Complete Guide to Everything Signature Related

[Quilava 1,290]

~Work-In-Progress~

 

 

     Welcome to this thread. Here, I, among others, will be compiling a handful of tips and methods that signature creators use to create their works present in threads in the Request's Guild. I will take you through, step-by-step, on each of these processes and techniques.  Whether you're an aspiring artist, looking to make a thread yourself, or just would like to learn about this style of art, I'm sure you'll be able to learn something new from this thread. This thread will primarily be made with the intent of the reader using GIMP 2.8 (though there may/will be parts of this guide in which other editing software will be used).

 

     -Note: I will be constantly updating this thread with any new methods or techniques that I learn about, or others (you guys) tell me about. SO, if you have a method that you personally like to use a lot, and I have not mentioned it here in this guide, please, feel free to post it down below, and I will add it to the guide with appropriate credit

 

  **Also, please note that this guide will not directly tell you about how to make a signature/piece of art. These are merely techniques that you can employ TO make a signature. Can't really teach style, that is something you must find yourself

 

                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

 

Table of Contents:

·         Useful Places and Links

·         Making a Vector/Transparency

·         Making a Background

·         Photo Edits

·         Simple Text Effects

·         Finishing Touches

·         Putting Everything Together

·         FAQ

·         Other Signature-Related Resources

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

Useful Places and Links:

 

·         GIMP 2.8 (Basic) -> Found Here

·         GIMP 2.8 w/Extensions -> Found Here

·         Deviant Art -> Found Here

·         Google Images -> Found Here

·         DaFont (For ANY font you could want/need) -> Found Here

·         Photobucket (Upload and store your art, can also be used for adding effects *explained later*) -> Found Here

 

   Now, after all this "intro" and prologue-y kind of stuff, let's begin the actual guide shall we

 

                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

Part 1: Making a Transparency:

(For users with GIMP 2.8 or Photoshop)

 

 

 In this part of the guide, I will be teaching you how to make a "vectored" or transparent image. Use this method to remove any unwanted elements from a picture to only have what you would like. Obviously, you can skip this step if you already have a vectored image.

 

Transform something like this:

 

 

To something like this:

 

 

 

1.) Start by finding, and opening the image you want to make into a vector/transparency.

 

2.) Next click on the Magic Wand Tool (Photoshop ) or the Fuzzy Select Tool (GIMP ).

 

3.) Now click on a part of the image that you would like to get rid of. When a part of the image is selected, it'll look something like this.

Tip!: For those who don't know, hitting Ctrl+A will unselect you may have clicked on.

 

 

4.)Now simply Cut (Ctrl+X) or Delete (Del. key) the selected area. Once deleted, hit Ctrl+A to unselect the area and reselect the entire image. If the magic wand didn't get rid of enough (old pixels are scattered along lines) then simply up the tolerance of the wands (Located near the top of the window for PS users, and located on the left window for people using GIMP). Adjust these tolerances accordingly to select the right amount of the unwanted area.

 

 

-Example of low tolerance:

After deleting:

You can still see blue pixels around the lightning bolt in this pic, showing that the tolerance needs to be upped.

 

-Example of perfect Tolerance:

After

Notice, no straggly pixels .

 

5.)After you've gotten rid of all the unwanted background parts, you're all set to use your transparent image in your signature!

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                          

 

 

Part 2: Creating Backgrounds:

 

 This is the part where inspiration and artistic flare comes in. There are multiple ways you can go about creating a background for your sig, both simple and complex, both of which I will be covering.  Before you start, it helps to have a vague idea/theme set/in mind.

 

 

Custom/Complex Background:

As an example, I shall be using a signature I recently made for .

I will be explaining what is used and why it was used.

Finished Product:

 

Without Ponies/Text/Finishing Touches

 

1.) Simply start out by opening up a new canvas; 600x100 (For standard members) or up to 600x200 (for Donors+Staff). At the same time you can click on the "Advanced Options" button to open up other choices. Click on the drop box labeled "Fill with"  and choose Transparency.

 

 

2.)Now, click on the Gradient Tool and choose the two colours you wish to use.

*In this example I will be using a light blue (Hex #289beb) and a lightish purple (Hex #9215e7).*

 

3.) Before inserting the gradient, you can head over to the right window, click on the Gradients tab and choose how you would like the Gradient to act. You may also choose from among other preset gradients here.

 

 

4.) For this example, I will be using the gradient called "FG to Transparent". What that does is take whatever the foreground colour is (in this case the light purple) and fades it into nothing, or transparent. To insert the gradient and have it fade to the left, click on the right edge of the canvas, then drag it to the left edge (Hold Ctrl if you want the line to be held straight).

 

 

5.) Now repeat the gradient, on the opposite side with the other colour.

