Sig Tutorial By Taurus

[Taurus]

Tutorial
This is Taurus’ sig making tutorial.  I use Photoshop, but for those of you who are cheap there’s The Gimp and Paint.net.  Both programs are free and are excellent photo editing software.
Step one
Start with a large blank file.  I usually create a file that’s twice as large as the final image will be.  The reason for this is that if it looks good at double the size, it will look amazing at normal size.  Below I’ve created a blank image file with the background set to transparent.  To do this, click File and select New.  You should see the screen shown below.


Notice that I’m creating a file that is 1000px wide and 300px high.  This is because I want the final signature to be 500px wide and 150px high.  Also, you can see that I have selected transparent for the background contents.  This is not necessary, but I always like to start with a transparent layer.  Click OK and you should see something similar to this.


The next step is to add a layer of color that matches the forum’s background color.  For this particular forum, the background color is R26 G26 B26.  To get this information, simply open up a forum webpage and hit Prt Scr.  Then open a new image and use the paste command.  An image taken from the forums is shown below.


To determine the background color, select the foreground color box and then click in the signature area of the post.  This is shown below.


Now we have the color code for the background and can return to making our signature.  Select Layer from the tool bar and create a new layer.


At this point we have two layers and things can start getting messy and confusing, so we start labeling our layers.  Right click Layer 1 in the bottom corner of the screen.  Select Layer Properties and then rename the layer to “Transparency”.
Do the same with layer two, but label it “Background Color”.
Select Layer 2 or “Background Color” and then, using the paint bucket tool, color the layer with the back ground color.  Set the color by clicking the foreground color box and putting the color code into the RGB boxes.


You should now have a gray box with two layers.  The basic set-up for your signature is now complete.


Step Two
Now that the basic set-up is complete, we want to start adding things like backgrounds and trucks.  Using Photoshop, open a picture of your truck.  I’ve taken the image below from the dodge website because I don’t own a dodge (still in college).


We are going to be editing this picture so go ahead and save it under a different name so that you don’t ruin your stock image.  The main thing we want to do with this image is remove the back ground.  The first step in doing a good job of this is to add a really nasty color for the background.  This will allow us to better see the edges of our truck.  Add a new layer as you did before.  Then in the bottom right of the screen, right click the “Background” layer and select Layer from Background.


Next, click and drag “Layer 1” below the now labeled “Layer 0”.  Now using the paint bucket tool, select a bright color and fill “Layer 1” with it.  I’ve chosen a bright blue; however depending on the color of your truck or image, you may want to choose a different color.


Now select “Layer 0” in the bottom left of the screen.  Then select the eraser tool and start erasing everything that isn’t truck.  This is the most time consuming part of making a sig.  The more time you spend here, the better your sig will look.  Also, after you save this truck only picture, you can use it over and over again for other sigs.  So take your time.  I like to start with the fine detail and go straight to outlining the truck.  Most people go nuts and remove as much of the background as they can at the start, try to avoid this as being able to look at the background detail can help you distinguish between the truck and background details.
Below is an image of me starting to erase background.  In the upper left is the option to increase brush size.  I like to start with a fairly large brush and then comeback and finish up the finer details with a small brush later.  I also have zoomed the image in to 300% of the original size because if it looks good at 300% it will look amazing at regular size.


Here it is all outlined out and ready to delete the rest of the background.  The hard part is over.


Next delete the rest of the background with a large eraser then, select “Layer 1” and with the right click menu, delete it.


You now have an image of just your truck that can be used in all your future sigs.

Step Three
Now that we have your truck photo chopped, it’s time to put it into your sig.  If your truck image is vastly larger than you sig image, resize it by selecting Image from the tool bar and then clicking Image Size.


Use the percent setting to reduce the size of the image.


Now with the image close to the correct size, select the transform tool (pointer and cross hairs) and drag the truck image onto your sig image.


The truck image will be added to a new layer that you can rename to “Truck”.  Using the transform tool, you can position the truck within your sig.  Now it’s time for some background.  I’ve selected a rock formation image to be my background.  Just resize your background image and drop it onto your sig just like you did with your truck.  Then drag the layer below the truck layer in the bottom right of the screen.  (in this case, I’ve left the background on top of the truck and deleted some of it.  This will be for a special effect).


Next, we can add some special effects.  Right click the truck layer and select Duplicate Layer.  Now drag this new layer above the background layer.   Next we’re going to add some effect to this layer so right above the layer selection area is a dropdown menu that says Normal.  Select this and then Linear Dodge.  This will apply a blending effect to the layer.


Below is what the change will look like.


Now using the eraser tool, delete every part of this layer that is not over the rock background.  It may not look like much, but were slowly building to a neat effect.


Now we’re going to add a Drop Shadow to the layer.  Right click the layer and select Blending Options. Then select Drop Shadow.  The default here looks pretty good so I’m not gonna play with it.


