boogiepanda
06-14-2009, 11:04 AM
Equipment:
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Programme
Get it here (http://www.gimp.org/downloads/)
An account of a render site. I personally use planetrender (http://www.planetrenders.net/renders/index.php) but you can use which ever render site you wish.
GIMP brushes - You can get them here (http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/gimpbrushes/). To install it follow this (http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/how-to-install-brushes-t1315s0.html) guide here.
New Fonts - DaFont (http://www.dafont.com)
Get Started
Install GIMP and open it up
1) Go to File (on the top bar) - New (or Ctrl+N)
2) A new box should pop up select the image size to be 400x125 pixels
3) Now you have the first layer, named background. At this point we leave GIMP and open up your web browser.
4) Go to your desired render site and choose a good quality render. Save it to your computer
Making the background
There are two ways of making background. I will show you both, of course, you can use a mixture of both methods.
1st Method - The Motion Blur and Overlaying
Assuming you already have the basic background layer of 400x125
1) File - Open as layers - select the render you just downloaded
2) Right click on the new layer and rename as "Render BG" DO NOT mess around with the layer size yet. Use the move tool, and select at the bottom left - Move the active layer
3) Select a bit of the un-resized render you like
4) Decide the main colour in that bit of the render, now select that colour as the foreground colour and using the paint bucket tool, fill in the background.
5) Now left click on the layer Render BG and go to (on the top bar) Filter - Blur - Motion Blur.
6) Now on the right hand side there's the "layers dialogue". And there should be a drop down menu, now select mode - overlay (for the Render BG)
7) Now go to Colours - Hue-Saturation and have a mess around with the settings
2nd Method - Brushing
Assuming you already have the basic background layer of 400x125
Before we get started, get some "Grunge" from DevianArt (http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=Grunge+Brush), I already searched for you so just download some brushes from that page. To install the brushes follow this (http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/how-to-install-brushes-t1315s0.html) guide.
1) Right click on the "layers dialogue" and create a new layer, transparent 400x125, rename it "transparent BG". Place it on top of layer "Background".
2) Now on the left hand side there's the "tool box" dialogue, select the brush tune down the opacity to around 35% (depending on the brush) and select one of your grunge brushes you just installed.
3) Select black as foreground colour, then click on the background layer. Using your Grunge brush, click 3 times randomly across the layer.
4) Now select white as foreground colour and select a different grunge brush. Click on layer "Transparent BG", now click 3 times randomly on the layer.
5) Repeat step 3-4 until happy. Of course, you can use different brushes such as dots and lightening to give a more interesting background. And of course, use a mixture of the two techniques.
Working with the render
Ideally, the render should take up around 40% of the signature, but you can get away with 25%-65%.
Placing the render
If your render is :
Looking right: Place it on the left hand side of the signature
Looking Left: Place it on the right hand side of the signature
Looking straight ahead: Place it in the middle of the signature
Or just follow your instincts. As you become more advanced, you should ignore this as this guide is only meant to be aimed at newbies.
Making to render fit in
There are several ways to do this, I'm only going to show you a few simple ways, and of course you can do it however you like, as long as you think it looks good.
Gaussain Blur
1) Right click on your render, select duplicate layer
2) Place the duplicated layer underneath the render and rename the duplicated layer "Gaussain Blur Render".
3) Select the layer "Gaussain Blur Render" and go to Filters (on the top bar) - Blur - Gaussain blur
4) I suggest 7-15 px by 7-15 px. Again, this largely depends on the size of your render.
Shade
Assuming you already done the Gaussain Blur
1) Right click on layer "Gaussain Blur Render" and duplicate it, rename the duplicated layer "Render Shade"
2) Now place this layer underneath "Gaussain Blur Render"
3) Select layer "Render Shade" and go to Filter - Artistic - Photocopy. Now put of the white percentage all the way up.
