The editing tool used in this guide is paintDOTnet[www.getpaint.net] with plugins[www.vandermotten.be].

Choose the image you want to have as an icon, good sources are tanks-encyclopedia[tanks-encyclopedia.com], Wargaming API[developers.wargaming.net] and Google Images[images.google.com].

For this guide I will be using this image as template:




Open the image in paintDOTnet



Remove undesired elements from the image like watermarks and background, using "rectangle select" or "magic wand".



Then we make the entire template black using the "Brightness/Contrast" tool in the "Adjustements" tab:

• Once with "-100 brightness" and "-100 contrast":
  
  
  
• And once with "-100 brightness" and "100 contrast":
  

Now select the "Paint Bucket" and input the HEX color "517151", then fill the image with the color. You can adjust using the "tolerance slider". Make sure to fill in gaps as much as possible (e.g. gap between the tank tracks) to only have one solid shape:

Also this is the step where you want to change to orientation of your image if needed ("Image>Flip Horizontal").



Create a new blank image ("File>New") with dimensions 76*42:


Remove the background from this image ("Ctrl+A" and "Del"):


Resize your template image ("Image>Resize"):


Paste your template on the new image, using "Ctrl+A", "Ctrl+C" on the template and "Ctrl+V" on the target image:

Resize and reposition the pasted image as needed.


Click on your icon with the "Magic Wand" tool:

Adjust the tolerance if needed.

Add a new layer, while making sure that the pixel selection made in the previous step is still active:


Now using the "Gradient" tool add the gradient on the new layer, making sure that the primary color is white with "opacity 30" and the secondary color is transparent ("opacity 0").


You can add more gradients if you want brighter icons.


Press "Esc"' key a couple of times to cancel the pixel selection, then merge the two layers using "Image>Flatten":


Use the "Effects>Object>Drop Shadow" tool to add a black contour:


Then add another shadow with different parameters:



The final step is adding some details to your icon, like tank suspension:

You can use the "Paintbrush" and change the "Brush width" + "color palette" parameters.

If you haven't made a mod folder yet, check out this video:
The icon should be saved in "<your mod folder>/gfx/interface/counters/division_templates_large/" as ".dds" format.

You can overwrite an existing vanilla icon by naming your file the same:


You can also add your icon by creating a ".gfx" file in "<your mod folder>/interface/" and adding a new sprite reference:
Make sure that "<ICON_NUMBER>" is the next icon number in line, otherwise your icon will not show in-game:



If you did everything correctly your division icon will show up:

The last thing to do is create the small map-version of your icon, but I'll let you figure this out ;) (TIP: look at the in-game small icons in \gfx\interface\counters\division_templates_small\)

I hope that this guide was helpful and if you need additional help, just leave a comment.

If you don't want the hassle of uploading your mod, then send me your icon and I'll add it to my More Division Icons mod and list you as a contributor.

Good luck modders!