50 Photoshop tutorials for creating amazing icons

June 8th, 2014
Photoshop

Photoshop has evolved from just being a great tool for editing photographs . The possibilities of what can be achieved using Photoshop are simple jaw dropping the days of it being used for just editing photography are distant memory. As a web designer its one of the key tools I cant go a day without using.

This tutorial is a great showcase of some of the very best tutorials for teaching you how you can use Photoshop for creating icons. The roundup features a collection of tutorial for beginners, as well as for more veteran Photoshop users.

Premium design assets for
your next project

Acess to a huge libary of design resources from Photoshop brushes to vector resources.

Join today

1. Create an Address Book Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial, it will show you how to create an address book icon using Adobe Photoshop. It will begin by explaining how to set up a simple grid, and how to take full advantage of the Snap to Grid feature. Next, It will explain how to create a set of simple vector shapes and how to color them using basic Layer Style attributes and some Photoshop pattern presets. Finally, It will show you how to add subtle shading and highlights using basic blending techniques and simple effects.

2. Design a Stylish Mail Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a glossy mail icon that can be used for your apps or websites.

3. Radar Icon in Photoshop

So in this tutorial It will show you how to create a Mac style radar icon in Photoshop.

4. How to Create a Van Icon in Photoshop

This is another icon created by Negreu Andreas. An icon that can be used for a game maybe or a Mac app of some sort. Before we started we searched the web for photography with similar vans, then made some ideas, and a quick sketch. After that we started working.

5. How to Create a 3D House Icon with Photoshop

In this tutorial, you will learn to design a house icon in Adobe Photoshop. I’ve focused mainly on the flexible use of Layer Styles to give the different shapes its colors, giving us the ability to scale our work easier if needed. All the shapes involved in the tutorial are simple and can easily be made using shape tools. It is strongly recommended that you must have good command of shape and selection tools for certain portions of this tutorial.

6. How to Create a Battery Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial you will draw a battery icon in Photoshop. The key here is layer style Gradient Overlay. Using this layer style we can add lighting into the battery and give it a 3D look.

7. How to Draw a Shopping Bag Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial you will learn how to drawn a red shopping bag icon. This tutorial will cover the basic techniques of drawing such as creating the shape, shading, and adding shadows.

8. How To Draw a Vintage Polaroid Camera Icon

In this tutorial, you will create a Polaroid camera icon. You will use lots of layer styles and draw manually with the brush tool to achieve a realistic appearance.

9. How To Create a Detailed Briefcase Icon in Photoshop

Follow this step by step guide to create a detailed briefcase icon in Photoshop. We’ll build the rough outline with basic shapes, then add depth and definition with various Photoshop layer styles such as Inner Glow and Stroke. To really bring the icon to life we’ll use real photographic textures to give a tactile leather feel to the icon.

10. Create a Mobile App Icon in Photoshop

This tutorial is part of a three-part series explaining how to design UI elements for mobile applications in Photoshop. In this part, we will explain how to design an icon for your mobile device’s home screen.

11. How to Create a Social Media UFO Icon

When we design websites or user interfaces, often times we need to create unique and creative icons. Most websites these days have some sort of social media presence; with a link to their Facebook or Twitter pages prominently displayed on their front pages. With so many sites linking to their social media profiles, it’s not surprising that many sites are simple regurgitating the same icons. In today’s tutorial we will demonstrate how to create a completely unique UFO inspired social media icon based on a theme.

12. Create an Apple Safari Icon in Photoshop

How to create a detailed Apple Safari icon in Photoshop. This tutorial will show you how to create shapes and use different layer styles to create effects.

13. Create a cardboard box icon

In this Photoshop tutorial, It will show you how to make a cardboard box that can be used for a number of purposes, such as for icons or for other design purposes. The procedure used to create the cardboard box is simple and easy to understand, using tools such as the Gradient Tool and the Polygonal Lasso Tool.

14. Create a Realistic iMac Icon in Photoshop

There is a lot that you can do in Photoshop with just a few select tools. Today, we will demonstrate how to create a realistic iMac icon in Photoshop that includes a 27-inch screen, a keyboard, and a mouse.

15. Simple Coffee Cup Icon Photoshop Tutorial

In this tutorial we’ll be going though creating a semi-photo realistic coffee cup, with some nice frothy coffee.

16. Create a Detailed Camera Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial we’ll be going though creating a semi-photo realistic coffee cup, with some nice frothy coffee.

17. How To Create a Vibrant Cloud Icon in Photoshop

Follow this step by step Adobe Photoshop tutorial to create a colourful and vibrant cloud icon. We’ll be using plenty of gradients and lighting effects to produce a really cool icon perfect for a modern website design or mobile app.

18. How to Create a Cute and Adorable Twitter Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a Cute and Adorable Twitter Icon. Throughout this tutorial, you will use some of the basic tools like Ellipse Tool, Pen Tool and Gradient Tool. Here’s a quick preview on the icon that we will make.

19. How to create a padlock icon

20. How to Create an Envelope Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial, you’ll go through easy steps for creating a nice envelope icon. There’s a light use of the Pen Tool in the tutorial, but most of it uses Selection Tools to create this icon. The stamp is also explained in a simple manner.

21. Create a Microchip Icon Using Photoshop

In this AwesomePhotoshop tutorial, it will show you how to create a isometric microchip icon using basic drawing tools and transformations.

22. Design a Detailed Audio Receiver Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial you will show you how to create a detailed audio receiver icon using Photoshop’s vector editing capabilities.

