: 'lighten'
Strength: ]around] 20%
Brush: I use a soft round brush, around 8 px
[Look at her chest and for-head to see the big difference]
Then duplicate the layer and put it on 'screen', 50%.
Duplicate the original layer (e.i. not the screened one) drag it to the top, desaturate (ctrl+shift+U) and put it on 'soft light'. It creates a not so colourfull contrast.
Next I create a new layer and fill it with a dark blue (I used #011033) and put the layer on 'exclusion'.
Next step is my fav on this icon. I create yet another layer and fill it with a light brown colour (I used #B39170) and put it on 'darken'.
I then created a new layer that I filled with black. I then cropped away the middle, creating a frame around Buffy.
Then create a new layer. Pick out [about] four colours from the picture and make squares with the colours at the top of the picture, on the black.
Then do the same at the bottom but in the opposite direction.
And we're done! I hope that helped you some.