Creating your personal 'Signature Brush'

Autograph your pictures

1.First step is to sign your name:

  •Write your signature with a black pen •on a white sheet of paper.

•Stick it on a wall in a well lit area •take a picture of it using your camera.

•Make sure its in focus by previewing it on •The camera before you proceed.

2. Import your signature to the computer

 

•Connect your camera or card reader as usual.

•Put you signature image in an appropriately titled folder.

•Then, disconnect your camera.

 

3. Adjusting the signature in PhotoShop Elements

•Firstly, use the 'Crop Tool' to remove unwanted white areas.• Crop tightly about the signature area without removing any of it.

• Double click inside the image or click the return key on the keyboard to consolidate the crop.

•Double click the 'Hand Tool' and the signature will fit in your workspace.

•This is a useful tip to remember if you quickly wish to view your full image - full screen.

 

Adjust the contrast and Levels.

•You need to have a clearly defined black and white image.

•You can do this by using 'Brightness/Contrast’.

•Or by using 'LEVELS'. 'Enhance'>'Adjust Brightness/Contrast'>'Levels'

•In 'Levels' we are presented with a graph (histogram) of the Dark-Mid Tone-Bright pixels in the image.             

•Adjust the sliding arrows representing the various tones so as to arrive with a strong Black and White image.

• Move the 'light' slider in towards the right and watch how the background area brightens.

•The text will also brighten so we need to darken it.

• Go to the 'dark' slider and move it towards the right.

• Take care not to darken any of the white area as you go.

•When you arrive at an acceptable B/W image, click 'OK'.

4. Making your personal Signature Paint Brush

•Before we make our paint brush we should reduce the size of ourimage. •There may be variations in individual dimensions depending on the camera you used and how large you wrote andcaptured your signature.

• Follow this and see how you fair out.

Go to 'Image'>'Resize'>'Image Size'

•Firstly ensure that 'Constrain Proportions' and •'Resample Image' are checked.

•Also ensure your resolution is set to 300 pixels.

• Now insert a value of about 1200 pixels in the box •representing the image 'Width’.

 

•A window will appear with a preview of your signature.

•Don't worry if it looks a bit distorted, it has been altered to fit the square format of the preview but the actual brush will be exactly like your image.

•Give your brush a more personal title, i.e. 'My Signature' and click 'OK'.

•Close your original image. •Save it to your folder, you may use it again at another time.

5. Signing your pictures with your Signature Paint Brush

• Find and open one of your photos in the workspace via the 'File Browser'.

• Identify an appropriate area to place your signature in the image.

• Go to the Tool Palette and select the 'Paint Brush Tool' .

Go to the Tool Palette and select the 'Paint Brush Tool'

•In the options bar click on the paintbrush palette and scroll through it until you identify your personal brush.

• It will usually be the very last one in the list.

• Click on it to select it.

•Hold the mouse over your picture to preview your signature on it.

•Before clicking the mouse to apply the signature you might first want to spend a moment to consider the brush Size and Colour.

Colour.

  •Click on the 'Foreground Colour Well' at the bottom of the 'Tool Box Palette' to bring up the 'Colour Picker Palette’.

•Use either the picker window or the eye drop tool (when you move the mouse off the palette and place it over your image and click, a colour will be automatically identified in the palette).

• Pick a colour that suits best and click 'OK'

•Brush Size

•The way to adjust brush size is in the option bar. Note the 'Size' box beside the brush picker menu.

• Click the arrow at the right and adjust the slider to find an appropriate brush size.

•A shortcut to adjusting brush size is to hold down the 'square bracket keys' on the key board – [ left sq bracket to reduce brush size, ] right sq bracket to make it bigger.

•When done, go to your image and click. Your personal signature is applied to your picture.

• Click on the 'Foreground Colour Well' at the bottom of the 'Tool Box Palette' to bring up the 'Colour Picker Palette’.

• Use either the picker window or the eye drop tool (when you move the mouse off the palette and place it over your image and click, a colour will be automatically identified in the palette).

• Pick a colour that suits best and click 'OK'

Brush Size

• The way to adjust brush size is in the option bar. Note the 'Size' box beside the brush picker menu.

• Click the arrow at the right and adjust the slider to find an appropriate brush size.

• A shortcut to adjusting brush size is to hold down the 'square bracket keys' on the key board – [ left sq bracket to reduce brush size, ] right sq bracket to make it bigger.

Hey Presto!

• When done, go to your image and click. Your personal signature is applied to your picture.