- Joined
- Aug 31, 2005
- Messages
- 823
This tutorial will demonstrate the basics of how to create simple signatures using Adobe Photoshop.
Examples:
A sig I made for PrinceofIce:
My old signature:
In this tutorial you will need the following tools:
For starters lets open Adobe Photoshop and Create a new document, 500 x 80 should look nice. Also, be sure to use RGB color with a Transparent Background. (Refer to image)
Alright, now we should have a blank canvas with little squares everywhere. Not much of a signature but at least we have our size set.
Now lets import our background image. You can copy and paste an image if you already have one or go online to google.com and find some. For this tutorial I searched "Arthas" in google and pasted my result into the background.
After moving it around with the Move (v) tool my image looks like this.
Alright now were cooking with fire, time to add the name "PrinceofIce" to the image. For this we'll need to create a new photoshop file (size: 400 x 400 works well) and (using the text tool) type in our name "PrinceofIce".
Note: I used Monotype Corsiva, Regular, Size 45, Smooth font
Nows where it gets tricky, were going to create that nice ice effect for the text. To do this we will need to rotate the text and then use a wind effect over it.
Under "Image" we are going to rotate the entire canvas 90 degrees CCW (Counder Clock Wise)
Before we use the wind effect we need to keep the text strait so it doesnt become unreadable. To do this we're going to dupllicate our text layer in the Layer box (F7 will show the layer box if you dont have it). After the layer box is visible right click the text and select "Duplicate Layer..." from the dropdown menu.
You should see something like this in your layer box.
Now right click the layer copy and select send to back. You wont notice a change yet and thats good. Now, making sure that "PrinceofIce Copy" is highlighted in our layer box go to Filter -> Stylize -> Wind and select "Blast" and "From the Left"
A messagebox will appear and ask you to rasterize the layer, click ok.
Looking at the image now you should still see no immediate change. Still with "Prince of Ice Copy" highlighted in your layer box press v (or select the move tool from the toolbox) and press the right arrow on your keyboard. (Two times should be enough for you to see a difference)
Now we will need rotate our text back to its original position. (Image - Rotate Canvas 90 degrees CW)
This will be the basis for our text. Now we need to move this text back to our image; but first lets make it look icy. Select the "PrinceofIce" copy layer and right click it, navigate to blending properties. (From within these properties you can change many features to create new looks for text/images/shapes etc.)
Under blending properties look along the left column for "Color Overlay" and check and highlight it (to highlight it click the text "Color Overlay"). Pick a light teal color. Repeat this procedure for the other "PrinceofIce" Layer.
Now that you have these colored lets import them into our main image and edit them a little further. To import them into the main image we will need to select them using the rectangular marquee tool (selection box - hotkey m) and copy merged. (Edit - Copy merged OR Ctrl+Shift+C)
Alright, now we can close this 400 x 400 image and return to our signature.
Lets paste this text in (Edit - Paste or Ctrl + V)
Alright guys, well the difficult part is over now. If you've made it this far pat yourself on the back and cheer. Now we're just going to add in some nice effects.
First lets select our new layer (PrinceofIce text) and go back to the blending properties. (right click layer and select blending properties form the dropdown menu). This is where the cool iced over effect comes from.
Edit the properties as follows:
Outer Glow - Blue, 75% Opacity
Inner Glow - White, 90% Opacity
Bevel and Emboss - Inner Bevel Style and Technique: Smooth
Texture - Pattern : Crystals (from the Patterns2 Preset patterns) If you cannot find it any rough rocky pattern will do.
Now your Blending Properties sheet should look like this.
And your image should look like this.
All thats left now is to add in the bars along the top and bottom of the image and add in the icicles on the right.
To make the bars we will create one bar along the top and then copy & paste it to the bottom.
For the first bar we will use the rectangle tool (hotkey - u). And draw a nice border just barely through our friend arthas's head. (Note: Color doesnt matter at this point because we will use the blending properties to cover it up)
Alright Now in your layer box select the shape we just made and bring up the blending properties. Edit the propterties as follows:
Blending Options: Custom - Opacity 75%
Outer Glow - Light Blue color, Opacity: 75%
Inner Glow - White, Opacity: 75%
Bevel and Emboss (just checked)
Texture - Crystal (or same texture as last)
Color Overlay - Light Blue
Alright now that you have edited the bar your image should look like similar to this
Now just duplicate the bar layer (in the layer box right click the shape we just created [most likely named shape 1 unless you named it] and select "Duplicate Layer" from the dropdown menu) and move it to the bottom of the image (using the move tool [hotkey - V])
Alright. Now were just about finished. Add in a few final touches, and its over. First lets go to google and get our icicle image (simply type in icicle) and you should see a result similar to the one i selected. Now just cut away a piece of it and paste it onto your image (you may have to arrange your layers a little to get it under both bars and under your text, to do this just use the Layer menu from the top of the screen and select Arrange.
Now your signature should look like this:
Finally lets add a little bluish tinting to our image of Arthas so he looks a little more.. well.. blue! To do this we will use the blending properties again and once again go to color overlay. Select a blue color and change the opacity to a lower number (15% looks good to me).
Alright, Now you have a fully finished signature (hopefully) and you also know the basics of the blending properties in Photoshop! Congradulations and well done!