 

 

6.) For this signature, I was looking for a lighter, sort of, milky kind of colour feel. (Here is why I made the gradients fade transparent instead of keeping the colours solid). Next, add a new layer beneath the layer with the gradients (Ctrl+Shift+N) or

 

 

To put the layer beneath the first, just drag and drop the desired layer.

7.) Take the bucket fill tool , select white (Hex #ffffff) and fill in the new layer.

 

 

8.) This looks good, but it could be a bit darker. So I chose two darker variants of the first choices (Hex #1c64a8 for the blue and #672591 for the purple). Instead of using the FG to Transparent gradient, we will use the normal gradient to blend the two chosen colours.

 

 

9.) However, by using the normal gradient settings, this layer completely covers up the ones beneath it, making it too dark. So, all we have to do is tinker around with the layer modes and opacity of the layer. Which can be found in the highlighted rectangle.

 

 

>>Want to learn about layer modes? Click Here<<

 

With some experimenting (which is something you should be doing. Even if it's just moving a brush stroke over a couple pixels, it could affect the overall feel of the work), I decided on having the Layer Mode set to Grain Merge (explained in the link above) and set the Opacity of the layer to ~65. Causing it to look like this now.

 

10.) To finish up the base for the background, grab the gradient tool once more, using the same purple as you used on the 2nd gradient, add another gradient on a new layer using the FGtT gradient set on the right side. This will even out the gradient so the blue isn't overtaking the purple.

 

 

 

11.) Now, we are finally on to using brushes to make your background.

 

Synopsis:

                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

Part 3: Photo Edits

 

Glow Effect:

Soon

 

Synopsis:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

Part 4: Simple Text Effects:

 

Basic Glow:

Coming Soon...

 

Easy Drop Shadow/ 3D Effect:

Coming Soon...

 

Synopsis:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

 

Part 5: Finishing Touches:

 

Rounded Edges:

Coming Soon...

 

Photobucket Effects:

Coming Soon...

 

Synopsis:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

 

Part 6: Putting it All Together:

 

Step-by-Step Assembly (preference):

Coming Soon...

 

Synopsis:

                                                                                                                                                                      

 

 

Part 7: FAQ:

 

Coming soon...

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

 

Part 8: Other Signature-Related Resources:

 

 

 

Coming Soon...

Edited June 7, 2013 by Lugia

[Quilava 1,290]

Keep track of this guide, as for when I am done with what I have to give, I will be asking the community to post (if they want to help out as well) their own techniques that they like to use (for whatever program as well).

 

I would like this guide to be open to the community so they may learn as much as possible about signatures/image editing/etc.

Thank you.

[repsol rave 2,963]

there already are a few treads on this topic, but yours seems to be the biggest so far, lots of cool stuff and thank you for helping the community!

[Quilava 1,290]

there already are a few treads on this topic, but yours seems to be the biggest so far, lots of cool stuff and thank you for helping the community!

 

No problem. 

 

   And I plan on going into as much detail as I can with this guide. There are a lot of components that can be used when making things like signatures, and I want to cover as many of them as I can. This way, people are able to mix and match the styles and find out what works for them and what doesn't. Possibly discovering new styles and methods for themselves to use in the process as well.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Lugia

[Thunderchild 875]

Very cool man-lots of details, and seemingly easy to follow. Thanks for all the work putting this together-I'll be following along once I get my new laptop, and have some more options regarding software.

[RainbowDashie RD 19]

The link to Gimp.8 isn't working it just brings me back ehre!! And I wanted to try your way because yours are way better then mine lol

is gimp with extensions free? I was ust wondering because that link is working for m so I could just get that instead!! Thnanks!

[. eris . 1,661]

Totally gonna keep an eye on this! That trick with the gradients thing was brilliant, although thankfully I already know how to vector something. ^^ Must watch, and update soon! 

[Quilava 1,290]

Well,

 

seeing as the quality of signatures being made in some shops is going on a bit of a decline (at least in my eyes), I think I may reboot this guide up and work on it again (joy~). Have learned a bit more since I started this thread 2 months ago dear god... so there will only be more information available to those who would actually like to create signatures like mine, , etc.

 

Though...the fun part will be going over parts 2-5 seeing as Photoshop is starting to become more of my medium now over gimp.

More work is always more fun!...*sigh*

[Misty Rose 3,216]

Thanks alot for these tips I have my own sig shop and am always looking to perfect my skills. I hope my sigs will get better thanks to these tips

[MatrixChicken 879]

Ooooh... I hope you keep updating this! Looks like I could learn quite a few things here! Are you planning to go into the more artistic side of it, such as what type of things look good? I feel like I have the technical aspects of graphics design down, I just need some tips on how stuff should look... :3

[Fragrant Melody 5]

I'm so excited that I found this thread! New to the forum and I've been wanting to create a signature for my OC. Thanks!

[child of the night 271]

@, 

 

ooooo, this is really nice, I know I have a signature but I have always wanter to make one of my own design, please keep up the good work.

Edited July 21, 2014 by child of the night