Avatar/LJ Icon Tutorial:
Written by Aly. Done in PS 7.0

LEVEL - MEDIUM/MID-LEVEL.

1:  Choose your image, and crop it to 100x100 pixels, and sharpen*


2: Copy your image, and set the blending option to Screen.


3: Open your Selective Color option. (Image >> Adjustments >> Selective Color...)
Set your Method to Absolute.


4: Follow these instructions:
Reds:
Cyan -100, Magenta +24, Yellow +78, Black 0
Yellows:
Cyan 0, Magenta -42, Yellow -100, Black 0
Neutrals:
Cyan 0, Magenta 0, Yellow -3, Black +5
Blacks:
Cyan, 0, Magenta 0, Yellow 0, Black +40

5: Open the Hue/Saturation window (Image >> Adjustments >> Hue/Saturation...)
Saturation: +20

6:  Make a fill color layer (Layer >> New Fill Layer >> Solid Color...)
Set Mode to Exclusion, Opacity 50% and fill with color #690000

7: Merge Layers (Ctr+Shift+E)

8: Make another fill color layer, set Mode to Luminosity, Opacity 20% and fill with color #D60000.

8: Merge layers.

9:  Open the Selective Color window.
Whites:
Cyan -100, Magenta 0, Yellow 0, Black 0.

10: Add textures, text, brushes etc for the finish (pzass) touch, and you're done!  I used this texture



 

*Please remember that sharpening always depends upon the image you are using.