Take a look at the preview of the icon we will be crafting in this tutorial.
Begin by creating a new canvas sized 512px by 512px. Fill the Background layer with a shade of grey (#A6A6A6) or any color that enhances visibility of your work. The chosen color is inconsequential and can be altered or removed later.
Utilize the Pen Tool (P) to draw a shape as depicted below.
Apply a Gradient Overlay to the wall to introduce color.
Apply an Inner Shadow layer style to the shape layer to add depth to the wall.
Utilize the Pen Tool (P) once more to draw a shape representing the front of the house.
Apply a Gradient Overlay to the front shape layer to achieve the desired color.
Just as with the left wall, apply an Inner Shadow to the front shape to enhance depth.
In order to add detail to our icon design, we will incorporate side panels onto the house.Firstly, create a new layer and then Ctrl/Cmd + click on the left wall’s shape layer to create a selection around it.Move the selection up by 10px and fill it with black (#000000).With the selection still active, press the Up arrow key once and then Delete to leave a 1px line.Continue creating more strips on the same layer, vertically upwards and evenly spaced (approximately 20px apart).
Apply a Drop Shadow layer style to the layer to give the side panels an inset/recessed appearance, completing their look.
Change the blending mode of the layer to Overlay and reduce its opacity to 80%.
Employ the same technique to create ridges on the front of the house, ensuring they align correctly on both walls.
Proceed to the roofing phase. Start by drawing a roof shape using the Pen Tool.
Apply a Gradient Overlay to the shape layer to give the roof its brown/reddish hue.
Enhance the roof’s depth and 3D effect by applying an Inner Shadow and Inner Glow layer style.
Create the side/base of the roof by adding a new layer below the roof layer.Ctrl/Cmd + click on the roof shape layer, then move the selection down 1px and fill it with black (#000000).Without deselecting, move the selection down another 1px and fill it again with black (#000000).Repeat this process three more times to achieve a 5px-thick roof side.
Finally, apply a Gradient Overlay with darker shades to create realistic lighting on the side/base of the roof.
Complete the roof by drawing the other side and applying consistent layer styles.
Now, add the roof’s shadow over the walls.Create a new layer and use your preferred selection technique (such as the Polygonal Lasso Tool) to load a selection as shown.
Fill the selection with a brown/tan color (#9C8151) on the new layer.Without deselecting, move the selection down 15px and press Delete.Deselect and apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 5.0px.Lower the opacity of the layer to 50%, move it upwards, and remove any parts of the drop shadow that extend beyond the walls using your selection tool and the Delete key.
Using the Pen Tool or Rectangle Tool (U), draw a window-like shape on the left wall.
Apply a Gradient Overlay to give the window its blue color.
Apply an Inner Shadow and Inner Glow to the window shape layer for depth.
Enhance the windows’ appeal by adding a glassy reflection, as shown below.Draw the reflection shape and use the Gradient Tool (G) with a white to transparent gradient.
Ctrl/Cmd + click on the window shape layer to load a selection, then create a new layer.Fill the selection with a brown color (#C2AE89) on the new layer.Move the selection up and to the right and press Delete to achieve the desired depth for the window.
Make a copy of the window, flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal), and scale it down using Free Transform.Position the duplicated window over the front of the house using the Move Tool (V) (this window represents the attic).
Construct the door on the front of the house using the Pen Tool to draw a door-like shape.
Apply a Gradient Overlay to the door shape to give it its dark brown/wooden color.
Apply a Stroke layer style to the door shape to add depth to the edges.
Apply an Inner Shadow to give the door a 3D appearance.
Like the windows, create a recessed look for the door by making a 7