23. Design a Record App Icon in Photoshop

In this Photoshop tutorial it will show you how to design a dribble inspired record icon. This icon looks more or like the icon which i saw in dribble while i was browsing. I felt this record was clean and simple, yet beautiful.

24. Design a Record App Icon in Photoshop

This tutorial is about creating the Apple Magic Mouse in Photoshop, though you could use these techniques to create other mouse icon design styles as well. The new design of this mouse just looks amazing. Creating it and using it as an icon makes it all that more fun and interesting. The glossy look and the simplicity, transforms this mouse into a really neat looking icon.

25. How to create a Photoshop pen tool icon

In this tutorial I’ll be showing you how to make your very own photoshop pen tool icon from scratch, using photoshop CS5

26. How to create a Photoshop pen tool icon

In this tutorial I’ll be showing you how to make your very own photoshop pen tool icon from scratch, using photoshop CS5

27. Design a Detailed Compass Icon in Photoshop

Another drawing tutorial for icon lovers in which we’ll be illustrating a metallic compass. We’ll be controlling shadow and reflection to add realism to the illustration. As with any icon design, it’s a combination of the overall design and subtle details that gives quality results.

28. How to create a printer icon

Lear how to create a beautiful printer icon using photoshop

29. Learn how to create a Google plus icon

Google Plus is making its presence all over the internet, so in today’s tutorial I’ll be showing you how to create your very own glowing google plus icon/illustration.

30. How to create a modern ball chair icon

The ball chair, popularized by Finnish interior designer Eero Aarnio was the cornerstone of any mid-century or 1960’s living area. Today, we will learn how to create this iconic piece of furniture from scratch in Photoshop.

31. How to Make a Professional Buddy Icon in Photoshop

32. Design a photorealistic app icon in Photoshop

Roman Jusdado reveals how to use Photoshop’s layer styles to create an Instagram-esque iOS icon from scratch.

33. Create a Sweet Donut Icon in Photoshop from Scratch

In this icon design tutorial we will learn how to make a sweet and tasty donut icon from an initial sketch. So let’s begin, and remember: don’t try to bite the screen!

34. New Imac Mini Icon Design

In this icon design tutorial we will learn how to make a sweet and tasty donut icon from an initial sketch. So let’s begin, and remember: don’t try to bite the screen!

35. Industrial Folder Style Icon

In the second tutorial this year I’ll be walking you through the process of creating a industrial style folder icon.

36. Digital Camera Icon in Photoshop

A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. Digital cameras can do things film cameras cannot: displaying images on a screen immediately after they are recorded, storing thousands of images on a single small memory device, recording video with sound, and deleting images to free storage space.

37. How to Create Flat Icons in Photoshop

In this tutorial, It will make that trouble less troubling. I will try, with my best efforts, to try to teach you how to make flat-design-inspired navigation icons. We will be creating navigation icons for your website or blogs. This tutorial will be using the Adobe Photoshop CS6 software.

38. Create a Custom Mac OSX Style Ring Binder Address Book Icon

I’ll show you how to create an Address Book replacement icon for Mac OSX. When you are a beginner, it’s better to start with designing replacement icons to get some practice. Let’s get started with personalizing the icons in our workspaces.

39. How To Create a Detailed Gauge Icon in Photoshop

Follow this step by step guide to creating a detailed gauge icon in Photoshop. We’ll be using various Photoshop layer styles to build up gradients and shadows to produce a detailed and realistic large scale icon, then modify and rebuild the icon into a range of typical icon sizes.

40. How to Create a Super Shiny Pencil Icon

The Pencil is one of the visual metaphors most used to express creativity. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to draw a pencil icon. We’ll have a look at gradients, selection tools, and basic transform operations.

41. Make a 3D Recycling Bin Icon with Photoshop

Through this Photoshop icon design tutorial, I will show you how to make an appealing drawing of a recycling bin with crumpled and creased white paper inside and around it — all from scratch. We will take advantage of tools such as the Gradient Tool, Custom Shape Tool, Rounded Rectangle Tool, and simple Photoshop functions such as Skew Transform and Free Transform to design our icon.

42. Draw Golden Pen and Envelope Icon in Photoshop

In this tutorial you will use Photoshop to create a fancy looking golden pen and envelope icon. We will be using lots of shape and layer style to achieve a realistic look.

43. Create a Chalkboard Icon Using Photoshop

Understanding the fundamental process of creating an icon in Photoshop can become a valuable skill to learn. Today we will be creating a chalkboard icon inspired the Icon Resource website by Sebastiaan de With, whom has given permission to make a tutorial inspired by his work. In this tutorial you will learn some important concepts as well as how to work with some third-party apps.

44. How To Design An iPad Icon In Photoshop Tutorial

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a cool iPad icon by putting together simple shapes and then applying layer effects on them in Photoshop.

45. Paint Brush Icon

In this installment you will create a paint brush icon, complete with wooden palette and paint dollops. We will employ textures, layer styles and a good sense of lighting to create a fun looking icon.

46. How to create shiny paint bucket icon

Learn how to create a simple three-dimensional icon of a paint bucket, complete with paint splotches, with this colorful tutorial. Harnessing the power of paths, layer effects and consistent lighting we’ll obtain an effective, shiny icon.

47. Cityscape Display Icon

The screen will be drawn in a few easy steps using familiar Photoshop tools. We will then employ techniques and workflows utilized by professional matte painters to create a finished cityscape. Far from being an exercise on matte painting, this tutorial nonetheless gives us a peek into this fascinating branch of digital arts.