Signature help please.

[Borderdawn]

Id like to incorporate a signature in my pictures (or the better ones :D) I really like the "hand written" types but am at a loss of how to do it. I am crap at photoshopping, I have photoshop CS and can just about open it! :lol: Can anyone give me help as to how to achieve these signatures easily?
Dawn.

[rammy]

Either use a fountain pen or a thick nib pen or marker and write your signature on a white piece of paper. Take a picture of it and load it in Photoshop. Select the white with the magic wand and delete it. Select the remaining text (Ctrl-click the layer). Or just select the black area :-)

Now you can just create a brush that you can stamp on your images:

http://danidraws.com/2007/01/20/make-your-own-photoshop-brushes/

[mson]

Go here to find a font that you want to use
http://www.dafont.com/
In Photoshop use the text tool to create a layer with your name. You will want to play around with size, location, etc to get something you like. After you get everything the way you want you can merge or flatten your image (this will combine all layers into one layer) using Layer>flatten/merge image or press Ctrl+Shift+E.

Do a Google search on how to create actions in PS. This way you can automate the process and just click the action for your sig.

[Borderdawn]

Cheers both, much appreciated.

[Bill Pham]

sorry to the op just a quick question. will this work with psp x2 also. i'm looking for something like this also.

Bill

[Radtech1]

I use a process very similar to Rammys. I wrote my sig on a sheet of white paper, with a thick magic marker, taking up the whole sheet.

Then I scanned it in, and in photoshop increased the contrast so that the white of the paper was WHITE and the black of my signature was BLACK.

Then I saved this as a jpg.

When I want to use it, I just drop it onto whatever image I have open, resize it appropriately, and then set the blend mode to "Darken" - that means that ONLY the writing and NOT the white paper is seen.

Takes a lot longer to read this than to do it.

Rad

[Bill Pham]

Radtech just how big do you make your sig. just for size referrence. thanks

Bill

[Radtech1]

Radtech just how big do you make your sig. just for size referrence. thanks

Bill

When I wrote it, it took up the entire 8.5 x 11 sheet - when I load it onto a shot, the size depends on the print size. I try to keep the sig a "natural" size.

Here is the jpg, and in use:

Rad

[Bill Pham]

thank you Radtech for the tips i'm gonna try that.

Bill

[Borderdawn]

sorry to the op just a quick question. will this work with psp x2 also. i'm looking for something like this also.

Bill
Dip right in, the more info the better. :)

[Bill Pham]

sorry about hijacking your thread i was just talking to my buddy here on where to post the exact same question you did :oops:. thank you anyway. i've been trying to learn this pp thing and it's kicking my butt.

Bill

[danpass]

Either use a fountain pen or a thick nib pen or marker and write your signature on a white piece of paper. Take a picture of it and load it in Photoshop. Select the white with the magic wand and delete it. Select the remaining text (Ctrl-click the layer). Or just select the black area :-)

Now you can just create a brush that you can stamp on your images:

http://danidraws.com/2007/01/20/make-your-own-photoshop-brushes/


I keep trying various versions of what is here. But the white background remains each time.

And "Define Brush" remains grayed out.





edit:

I manage to get one part of it. How do I get it all and still have the option to "define brush" available?


.

[rammy]

I keep trying various versions of what is here. But the white background remains each time.

And "Define Brush" remains grayed out.





edit:

I manage to get one part of it. How do I get it all and still have the option to "define brush" available?


.

...

Select the remaining text (Ctrl-click the layer).

...



By holding down ctrl button and clicking the layer with the text, you can then define the brush.

[danpass]

By holding down ctrl button and clicking the layer with the text, you can then define the brush.



hmmmm ... so having tried that already when I posted ..... how do I get it to work?


I ctrl-click the first and it highlights but won't do anything when I ctrl-click the other parts.


.

[rammy]

I ctrl-click the first and it highlights but won't do anything when I ctrl-click the other parts.

Don't understand what this means. What is "the first" and "other parts"?

Can you post your picture you want as a brush...

[danpass]

Don't understand what this means. What is "the first" and "other parts"?

Can you post your picture you want as a brush...


its at home.


its first name and last name separately

.

[rammy]

Ok. You need to click on the layer thumbnail to select EVERYTHING on the layer at one go:

Ctrl-Click on the layer which the text (smiley face) on - see arrow:

248389

[danpass]

Ok. You need to click on the layer thumbnail to select EVERYTHING on the layer at one go:

Ctrl-Click on the layer which the text (smiley face) on - see arrow:

248389


lol


literally ctrl-click on the layer


I get it now http://www.danpassaro.com/img/v3/p19079605.gif

[Mark1]

To make it a bit easier. Do what Radtech sugests.... However If you deleate the white and save the black as a .png you can open it as a layer at anytime and do nothing but size and place it where you want.

Save it obviously with only the black visable....no background

[danpass]

I messed it up somewhere. Good thing PS7 is so intuitive.






NOT!



Here is a screenshot of how far I get. The moment I hit ctrl the click is disabled when I hover over the layer window:

http://www.danpassaro.com/img/v3/p596765503.jpg

[Radtech1]

This is 2 steps after you opened it. What did it look like upon opening? Was it the same black text on white background?

If so, copy this image at that point. (Select/Select All then Edit/Copy)

Then paste the signature into the photo that you want to sign. (Edit/Paste)

Resize as needed. (I forget the commands in 7, you might have to refer to the help section for "Layers - Resizing Layers")

Then change the Blend Mode to "DARKEN" - In this screen-shot it is the drop-down that currently says "Normal" even though it is currently grayed out.

So friggin easy it should take a grand total of 8 seconds.

Rad

[danpass]

lol

I could shoot this program then tannerite it .........


anyway.

the pic starts as a scan; white paper - black marker

open in PS7

magic wand on the white and the white gets highlighted (you see the dotted line in the screenshot)

then hit 'delete' (you see "clear" in the history on the right hand side)

but it remains highlighted. it doesn't get that checkerboard look at all.

this is where it won't play nice, having done everything according to the previous page link.

[Radtech1]

lol

I could shoot this program then tannerite it .........


anyway.

the pic starts as a scan; white paper - black marker

open in PS7


STOP RIGHT THERE


magic wand on the white and the white gets highlighted (you see the dotted line in the screenshot)

then hit 'delete' (you see "clear" in the history on the right hand side)

but it remains highlighted. it doesn't get that checkerboard look at all.

this is where it won't play nice, having done everything according to the previous page link.

Dont do ANY of the above steps!

NOW, As I said before: Clarifications in Red Italics

Now that the signature is open, ALSO open the photograph that gets signed. Select the Signature image and copy this image at that point. (Select/Select All then Edit/Copy)

Then paste the signature into the photo that you want to sign. (Edit/Paste) It will end up on a new layer of it's own.

Resize this new Signature layer as needed. (I forget the commands in 7, you might have to refer to the help section for "Layers - Resizing Layers")

Then change the Blend Mode of this Signature layer to "DARKEN" - In this screen-shot it is the drop-down that currently says "Normal" even though it is currently grayed out.

[danpass]

well that all works, thanks.


kept trying to apply the "brush" technique from the earlier link to what you were saying.

I'd still like to figure out the brush stamp though.





but "darken" to make something transparent? http://www.danpassaro.com/img/v3/p324697530.gif


and why do I have to resize a layer before pasting it onto another layer? why can't I grab a corner like a program window http://www.danpassaro.com/img/v3/p324697530.gif http://www.danpassaro.com/img/v3/p324697530.gif




I think the designer(s) of PS was:
http://www.danpassaro.com/img/v3/p280742907.gif



.

[Radtech1]

"Darken" renders the only darkest pixels in either layer. So if the background is white, every other color is darker that white, therefor the white ends up invisible.

And as to resizing the signature layer, I never said to do that before copying it! That should be done after you drop it in, so you will know how big it is in the shot.

As my old Clinical Instructor used to say:

Shees...

Kids these days, you buy 'em books and all they do is eat 'em!

[danpass]

"Darken" renders the only darkest pixels in either layer. So if the background is white, every other color is darker that white, therefor the white ends up invisible.

And as to resizing the signature layer, I never said to do that before copying it! That should be done after you drop it in, so you will know how big it is in the shot.

As my old Clinical Instructor used to say:

Shees...

Kids these days, you buy 'em books and all they do is eat 'em!


I couldn't figure out how to resize after pasting it. Searching "layer resize" or just "resize" didn't produce any results other than stuff about 'slices'

.

[California4Life]

good thread.

[Radtech1]

I couldn't figure out how to resize after pasting it. Searching "layer resize" or just "resize" didn't produce any results other than stuff about 'slices'

.

Try looking up "Scale" in the help. I am pretty sure that that is the name of the command.

Rad

[PeteJaffa]

I just came across a pretty handy site and immediately thought of this thread.

This was just a quick example and other methods already mentioned here could be incorporated too.

http://www.mylivesignature.com/mls_wizard1_1.php

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2153/2293710933_ec9225e80b_o.png

[rammy]

but it remains highlighted. it doesn't get that checkerboard look at all.

this is where it won't play nice, having done everything according to the previous page link.

If you look to the right of the name of the layer "background" you will see a small black padlock icon. This layer is locked for the type of editing you are trying to do. You cannot unlock this background layer and so need to convert it to a normal layer before you do your editing.

Convert the "background" named layer to a normal layer first. Then you can get the checkerboard and then select it using ctrl-click and create the brush.

First double click the name of the layer "background". A dialog appears. Name it "signature" or whatever. The padlock will disappear.

Now do the magic wand and delete and you will get the checkerboard so you can just ctrl-select the signature and make a brush from it.

[danpass]

If you look to the right of the name of the layer "background" you will see a small black padlock icon. This layer is locked for the type of editing you are trying to do. You cannot unlock this background layer and so need to convert it to a normal layer before you do your editing.

Convert the "background" named layer to a normal layer first. Then you can get the checkerboard and then select it using ctrl-click and create the brush.

First double click the name of the layer "background". A dialog appears. Name it "signature" or whatever. The padlock will disappear.

Now do the magic wand and delete and you will get the checkerboard so you can just ctrl-select the signature and make a brush from it.


Thanks for all the help.

I have managed to do everything as noted EXCEPT make a brush. Edit-Define Brush is grayed out.


I've ctrl-click the layer in the layer panel and everything is selected and its all ~wavy~ ....................


.

[rammy]

Thanks for all the help.

I have managed to do everything as noted EXCEPT make a brush. Edit-Define Brush is grayed out.


I've ctrl-click the layer in the layer panel and everything is selected and its all ~wavy~ ....................


.

Your image size is way too big for it. Looking back at your screen shot, with the zoom at 16.7% you need to reduce the size of the image to make a brush. Set the width of the image to around 1000 or slightly less then the menu option will be available to you.

Go to menu option Image and then Image Size... and set the width there. Make sure the resample button at the bottom left is checked on.

Then try it again.

[danpass]

Your image size is way too big for it. Looking back at your screen shot, with the zoom at 16.7% you need to reduce the size of the image to make a brush. Set the width of the image to around 1000 or slightly less then the menu option will be available to you.

Go to menu option Image and then Image Size... and set the width there. Make sure the resample button at the bottom left is checked on.

Then try it again.


Ok, thanks. Worked now I'll just read up on saving it (and did pop up a window asking for a name and I did .... but) and using brushes :mrgreen:


.

[rammy]

As soon as you name it (so you can identify it by name when you select a brush from the pallette well) it saves your brush automatically. So you can close PS, start it back up again and it will still be there.

The good thing about defining it as a brush is that you can use it as a normal brush, including up or downsizing it depending on your image size :-)

[rammy]

I couldn't figure out how to resize after pasting it. Searching "layer resize" or just "resize" didn't produce any results other than stuff about 'slices'

.

If you want to take Rad's route then use the Transform command (Ctrl and T). Have the layer with the signature on selected, press Ctrl and T and then holding down Shift key, grab one of the corner areas of the bounding box that appears and move the mouse inward to make the image smaller. Press Enter to commit the changes.