4) Go to Colours - Colourfy and select any colour apart from white of course
5) Now go to Colours - HueSaturation and mess around with the hue settings until the shade is the right colour to blend the background in with the render
Motion Blur
This is ideal for "action" renders.
1) Duplicate your render and place the new layer underneath layer "render"
2) Rename this duplicated layer "Motion Blur Render"
3) Go to Filters - Blur - Motion blur
4) Have a mess around with the length and angle setting until satisfaction.
Text
Text - According to Shaun (Unrated) changes the whole look of the signature. While this is only very simple, the process could take a very long time to perfect.
1) Go to DaFont (http://www.dafont.com) and download the fonts that will fit your signature.
2) Install it. If you don't know how to install a new font, follow this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314960) guide.
3) To see the new font in GIMP you must restart it, so save your effort so far by saving as .psd or .xcf. This is because both of those formats support layers. .psd in the default format of Photoshop and .xcf is the default format of GIMP. .psd and .xcf are NOT image files, so you won't be able to upload them just yet, I'll tell you how to upload them later on when the signature is finished.
4) Fire up GIMP once again and open your work.
5) Use the text tool in the "tool box dialogue" and draw a rectangle where your test is going to be.
6) The text should be somewhere 'quiet' and away from the render.
7) Choose your font and colour.
9) Optional - Add a blur
Border
[Image Heavy] Follow this (http://www.signaturebar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22433) guide. (Made by me)
Save as an image
1)File - Save as
2) Enter file name and at the end put either .jpg or .png . I personaly prefer .png but either extensions will work (unless you're making a "pop up" signature in which case you HAVE to use .png)
Hope this guide helped you. Feel free to ask questions in this topic or PM me.
Uploading
For your first few times, I suggest tinypic (http://www.tinypic.com), it's quick and easy to use, and you don't even have to sign up!
If decide to make alot of signatures in the future, photobucket (http://www.photobucket.com) is useful as it gives you the freedom of creating albums and such to keep your images organised.
Please do feel free post your work below and let me see the results.
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Programme
Get it here (http://www.gimp.org/downloads/)
An account of a render site. I personally use planetrender (http://www.planetrenders.net/renders/index.php) but you can use which ever render site you wish.
GIMP brushes - You can get them here (http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/gimpbrushes/). To install it follow this (http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/how-to-install-brushes-t1315s0.html) guide here.
New Fonts - DaFont (http://www.dafont.com)
Get Started
Install GIMP and open it up
1) Go to File (on the top bar) - New (or Ctrl+N)
2) A new box should pop up select the image size to be 400x125 pixels
3) Now you have the first layer, named background. At this point we leave GIMP and open up your web browser.
4) Go to your desired render site and choose a good quality render. Save it to your computer
Making the background
There are two ways of making background. I will show you both, of course, you can use a mixture of both methods.
1st Method - The Motion Blur and Overlaying
Assuming you already have the basic background layer of 400x125
1) File - Open as layers - select the render you just downloaded
2) Right click on the new layer and rename as "Render BG" DO NOT mess around with the layer size yet. Use the move tool, and select at the bottom left - Move the active layer
3) Select a bit of the un-resized render you like
4) Decide the main colour in that bit of the render, now select that colour as the foreground colour and using the paint bucket tool, fill in the background.
5) Now left click on the layer Render BG and go to (on the top bar) Filter - Blur - Motion Blur.
6) Now on the right hand side there's the "layers dialogue". And there should be a drop down menu, now select mode - overlay (for the Render BG)
7) Now go to Colours - Hue-Saturation and have a mess around with the settings
2nd Method - Brushing
Assuming you already have the basic background layer of 400x125
Before we get started, get some "Grunge" from DevianArt (http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=Grunge+Brush), I already searched for you so just download some brushes from that page. To install the brushes follow this (http://www.gimptalk.com/forum/how-to-install-brushes-t1315s0.html) guide.
