No-Brush Signature (Advanced)
This is a tutorial based off of the "No-Brush" style of signature, like this one:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Sig/nobrush.gif[/IMG]
This tutorial is going to "backtrack" what I did to create this signature, to show you a bit easier.
First off, this is the render I used: https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v4...ix/agent47.png
Unfortunately...i chose that render kinda of....quickly and it wasn't the best choice because only later on did i
realise that it is a bit choopy in areas...ANYWAYS
Step 1:
Create a new 350x100 canvas for your signature and re-size and place the render anywhere on the sig that you think
would be a decent Focal Point....you do not need to completely copy mine :p
Now re-paste another copy of the same render down to use as the background....do not change the size at all...just
paste TWO of them and arrange them so they look similar to what i have here:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/htut1.gif[/IMG]
Now merge those 2 render layers together and make that layer set to mode "Overlay", at this point all you will see
is the normal white background and the main render.
Now make a new layer and set it at the bottom (but not below the white background) and this is going to be the layer
that makes or breaks your background. With this layer, select the Gradient Tool and set it to the second gradient
shape (looks like a faded white circle on a black background) and then click the gradient tool again to choose its
colors. For this signature I would choose a brown and an orange. Then click in the centre of the render and drag
across to the edge of the signature (or beyond depending on how large you want the colors to be). If the orange is
NOT the color below the render, then you need to select the "reverse" option that is near the gradient shapes and
try again. Once you have your gradient set...the overlay background layer will now be visible....like this:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/htut2.gif[/IMG]
Now, make a copy of your main render layer and set it below the original, now go Filter->Blur->Radial
Blur...settings should be "Spin" at 25-35 Pixels (i chose 29), this will add a bit more to your render blending so
it wont be so sharp and stand out too much.
Next, duplicate your BACKGROUND layer and place it above all of your other layers so far (should be right above your
main render layer) and set it to "Soft Light". At this point your signature is looking quite dark....so click on
the little 1/2 white and 1/2 black circle at the bottom of your layers pallette and select "Brightness/Contrast" and
change its settings to these:
Brightness: +69
Contrast: +48
And select ok....now your signature should look like this:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/htut3.gif[/IMG]
Alright....so far so good (unless you did something wrong on a previous step -.-)
This is an easy part....simply create a new layer and put it at the very top of your layer list, then hit
Image->Apply Image->ok and set that layer to Screen....
Duplicate that layer you just made and set the copy to "Soft Light" and set that layer above the other one...
Add a color balance now...with these settings:
Shadows: 0,0,+9
Midtones: +2,0,-100
Highlights: none
Then once you have made that, now make a Hue/Saturation with these settings:
Saturation: -24
Now your signature should look like this:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/htut4.gif[/IMG]
Now for a bit of touch-ups, first is that dot pattern on the left side...this is an optional pattern....i am not
sure wy i even added it myself.
But anyways all you need to do is take your rectangular selection tool and select at area similar to the shape that
i have for the pattern area, then whip out the paint-bucket tool and change it from "foreground color"over to
"pattern" and select a dot pattern (mine is simply a 3x3 pattern with a single dot in the centre, set to white).
Fill the selected area and before you de-select it go to Select->Inverse, then feather it to 15 pixels and delete 2
or 3 times to get that "faded" effect.
Also in this signature i have 2 shapes in the background near the render, i will explain those now.
First off, take your oval selection tool and place your cursor in the top-left corner as much as you can, then hold
Shift, and make a selection, this will ONLY be for the left side of the shape...so make it look like how you want
the left side to look....we will work on the right side next...Once you have the selection, place your cursor back
in the top-left corner but this time move it a few milimeters to the right (dont move it up or down any more than
the last selection) and this time hold Alt and make the selection....this time make the outside of the selection to
look like how you want the RIGHT side look, this will delete the area to the right of the older selection and give
you a nice /| kind of shape....but smoother, then still without de-selection, take your paint-bucket tool, change it
BACK to "Foreground color" and fill with white. then move the new shape around until it is where you want it....use
this same method for the second shape...you juse need to fiddle around with the selections, without holding shift,
to get them exactly how you want.
But it should look similar to this now....your shapes will most likely be different:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/htut5.gif[/IMG]
The only other things that I did for this signature was create text and add a border and a line under the text.
Adding a border: Create a new layer and place that layer above all other layers in your layer list, then press
Ctrl+A to "select all" then go Edit->Stroke and change settings to color: Black and 1px (1 Pixel)
End Result:
[IMG]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Sig/nobrush.gif[/IMG]
