Here are some effects I described in this article, presented on my own icons:

Additional tips and things you might hate me for

- You will fail in the beginning. Hard.
- Rome wasn't built in a day, don't rush into things, yadda yadda. You get the point: don't get discouraged. Even the best icon artists sucked when they started out.
- Ask if you don't understand something. Concerning this guide, bug me until you're satisfied c: I promise it won't be like poking a sleeping bear with a short stick. Honestly.
- Grab as many textures/brushes/resources as you can. Start deleting only when you have an idea what you like to make and don't need junk around.
- Whoa, easy there. Remember to credit all the grabbage!
- Have some terms of usage for your icons. Generally people are allowed to use them if they don't claim them as their own or let the creator know they're using them.
- Don't get too cocky. There's always room for improvement.
- Don't use the same template again and again. While a few icons look good, I can't take some LJ posters seriously if their entire 40-icon post consists of images c/p-ed under the same effect layers and then saved.
- Take requests. This will help you expand your horizons since the requesters will have preferences that will drag you out of your comfort zone.
- Get out of your comfort zone. Often. As often as you can.

Les credits
As always, tutorial/guide written by me. I'd rather you don't duplicate it and link to it instead, but this is the Internet after all so at least don't say you wrote it, 'k? c:
Written using Photoshop CS2 and CS5, no differences as far as I've seen concerning what I wrote about here.
Manga used for the sharpness and Dark Trio comparisons is Koisuru Boukun by Hinako Takanaga. The one for the blur comparison is Wild Rose by Hokuto Yamagishi. You have yours truly to pelt with really bad eggs thank for the eye-popping colors.
Any questions may be freely thrown in my general direction c: