Medium Level Signature

[Chronologix]

ok the last tutorial that i made is a bit outdated now, and i have learned a bunch of new things, so i thought i may as well make an update tutorial:

Step 1: Create Your Canvas

I am now starting to use 330x110, 330x100 or 350x100, so for this tutorial i will be using a 350x100 set to 72 resolution:

[img]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/new1.png[/img]

Step 2: Choose Your Render

The render is going to be the most important part of the signature from this point, it will be used for background detail. colors, and the image itself, there is going to be alot of emphasis on render usage here.

So choose the render you want to use and place it into your signature, then duplicate the render several times to create a bunch of render layers (i would say 5 or so....depends on the render size, sometimes only 2 or 3 is needed), then make 1 of the renders you main render, and place it where you want it to be on the signature, like in the middle...or off to the side, then make that layer invisible (click the little eye next to the layer in the list) Then you need to re-arrange the remainder of the render layers to completely cover the back of the signature....at this point it doesnt not matter how it looks, just arrange itso no white is showing. then proceed to merge all of the layers except for the main render layer.

[img]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/new2.gif[/img]

Step 3: Creating A Background

That layer that you merged together is now going to the basis for your background....what you will need to do is set that background layer to "Overlay" and this will cause the effect we want....when you set it to overlay...it will appear as if it has disappeared, mainly because when it overlays over a white background layer, then it wont look like anything, but this is exactly what we want.

Create a new layer and set this new layer underneath the overlay background layer. With this you can set your color color pallette to black (if you havent already done so...you can also press D to reset the colors to default black and white) and then you will need to begin brushing on the new layer (you can also use another render layer to put there...but i find it doesnt give the most "controlled" effect)

You will need to look for the right brushes for the sig....very dark or non-semi-transparent brushes tend not to work very well for this kind of background, but fiddle around with your brushes and find the one you like best...

[img]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/new3.gif[/img]

Step 4: Effects

Now that you have the render and background, you can start adding some effects, these are not going to be visually available, because i will be listing multiple.

The first of these effects is a very simple render blending effect. What you need to do, is duplicate your main render layer and place the copy underneath your main render layer, then with the copy selectedd click though the menu Filter->Blur->Radial Blur and set the blur to Spin and 30 pixels. You can fiddle with these effects the way that you want to...radial blur, motion blur, and many other effects can be used, i am just using radial spin as an example.

The next effect is a nice brighten(or darken)/blur effect, also very easy to do. Create a new layer and hit Image->Apply Image->Ok, then set that layer to Overlay or Softlight, and depending on the colors and light used in the sig, ir will change the sig to be either lighter or darker. And once you have it set to overlay or softlight then set the layer to a Glaussian Blur by going Filter->Blur->Glaussian Blur.

[img]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Tutorials/new4.gif[/img]

Then you add some text and some other little effects....a border, and your done!! easy peasy

Ending Product:

[img]https://img.photobucke*****m/albums/v470/Chronologix/Sig/Tutgfx.gif[/img]

I know it is nothing special....but it is much better than my old tutorial

[EleMentX]

Very nice thread you have there chrono

The outcome it good

i like the side bar =D