Please be aware, hat this tutorial uses information I've explained in other tutorials previously, links are available in this post though. If you have ideas on how to make this easier or better, please tell me.

Materials:
This texture from this post.
This image of merlin from bbcs merlin site.
Brushset by newkidfan here.

First open the Merlin image (File > Open) to crop it. I cropped the Merlin image using the pen tool [ ]. The pen tool is the most flxible and precise cropping tool, but also the hardest to master. You can find several tutorials here, here and here which teach the basics and can explain it better then I could.

Try those before you start cropping the image. In case of the promo pic, I zoom (keyboard shortcut= Z) in on it so I can crop it clearer. Change the image mode to be more flexible (shortcut = F). and then use the pen tool to crop. I made a small video to show hown I did it. If you have questions about some of the steps please ask, but read the three tutorials first.

Tip: Sometimes it can be helpful to press Layer > Metting > Defringe after you cropped an image.

Here is a second vid showing how I created the icon, with some loose explanations following.



Now that you have the cropped image, create a new file: File > New (strg + N) with 100px width and height and press "ok". Open the texture sky1.jpg and resize it a bit. Maybe so it is half the size. It will make transforming it easier.

Drag and drop sky1.jpg into the 100x100px file and transform it (edit > free transform or shortcut strg + t), so it fits into the space. Remember to keep shift pressed to not mess with the aspect ratio. Sharpen the background using the Sharpener in the toolbar (shortcut r, Choose second in the drop down menue). And set the options to stength: 7%. I use that for all my sharpening since it's more accurate and allows more control than using a filter. Move the sharpener over the texture a few time until it looks the way you want it to.

Next, repeat all this with the cropped Merlin image. Drag it into the 100x100px file, transform and sharpen.



Create a new Layout to apply some stripes using a brush (shortcut b) with sharpness 100% and about 9-19px width. Then use Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur to merge those lines a bit.

Create another new layer and use a brush 65 or 100px to apply a brown mass in the upper left corner. Then set the layer transparency to about 70%. Or really to whatever you like.



Duplicate the Texure Layer, set it to blend mode multiply with a transparency of about 60%.

Now we start with the first adjustment layer. You can find a full tutorial here. On top of the bottom Texture layer we create an adjustment layer Hue/Saturation and set the Satruration to -100. this way everything under this layer will appear gray. On top of the second texture laxer we create and adjustment layer "Curves". Lighten up the image a bit with this tool.



Now we add another Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. This time instead of taking out the color, we add it. Satuarion: +40. We had it on top of the Merlin image and under the brownish mass. Remember to play with it and change the order of the layers.

On top of the brown mass we add another Hue/Saturation layer with Saturation -100. That makes it all grey, however we will use a mask to mask part of the layer and have parts of the icon colored. To hide and show masks, use the brush-tool. The colors are to be used like this: White=visible, black= invisible, grey=opacity. See Adjustment layer tutorial for more.



Now we create several adjusment layer to color the icon. We create them all on top. I like starting with color balance. In this case I used it to add a blue tint. My favorite adjustment layer of all however is the Selective coloring. I almost always choose to increase the intesity of the white by choosing the white from the drop down menue and decreasing the black there. I made other adjustments here, to the yellow, the blue.. etc.

I've added three more texture layers in between using a brush by newkidfan. Twice on top of the layer with the masked area and once under the cropped Merlin. And that's that. We got our icon.



Om occasion I reduce the whole image to one layer to sharpen it again.




Helpful Links:
Tutorial sites: www.psdtuts.com, http://tutorialdog.com/, http://pshero.com/, http://www.tutorial9.net/
Lern Photoshop in just one week : http://elitebydesign.com/how-to-master-photoshop-in-just-one-week/
There is also a small tutorial for cropping images using channels here.

Happy new year!!! I wish you all the best!!!