how do you make these?

[impiety]

i see a few ppl on bearbones who make avatars like these, and im wondering how?? i mean like, the little checker effect? bc ik how to adjust brightness contrast and borders and etc, but thats the one thing i dont know how

[aureate]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.4;"]The way I would do it is to like. Open a checkerboard pattern image in a layer above the icon in GIMP or whatever program you use, adjust size, and then make the layer a lower opacity until you get the look you want? IDK if that's how it's actually done but I think that would mimic the effect.