[Beginners TUT] Guide to Making Sigs

[US Marine]

[COLOR="Yellow"]
Requirements:[/COLOR]
- Basic knowledge of signature making
- Brush sets
- Photoshop

Photoshop CS4
Click here to download the cracked full version of Photoshop CS4 for FREE

Introduction:
This guide is basically the tricks and techniques I use to make my own sigs. I thought I'd make a topic on it so that others can improve their sigs. Some ways are more basic than others. I'll be updating this and adding more techniques when I have more time. Might be a few spelling errors here and there, but I'll fix it when I'm not so tired

I hope you guys enjoy!
Keep em' sigs coming ;]
- (Kevin) US Marine

Brushes Tip
The more brushes you have, the better and easier it'll be. I have 52 brush packs right now lol


What you want to do is go to the following sites and download ALL of the good brushes you see
http://myphotoshopbrushes.com/brushes/search
http://www.brusheezy.com/Brushes/
http://www.brushking.eu/

Also, you can just search in google "Photoshop Brush Downloads" to get more sites.

Try to download and install as many as you can.

How to download:
1. Download it through WinRAR and save it to your Brush presets folder
The folder address should look something similar to this
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS4 (64 Bit)\Presets\Brushes
2. Once downloaded and extracted through WinRAR, go into your Brushes folder and double click on each ABR File.
It should load Photoshop when you do.

Once you've opened all of them, X out of photoshop, re-open photoshop and they'll be installed !



Making a border
How to make a border around your sig.
Steps:
1. Create a new layer, and make it the TOP layer
2. Ctr+A
3. Click on 'Edit' at the Menu Bar
4. Click on 'Stroke...'
5. Adjust the settings to your liking and click OK

I usually do Black 2px
On a plain white background, it should look like this:




Effects to Brush layers
Sometimes brushes can look plain and boring. This will help spice it up!
Steps:
1. Let's take a plain black background with a white 2px border
2. Add a new layer
3. Brush it with a WHITE or BLACK brush, depending on what the background color is. It should look like this

4. Double click on the layer with the brush marks, so it opens up the properties. What you want to do is add some effects to it, such as outer glows, inner glows, shadows, and such. They give it a GREAT look, like this:




Blending a Render: Part 1
Layer properties is your best friend! Use the SHIT out of it. Using the sig from above, we'll blend with a render

Render without blending


Render with blending

Properties:
- Inner Shadow (default)
- Outer Shadow (default)
- Outer Glow (customized)
- Color Overlay (customized)

Outer Glow property layer. Notice the opacity and the size! Also, for the best effects, make it a similar color to the background.


Color Overlay property layer. Again, notice the opacity and have it set to a similar color to the background.





Blending a Render: Part 2
Now let's take it a step FURTHER. What you'll want to do now is brush above the layer. We'll use the same sig
Steps:
1. Create a new layer, and move it above the render layer
2. Brush the new layer. Not too much though, you don't want to cover the render
3. Go into the layer properties and add an Outer Glow, using a similar color to the background

It should look something like this




Adding in a Background Image
Adding a background watercolor image onto a signature.

I did this on a sig I made for Brendan, who's going in the Marine Corps.
Here's what It looks like. (it's on the left)


This is EXTREMELY simple, but can look amazing on sigs.

Steps:
1. Get an image from google and save it
2. Add it onto your sig, just as you would with a render
3. Go into the layer properties and lower the opacity down until it blends right into the background.

Make sure it's noticeable, but you also don't want it to stick out.

Here's the settings I used. I happen to put an inner shadow, just because it made it look better..so feel free to fool around with the other layer property effects




Adding Text
How to add and blend text.

A few tips
- 10-14 size text
- Simple fonts, such as Arial and Garmond. No need to download fancy ones

Now we'll do the same thing as we did when blending a render, but with the text!

Steps:
1. Add in WHITE text with the size and font of your liking
Should look like this..(very plain)


2. Just like we did with blending a render, use the layer properties to make it blend like so...

- Drop Shadow (default)
- Outer Glow (customized)
- Color Overlay (customized)

Outer Glow property layer. Notice the opacity is lowered, the size, and color.


Color Overlay. Opacity and color

Code:

Update List:
2010-06-03. Posted Guide

Credits:
(Kevin) USMC - 100%

[l33t k0]

Good job m8! This should help some beginners!

[Heroflame]

Damn nigga, great work. Doin' everythin you can before you go? (;

[marko23]

ty for this. im not new at making sigs but it will help even me

[snow]

really nice guide!
it'll help alot of new gfx noobs. (:

[War M1A2]

can you do this on Gimp 2.6?

[Ikr]

This is a really good guide, you must of put a fair bit of time into it.
Ima DL photoshop then test it out

Have some rep+cookiez

[Pog]

Holy hell, nice man :o that's a sweet guide.

[Ringo]

Very detailed and specific, thank you for the tutorial!

[V12]

Hey thanks, this helped me. I'm going to start some projects with this guide.