Heres the finished product:
Examples:
A sig I made for PrinceofIce:
My old signature:
In this tutorial you will need the following tools:
- Adobe Photoshop
- The internet (note: if you dont have the internet you cant read this tutorial)
- 45 min to an hour
- Some sort of concept for what you want to create
For starters lets open Adobe Photoshop and Create a new document, 500 x 80 should look nice. Also, be sure to use RGB color with a Transparent Background. (Refer to image)
Alright, now we should have a blank canvas with little squares everywhere. Not much of a signature but at least we have our size set.
Now lets import our background image. You can copy and paste an image if you already have one or go online to google.com and find some. For this tutorial I searched "Arthas" in google and pasted my result into the background.
After moving it around with the Move (v) tool my image looks like this.
Alright now were cooking with fire, time to add the name "PrinceofIce" to the image. For this we'll need to create a new photoshop file (size: 400 x 400 works well) and (using the text tool) type in our name "PrinceofIce".
Note: I used Monotype Corsiva, Regular, Size 45, Smooth font
Nows where it gets tricky, were going to create that nice ice effect for the text. To do this we will need to rotate the text and then use a wind effect over it.
Under "Image" we are going to rotate the entire canvas 90 degrees CCW (Counder Clock Wise)
Before we use the wind effect we need to keep the text strait so it doesnt become unreadable. To do this we're going to dupllicate our text layer in the Layer box (F7 will show the layer box if you dont have it). After the layer box is visible right click the text and select "Duplicate Layer..." from the dropdown menu.
You should see something like this in your layer box.
Now right click the layer copy and select send to back. You wont notice a change yet and thats good. Now, making sure that "PrinceofIce Copy" is highlighted in our layer box go to Filter -> Stylize -> Wind and select "Blast" and "From the Left"
A messagebox will appear and ask you to rasterize the layer, click ok.
Looking at the image now you should still see no immediate change. Still with "Prince of Ice Copy" highlighted in your layer box press v (or select the move tool from the toolbox) and press the right arrow on your keyboard. (Two times should be enough for you to see a difference)
Now we will need rotate our text back to its original position. (Image - Rotate Canvas 90 degrees CW)
This will be the basis for our text. Now we need to move this text back to our image; but first lets make it look icy. Select the "PrinceofIce" copy layer and right click it, navigate to blending properties. (From within these properties you can change many features to create new looks for text/images/shapes etc.)
Under blending properties look along the left column for "Color Overlay" and check and highlight it (to highlight it click the text "Color Overlay"). Pick a light teal color. Repeat this procedure for the other "PrinceofIce" Layer.
Now that you have these colored lets import them into our main image and edit them a little further. To import them into the main image we will need to select them using the rectangular marquee tool (selection box - hotkey m) and copy merged. (Edit - Copy merged OR Ctrl+Shift+C)
Alright, now we can close this 400 x 400 image and return to our signature.
Lets paste this text in (Edit - Paste or Ctrl + V)
Alright guys, well the difficult part is over now. If you've made it this far pat yourself on the back and cheer. Now we're just going to add in some nice effects.
First lets select our new layer (PrinceofIce text) and go back to the blending properties. (right click layer and select blending properties form the dropdown menu). This is where the cool iced over effect comes from.
Edit the properties as follows:
Outer Glow - Blue, 75% Opacity
Inner Glow - White, 90% Opacity
Bevel and Emboss - Inner Bevel Style and Technique: Smooth
Texture - Pattern : Crystals (from the Patterns2 Preset patterns) If you cannot find it any rough rocky pattern will do.
Now your Blending Properties sheet should look like this.
And your image should look like this.
All thats left now is to add in the bars along the top and bottom of the image and add in the icicles on the right.
To make the bars we will create one bar along the top and then copy & paste it to the bottom.
For the first bar we will use the rectangle tool (hotkey - u). And draw a nice border just barely through our friend arthas's head. (Note: Color doesnt matter at this point because we will use the blending properties to cover it up)
Alright Now in your layer box select the shape we just made and bring up the blending properties. Edit the propterties as follows:
Blending Options: Custom - Opacity 75%
Outer Glow - Light Blue color, Opacity: 75%
Inner Glow - White, Opacity: 75%
Bevel and Emboss (just checked)
Texture - Crystal (or same texture as last)
Color Overlay - Light Blue
Alright now that you have edited the bar your image should look like similar to this
Now just duplicate the bar layer (in the layer box right click the shape we just created [most likely named shape 1 unless you named it] and select "Duplicate Layer" from the dropdown menu) and move it to the bottom of the image (using the move tool [hotkey - V])
Alright. Now were just about finished. Add in a few final touches, and its over. First lets go to google and get our icicle image (simply type in icicle) and you should see a result similar to the one i selected. Now just cut away a piece of it and paste it onto your image (you may have to arrange your layers a little to get it under both bars and under your text, to do this just use the Layer menu from the top of the screen and select Arrange.
Now your signature should look like this:
Finally lets add a little bluish tinting to our image of Arthas so he looks a little more.. well.. blue! To do this we will use the blending properties again and once again go to color overlay. Select a blue color and change the opacity to a lower number (15% looks good to me).
Alright, Now you have a fully finished signature (hopefully) and you also know the basics of the blending properties in Photoshop! Congradulations and well done!
Heres the finished product:
Bravo! We aspiring PSP artists learned a great deal from the "Creating Nice looking Signatures" tutorial. It's informative, detailed, and presented in a friendly way. It would be best attach the images themselves to this excellent tut rather than linking to them offsite.
)
