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by chargersfan36 » Sun Nov 26, 2006 1:39 am I'm gonna teach you how to make this sig:
1. First I found a stock picture (used this one). This is the bottom layer of your sig. Choose Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic. I think mine was around 90.
2. Now we are going to begin adding a background picture of LT. First, add a layer of color to the area where the background picture will go. I put my picture where I wanted it (pic. I'll teach you how to do the effect in a second). Then ctrl + click the icon next to the text on the picture's layer to select it (pic). Choose Select > Feather > 5-10 pixels. On a layer below your background picture, use the fill tool (G) to fill in the selection with a color that goes with the sig. This is what I have so far:
3. Next, bring in your background picture (pic). Desaturate it with ctrl + shift + u and lower it's fill to around 15%. Do ctrl + L with the layer selected to adjust the levels. Here are the settings similar to what I used: (pic). This is what I have so far:
4. Next I added two shapes that I made with the pen tool. Select the pen tool (P) and make sure you have these settings at the top (pic). You can make a new layer for your shape or when you start making a shape, a new layer will be made for you. When you finish making one shape, right click the layer and choose: Rasterize Layer. Then make your second shape (on a new layer) and rasterize that one. After I made my shapes (pic), I lowered the fills to 22% and added a layer mask to each layer. To add a layer mask, select the layer and click the icon at the bottom of the layers pallette that is a rectangle with a circle inside of it. Then take out your brush tool. Choose a soft black brush around 80% opacity. With your layer mask selected (only do one at a time), brush in the areas where you want the shape to be more faded. Here is what I have after doing this to both shapes:
5. Next add some stocks to give your background depth. I added two stocks for my background. The first one (pic), I set on linear dodge dodge, and masked away (added a layer mask and brushed in black) most of the middle areas (pic). The next stock I used on two layers (the stock). The first layer of the stock I put on color dodge at 52% fill. I also masked most of the edges away (pic). I duplicated that layer and used a different area of the pic for another section of the background. This layer is also on color dodge and 52% fill with sections masked (pic).
6. (Optional) I added a white diagonal line pattern at 7% fill. I'm not going to explain how to do this since it's not very important and there are plenty of tutorials on how to do it.
7. Next, I added a photo filter to get my color with these settings (pic). To do this, click the half white half black circle at the bottom of the layers pallette and choose: Photo Filter.
8. Now we finally add our pic. Resize it (ctrl + t), position it, etc. Here's what I have:
Time to make it look cool. I changed the blending mode on my pic to Luminosity (blending mode is near the top of the layers pallette). Then do ctrl + L with the pic layer selected to adjust the pics levels. Here are the settings similar to what I used: (pic). This is what I have now:
9. Next (on a new layer) darken the sides a little by using a black brush around 150px and 80ish% opacity (pic).
Then with a white brush with about the same settings (new layer) I brushed around his chest (pic).
10. Now to brighten up some areas, add a C4D (pic). Desaturate it with ctrl + shift + u, invert it with ctrl + i, blur it with Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur > 4-8 px. Then set it on color dodge and mask away some areas. Here is what I have now:
11. Next I added some slightly visible lines. To do this, make a new layer on top, choose Image > Apply Image. Then choose Filter > Pixelate > Mosaic. I used something around 100. Put it on soft light and lower the fill. If the lines are too strong, you can mask them down with a soft black brush around 50% opacity. This is what I have now:
12. For my text, I duplicated the mosaic layer that I just made and moved it under the area where I was going to add my text (pic).
13. After that, add your text. Mine was just a simple "102" for the number of touchdown's LT has scored in his career but you can use a name or whatever you want. I used white Times New Roman with a layer mask. Then I used a black to transparent gradient on the layer mask to make the text fade down (pic).
14. Then add the border. New layer, ctrl + a to select all, choose Edit > Stroke > 3 px white inside. New layer, Edit > Stroke > 1 px black inside. Ctrl + d to deselect and you're done!
Post your results if you want to. I kind of slacked off near the end with my detail so it may be harder if you are a total noob.
