Ive had to do this in two parts due to the amount of images. Sorry bout that (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

You can mess around with any of the steps if you dont like the colours & stuff, & I kept the text to a minimum so it doesnt confuse things. Obviously you can use what you want. Its just to show how its done.

How to make something like this:

(IMG:http://img304.imageshack.us/img304/6949/1slaylinkzy3.jpg)


The easy way...

Step 1 - Brushing the background

1) Create a new canvas (I used 340x120)
2) Fill the background layer with black

(IMG:http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/5899/2step2qj1.jpg)

3) Load your brushes
4) Set your foreground to white
5) Create a new layer (CTRL+Shift+N)
6) Brush the background white until it covers the whole canvas, just don't overlap to much

(IMG:http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/6688/3step6pq9.jpg)

7) Create a new layer (CTRL+Shift+N)
8) Keep switching back and forth between black and white over the parts appropiate, (ex. if its to dark click once with white, if its to light click once with black over it)

(IMG:http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/624/4step8si9.jpg)

9) Change the layer Fill Opacity
10) Merge the layers so its all in the background layer

Adding Color
11) Create a new layer (CTRL+Shift+N) and put it on top
12) Fill the layer with the color you want to use, I'm using #007236
13) Change the layer to Soft Light

(IMG:http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/2862/5step13hj3.jpg)

14) Now to even out the signatures brightness and darkness out. If your signature is still really dark or really light in places, make a new layer (CTRL+Shift+N) above the background layer and repeat steps 8 and 9. Once you get it to look good, merge the layer down with the background.

(IMG:http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/7070/6step14xw2.jpg)

15) You can merge all the layers now

Adding the render (Image)

16) Open the render you want in photoshop (You can find renders at http://www.planetrenders.net )
17) Drag the render onto the background you just made
18) Delete the background, preferbly using the magic wand tool

Before:

(IMG:http://img343.imageshack.us/img343/8932/7step18rz7.jpg)

After:

(IMG:http://img343.imageshack.us/img343/7026/8step182lm4.jpg)

19) Resize the render to the size you want by using Transform (CTRL+T) and drag the corners, press SHIFT while dragging to keep the image the same height and width

Modifying the render
20) Duplicate the render layer (CTRL+J)

(IMG:http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/691/9step20aw2.jpg)

21) With the bottom render layer selected, go to "Filter > Blur > Motion Blur" and put the settings at something around 36 for distance and you decide on the direction depending on where your render is. I used 29, click OK
22) Now some of the border may have been affected by the blur because all the background wasn't taken off, if so just delete the extra's

Before:

(IMG:http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/9168/10step22xf7.jpg)

Go to Part 2...

After:

(IMG:http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/336/11step222fz6.jpg)

23) Merge the 2 render layers (CTRL+E on the top render layer)
24) Change the render layer to Luminosity

(IMG:http://img324.imageshack.us/img324/7300/12step24ac4.jpg)

25) If you need to move the render somewhere, do it now.
Note: You should have 2 layers now, 1 for the background and one for the render

Adding Text - Probaly the hardest part alone when making a singature
26) Select the text tool and click where you want your text to be, type in whatever you want
27) Edit the font and size for the text to whatever you want (I am using "Dark Crystal Script" and a font size of 32)

(IMG:http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/2764/13step27ow1.jpg)

28) Double click the text layer to open the blending options setting
29) Here's the settings I used:

Drop Shadow
(IMG:http://img433.imageshack.us/img433/7620/14dropshadowsp5.jpg)

Colour Overlay
(IMG:http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/8549/15coloroverlayfh6.jpg)

Stroke
(IMG:http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/4333/16strokeqp5.jpg)

30) Move the text if you don't like where it is

Adding a border
31) Reset the foreground and background (D)
32) Create a new layer (CTRL+Shift+N)
33) Press (CTRL+A)
34) Edit > Stroke, these settings

35) Same settings except a width of 2px and white as the color
36) Same settings except a width of 1px and black as the color
37) If you want, change the blending options to overlay or soft light (I left mine as normal for this one)

Saving
38) I'd save tfhe graphic as a PSD incase you need to change text or something
and / or
39) Save it as a .jpg and use the default Quality settings

End Result:

(IMG:http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/896/16slaylinkia4.jpg)

thnaxx

I tried swapping the order by splitting the first part into its own thread and then moving the second part afterwards, but because of ongoing time problems on the forums I believe it thinks the second part was created before the first and so displays it in that order. I'll see if someone can change the timestamp on the post.

genius (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/cupid.gif)

I changed the order of those posts for you.

Cheers, kinda makes more sense now (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Socks is an evil genius or I'm an idiot, take your pick (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

I'll try the tut later (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I dont want to sound like an arse, but I know how to do it myself, I know ipb inside out. (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Cheers for trying tho (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Now that he told me how he did it I could've easily done it, I just didn't think of that. Blonde moment (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

Ipb mod powers are a bit bizarre sometimes, personally I prefer phpbb for the mod/admin stuff, but Ipb are better forums. Tis one of those things I guess.

What brushes you use ?

Where did you download them? Despite being competent with html, java, c++ , Vb and Flash etc...

I have no idea how to use photoshop (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif)

This is a pretty good place for free brushes

Cheers mate. I also agree with your comments about the Ipb stuff up above. It can be a nightmare to use.

thanks for that!!!

(IMG:http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h52/black_or_white/mysig.jpg)

i just done this!! (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.profileheaven.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

For Oasis:

In the Layers menu in the toolbar

(IMG:http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/7738/mwsnap38420060917144637xn9.jpg)

Had a crack at this one as well

(IMG:http://i535.photobucket.com/albums/ee353/Knottface/Cloudsigcopy.jpg)