1) Right click on the "layers dialogue" and create a new layer, transparent 400x125, rename it "transparent BG". Place it on top of layer "Background".
2) Now on the left hand side there's the "tool box" dialogue, select the brush tune down the opacity to around 35% (depending on the brush) and select one of your grunge brushes you just installed.
3) Select black as foreground colour, then click on the background layer. Using your Grunge brush, click 3 times randomly across the layer.
4) Now select white as foreground colour and select a different grunge brush. Click on layer "Transparent BG", now click 3 times randomly on the layer.
5) Repeat step 3-4 until happy. Of course, you can use different brushes such as dots and lightening to give a more interesting background. And of course, use a mixture of the two techniques.
Working with the render
Ideally, the render should take up around 40% of the signature, but you can get away with 25%-65%.
Placing the render
If your render is :
Looking right: Place it on the left hand side of the signature
Looking Left: Place it on the right hand side of the signature
Looking straight ahead: Place it in the middle of the signature
Or just follow your instincts. As you become more advanced, you should ignore this as this guide is only meant to be aimed at newbies.
Making to render fit in
There are several ways to do this, I'm only going to show you a few simple ways, and of course you can do it however you like, as long as you think it looks good.
Gaussain Blur
1) Right click on your render, select duplicate layer
2) Place the duplicated layer underneath the render and rename the duplicated layer "Gaussain Blur Render".
3) Select the layer "Gaussain Blur Render" and go to Filters (on the top bar) - Blur - Gaussain blur
4) I suggest 7-15 px by 7-15 px. Again, this largely depends on the size of your render.
Shade
Assuming you already done the Gaussain Blur
1) Right click on layer "Gaussain Blur Render" and duplicate it, rename the duplicated layer "Render Shade"
2) Now place this layer underneath "Gaussain Blur Render"
3) Select layer "Render Shade" and go to Filter - Artistic - Photocopy. Now put of the white percentage all the way up.
4) Go to Colours - Colourfy and select any colour apart from white of course
5) Now go to Colours - HueSaturation and mess around with the hue settings until the shade is the right colour to blend the background in with the render
Motion Blur
This is ideal for "action" renders.
1) Duplicate your render and place the new layer underneath layer "render"
2) Rename this duplicated layer "Motion Blur Render"
3) Go to Filters - Blur - Motion blur
4) Have a mess around with the length and angle setting until satisfaction.
Text
Text - According to Shaun (Unrated) changes the whole look of the signature. While this is only very simple, the process could take a very long time to perfect.
1) Go to DaFont (http://www.dafont.com) and download the fonts that will fit your signature.
2) Install it. If you don't know how to install a new font, follow this (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314960) guide.
3) To see the new font in GIMP you must restart it, so save your effort so far by saving as .psd or .xcf. This is because both of those formats support layers. .psd in the default format of Photoshop and .xcf is the default format of GIMP. .psd and .xcf are NOT image files, so you won't be able to upload them just yet, I'll tell you how to upload them later on when the signature is finished.
4) Fire up GIMP once again and open your work.
5) Use the text tool in the "tool box dialogue" and draw a rectangle where your test is going to be.
6) The text should be somewhere 'quiet' and away from the render.
7) Choose your font and colour.
9) Optional - Add a blur
Border
[Image Heavy] Follow this (http://www.signaturebar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22433) guide. (Made by me)
Save as an image
1)File - Save as
2) Enter file name and at the end put either .jpg or .png . I personaly prefer .png but either extensions will work (unless you're making a "pop up" signature in which case you HAVE to use .png)
Hope this guide helped you. Feel free to ask questions in this topic or PM me.
Uploading
For your first few times, I suggest tinypic (http://www.tinypic.com), it's quick and easy to use, and you don't even have to sign up!
If decide to make alot of signatures in the future, photobucket (http://www.photobucket.com) is useful as it gives you the freedom of creating albums and such to keep your images organised.
Please do feel free post your work below and let me see the results.