Now we want to blend this in with the original truck image that is behind the background, so select that layer.  Right click and again go to the Blending Options screen.  Here we are going to add a bevel.  Select Bevel and here we see that the default bevel works quite well so again I’m not going to mess around with it.


The basics are done.  We can now add some text and a border.

Step Four
To create some text, select the text tool.  Drag a box anywhere in the sig.  I did mine in the lower right.


Write your name or whatever and re-highlight the text.  It’s time to select a font and font size.  If you don’t like any of your current fonts, you can always download some at http://www.1001freefonts.com/.  I’ve selected a large Starcraft font.


Now let’s add some effects to the font.  Right click the font layer and duplicate it.  The effects will be added to the copied layer.  These are done the same way as the layers by right clicking and accessing the Blending Options.  I’ve added a pattern overlay and lowered the opacity to make it less visible. I also added a bevel to the text.


Now select the original text layer and after zooming in, move it slightly down and to the right.


The text is now done and it’s time to add a border.

Add a new layer.  Using the rectangular marquee tool, select a box that is just a bit smaller than the sig.


Right click inside the box and select Select Inverse.  Choose a dark color and using the paint brush tool, paint the border.  I chose the same color as the forum background.


Added effects to the layer using the Blending Options screen.  Here I only used the Pillow Emboss effect.
Now add another layer and select a box even closer to the edge than the last border.  This layer is used to cover up some of the emboss effect from the previous layer.


Again, right click.  Use select inverse and paint the layer the color of the background.
You’re done…now it’s time to zoom out and admire your work.


Step Five
After finishing the sig, I found that the text didn’t really go with the theme.  I deleted the layers and started again.  I liked the Starcraft font so I kept it and just adjusted the blending option to overlay.  I then added a pillow emboss bevel from the Blending Options screen.  (It routine to have to make changes when you zoom out.  Don't expect it to be perfect the first time.)

Finally resize because the image is still twice the size we want it.  Then save and enjoy.

Additional
Here is where we are going to explore “grunge brushing”.  For those that don’t know, there are many different brush packs for Photoshop.  These can be downloaded here http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psbrushes/.  Just run through them until you see some that you like.  Download them and then put the extracted files into the” adobe photoshop/presets/brushes” folder.  I didn’t provide a direct path because it depends on where you installed Photoshop and which version of Photoshop you are using.
The steps below are for Photoshop version CS2.

To use these new brushes, open up Photoshop and select the paint brush tool.  (note, all brushes can be used as erasers too.)  In the upper left are some brush options and a little arrow.  Click it and you will see this.


That long drop-down list is all the custom brushes and default brushes.  Just select the brushes you want from here.  Now just select colors and instead of dragging brushes to pain, just make clicks.  Here are a few images of brushes that I have.


Here’s some brush work done with two brush packs.


That's all I got for ya'll.  Now that you know how it’s done, get to it!

[Buford445]

  WOW that's Great!! Nice job 

[RamItOne]

good job..... gave you an attaboy for that

[Tom Courtright]

that defiantly works.
almost how i usually do it actually
nice write up

[RamItOne]

yall dont use the magic wizzard and adjust the tolerances though? to me thats faster in cutting out an image..

[Tom Courtright]

i normally cut the image out with the polygonal lasso bigger than the car, paste into the sig, then use a vector mask to fine tune the edge, i can zoom and go back and forth getting the edge right.

[Taurus]

I find those methods work quite nicely with fairly simple cutouts, but when you get into stuff like animals or "frilley" stuff they don't seem to work as well.  especially when the background colors are close to the object's color.  I tend to just stick with the slow and painful method.

[Tom Courtright]

i do it slow and painfull when the frilly stuff is involved.

[RamItOne]

well yeah ESP if the subject isn't one color as well. I usually use the wiz and then what's too close I'll go in at 400% and go slow and steady

[Tom Courtright]

using the pen tablet makes it so much easier, i can use a medium brush size and it can be used as any size smaller.
good for around eyelash type shapes and hair especially

[Taurus]

No pen tablet here...just a 3200dpi gamer mouse with adjustable weight and friction pads.  I really want one though, they look like they make life so much easier.

[Tom Courtright]

i want a good mouse, i've got a sweet heavy logitech, but its getting worn out

the pen tabs are awsome, i even use it to troll the forums, scrollings easy as hell,click side button, move pen up or down. saves the wrist for more important tasks....

[jakebrake]

Gonna put this up as a sticky.

[Taurus]

i want a good mouse, i've got a sweet heavy logitech, but its getting worn out

This is the best mouse I've ever had.  I got one for my desktop and then had to get another for my laptop.

http://shop1.frys.com/%7BdMkLl9Exzwb9lWrGESnCiA**.node3%7D/product/5220637;jsessionid=dMkLl9Exzwb9lWrGESnCiA**.node3?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

[Tom Courtright]

now thats a hot mouse.