More artistic than tech related question

[BodyBagz]

Hey fellow Droid X`rs...I have a question to ask of all the artistic types we have on the forum.

Is there a step-by-step guideline that any of you could post for creating "minimalistic text" type icons for apps?

I am decent with some photo editing stuff...but not with all...and I would like to be able to create my own text based icons instead of having to ask the developer whose Launcher Theme I am using to make me more simply because his icon pack doesnt contain everything I am using...

I am not looking for someone to build them for me either...but just to lay out the simplest instructions and then I can beat and bang around in either Gimp or some other software and see what I can come up with.

Below is some examples of the basic type icons I would like to build, and a screencap of my current phone with them being used...these are from DreamLyfe Design...great Dev with very nice looking Dock Themes and Icon Packs....
***The backgounds are Transparent of course***

 

[BodyBagz]

Nobody? Nothing? Not even a single clue?

Come on, someone has got to be able to throw me at least a bone...

 

[BodyBagz]

Ok, I finally figured out how to do this...atleast by way of using an included PSD file from some icon packs on DroidPirate.

Now if I can teach myself how to do them from scratch, I will be better off.