2
2205
Still annoyed...
Towns Folk
Hi there!
So I've been asked to do a step-by-step of a signature I made. I used @Evelyn 's request for the tutorial, I hope you don't mind! I use Photoshop CS4 by the way!
She provided me with this sweet render:
So we will start with this.
Create a new document in Photoshop. I like to work on something at least twice as big as the end result should be. This way I can work with more quality.
So for this request, something 1000x400 will do.
I already have presets for Signatures and Avatars on Pedia ^^
Open your render and remove any unwanted part, in this case the big watermark in the top left.
Once it is done, lets move the render to the Signature document you're working on. An easy way: CTRL+A, CTRL+C, click on your document, CTRL+V.
Well, it's too big. We want to adjust the render without actually changing its aspect ratio, right? We don't want it to become deformed... so lets go with CTRL+T (Free transform tool).
You will want to click on the little chain, on the top of your tools, if you hover on the chain, you'll see it's to maintain Aspect Ratio. Once it is done, you can click on W or Y while moving your mouse from left to right to adjust the size of the picture, while it will still keep its ratio.
Once you're satisfied with the size of the render, press enter, it will apply your modifications. Trying to select another tool will also prompt you to confirm if you want to apply the modifications or not.
Now we will work a bit on the background. I assume that you already know how layers work. So I like the leaves on the floor... so I found a nice render on maple leaves, I put it behind the render and I adjust it just like I did with the initial render.
It doesn't really match the rest of the picture. CTRL + U will bring up the Hue and Saturation tool. There, you can change various settings in the colours of your selected layers. Usually, just using the Master one is enough, but if you open it, you can change the hues on selected colours (yellow, red, magenta, etc)...
It still feels a bit empty. Adding a new layer behind everything and putting some renders will help fill the space and make it more "full".
I added two brushes of 2 different colours. The colours have been picked in the leaves on the render to match the picture (just press i to have the colour picker). You can see the layers there, just ignore the gradient it's for later.
Well it STILL feels barren, so there comes the gradient. Do a gradient from colours picked on your render again. Apply the gradient behind everything.
Oh my gosh what is that? Ok, so we will apply a mask on that gradient. It's there, bottom right. Select your layer then click on that. You can then click on the mask to work on it. What is black doesn't show, what is white shows. So on the picture, it is all black, so we can't see the gradient anymore. The layer just above show a mask I worked on.
So now use a soft brush to make some parts of the gradient appear. This is how it looks with the mask you saw above:
Once you're done with your mask and you're happy with the result, don't forget to apply it, otherwise you'll end up with a fine line all around your sig in the end.
So I'm skipping all the text part, I might do another tutorial if you're interested.
Now it's time to reduce the picture and save it.
Click on Image, Image Size (or ALT+CTRL+i).
This window should open. It's important to have Constrain Proportions ticked, otherwise you'll have to change both sizes for it to keep its aspect ratio. While having it ticked, chaging one of the sizes changes both. I reduce it to the max size available on Pedia, which is half the size I was working on.
Now I hide the White background (I always have a white background to see how it looks like on white). I always provide the sig on a transparent background, this way if the user brings it on another forum or if Pedia changes colour one day, it will still fit.
Now you can save your picture as a PNG to keep the transparency and Voilà!
So I've been asked to do a step-by-step of a signature I made. I used @Evelyn 's request for the tutorial, I hope you don't mind! I use Photoshop CS4 by the way!
She provided me with this sweet render:
So we will start with this.
Create a new document in Photoshop. I like to work on something at least twice as big as the end result should be. This way I can work with more quality.
So for this request, something 1000x400 will do.
I already have presets for Signatures and Avatars on Pedia ^^
Open your render and remove any unwanted part, in this case the big watermark in the top left.
Once it is done, lets move the render to the Signature document you're working on. An easy way: CTRL+A, CTRL+C, click on your document, CTRL+V.
Well, it's too big. We want to adjust the render without actually changing its aspect ratio, right? We don't want it to become deformed... so lets go with CTRL+T (Free transform tool).
You will want to click on the little chain, on the top of your tools, if you hover on the chain, you'll see it's to maintain Aspect Ratio. Once it is done, you can click on W or Y while moving your mouse from left to right to adjust the size of the picture, while it will still keep its ratio.
Once you're satisfied with the size of the render, press enter, it will apply your modifications. Trying to select another tool will also prompt you to confirm if you want to apply the modifications or not.
Now we will work a bit on the background. I assume that you already know how layers work. So I like the leaves on the floor... so I found a nice render on maple leaves, I put it behind the render and I adjust it just like I did with the initial render.
It doesn't really match the rest of the picture. CTRL + U will bring up the Hue and Saturation tool. There, you can change various settings in the colours of your selected layers. Usually, just using the Master one is enough, but if you open it, you can change the hues on selected colours (yellow, red, magenta, etc)...
It still feels a bit empty. Adding a new layer behind everything and putting some renders will help fill the space and make it more "full".
I added two brushes of 2 different colours. The colours have been picked in the leaves on the render to match the picture (just press i to have the colour picker). You can see the layers there, just ignore the gradient it's for later.
Well it STILL feels barren, so there comes the gradient. Do a gradient from colours picked on your render again. Apply the gradient behind everything.
Oh my gosh what is that? Ok, so we will apply a mask on that gradient. It's there, bottom right. Select your layer then click on that. You can then click on the mask to work on it. What is black doesn't show, what is white shows. So on the picture, it is all black, so we can't see the gradient anymore. The layer just above show a mask I worked on.
So now use a soft brush to make some parts of the gradient appear. This is how it looks with the mask you saw above:
Once you're done with your mask and you're happy with the result, don't forget to apply it, otherwise you'll end up with a fine line all around your sig in the end.
So I'm skipping all the text part, I might do another tutorial if you're interested.
Now it's time to reduce the picture and save it.
Click on Image, Image Size (or ALT+CTRL+i).
This window should open. It's important to have Constrain Proportions ticked, otherwise you'll have to change both sizes for it to keep its aspect ratio. While having it ticked, chaging one of the sizes changes both. I reduce it to the max size available on Pedia, which is half the size I was working on.
Now I hide the White background (I always have a white background to see how it looks like on white). I always provide the sig on a transparent background, this way if the user brings it on another forum or if Pedia changes colour one day, it will still fit.
Now you can save your picture as a PNG to keep the transparency and Voilà!
Last edited:
