Signatures

[mmeyer]

Hey All,

I've been trying to come up with a nice looking signature like some of you have on the bottom of your images. I use Photoshop and have been trying to set up a brush with a sig. but whenever I do one it looks pixilated not matter how large or small I start out with.

What are you guys doing. There are some really great ones.

Thanks

[Steve Foss]

Mike, here's how I do it.

With the image up on the screen and completely toned and ready to save for Web use, select the text tool (the large letter T in the lefthand vertical toolbar).

Then click on the image where you want your signature. Then type it in. Then highlight the letters, go up to the toolbar across the top and choose the font and point size you want. Once this is done it'll default to this font/size every time you hit the text tool again, unless you change it.

If the sig is in exactly the place you want it after you do those things, you are ready for the next step. If it's not in the right place, click on the move tool (in my CS2 it's the upper righthand tool on the vertical toolbar) and grab the copy and move it.

When it's where you want it go to the toolbar across the top, select "layer," then select "flatten image," and you're good to go.

I use the font papyrus, which is what we use a lot on my Web site and is a font that has to be purchased, but PS has a bunch of nice fonts.

I don't know which version of PS you have, but in the later versions, once you figure out which style you like, you should be able to look at your owner's manual and come up with your own automated action to perform the task the same way every time. Not sure how to do automated actions myself, but I know you can.

[Dbl]

I use mine by creating a brush, here are my steps which I learned from Scott Kelby's book on CS2 for Photographers. This version is just a bit simpler but it gets the job done.

Go to File / New.

Make the size of your new file 800 pixels long and 300 pixels high.

Set the dpi to 300. This will allow you to get clear results either larger or smaller Mike.

Make the Background Contents -Transparent.

Click OK.

Select the Text Tool, click on the new document and type your signature/logo eg “Mike Meyer C 2008”. Choose your font and size.

Make the Text Layer a Normal Layer. To do this go to Layer / Rasterize / Type.

When you’re finished go to Edit / Define Brush Preset. Give it a name, I use name and year and click OK. This turns the signature into a brush.

Press B to get to the brushes. Up at the top in the Options bar click on the little arrow next to the Brush type. The new signature brush is at the bottom of the list. If you want to resize it, use the [ and ] keys like you normally would to increase or decrease the size of the brush!

Now anytime you want to put your signature in just choose the last brush, which is your signature and apply it to the photo. You can change the color or opacity to your desire to get it to blend in each photo.

[mmeyer]

Thanks guys. I'll try it again using your techniques.

Thanks again

[MN Shutterbug]

Or, you could use a graphics tablet and physically write your name on every photo, with the stylus.