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Beginner Signature Tutorial

Grunge Signature


In this tutorial I will be teaching you how to make a grunge style signature. This tutorial is aimed at all sill levels.

We will be covering the following in this tutorial:

Smudgning
Blending
Simple Effects
Gradient Mapping


Let’s begin! Create a new document 330px X 95.
[Image: iQuL7BrKKs0pC.png]

Now fill the document with black using the paint bucket tool.
[Image: iE7KEzzugypD6.png]

Next, find the render you will be basing your signature on and drag it into the document. Don’t resize the render, move the render about to find an area of interest and detail like this.
[Image: ibcRreSszdoTMl.png]

Now duplicate the layer (Command + J on Mac, or Control +J on windows) Then set the new layer to Linear Dodge within the blending options menu.
[Image: il5LHM2jiwpM2.png]

Now, drop in your render again and duplicate it three or four times. Hide all of the renders except for the bottom one using the eye icon located next to the renders in the layer pallet.
[Image: iHg1Fj1O1qV0E.png]

Okay, grab a brush (No bigger than 40px) or your favorite custom brush, and begin smudging the edges of the render outwards. Then set the opacity to around 60% for this layer.
[Image: ib2xsM7whWoS8N.png]

Now, unhide the layer above and begin brushing gently outwards again. This time don’t smudge as far as you did with the previous render. Now set the render to hard light in the blending options and sharpen the image.
[Image: iweN9wRDgDeaC.png]

You can continue to unhide more of your duplicated renders and add more blending options, or leave it like this for now. I will leave this to you.

Next, create a new layer above all of your renders and find a grungy or cloud like brush. Begin lightly brushing a white or light grey over the top and bottom sections of your signature so that it looks similar to this.
[Image: iblZ54LwCKVx2p.png]

Now we are going to create another layer. Select a soft round brush around 10px. Once you have the brush, click on the brush customization menu and select texture. (You may need to load the textures in the drop down menu) Now begin brushing the texture over the last layer around the edges of your signature.

Click here for the brush texture settings


Your signature should resemble something like this
[Image: iccCXS9CcjXQQ.png]

Now play around with some gradient maps. I added a simple orange and purple gradient set to 60% opacity. Then I added a black and white gradient at 80% opacity.

Next, I added a custom halftone effect to the right hand side, this is what is going to frame my text. Alternatively you can add a gradient to darken or lighten this area above and below.
[Image: ifwLeWPcYkurE.png]

Next, place in some text and your done!
[Image: i32royeNB9Md0.png]



I hope you enjoyed and learnt from this tutorial. If you have any questions please feel free to PM me.

Go ahead and post your signature outcome in this thread and show it off!

Thanks for reading,

T.

I think it looks good, that kind of dusty, grainy effect seems to fit all COD-type signatures.