Carbon*
09-10-2007, 08:47 PM
A Moron's Guide To Siggy Making
Here in this guide I will explain the basics of Signature making.
First, you need to know what a Signature is.
A signature is basically a picture that can used to express yourself, show your likes and dislikes, show your wants, and many other things.
To make a sig, you first need a good program to make one with.
Some examples are Paint.net, photoshop, or gimp.
I'd recommend using Paint.net for beginners and if you need it, just Xfire me and I'll give you the link, b/c I think posting the link on Ijji is counted as advertising and I don't need any more warnings.
Gimp and photoshop should be used by people that are more experienced.
Here are some definitions you should know when you start to create sigs.
Layer: Kind of hard to explain, think about a layer as a layer in a cake. What you put on a layer can either be dragged onto the top or bottom of other layers w/o getting them all jumbled up. Layers are included in many gfx programs including photoshop, gimp, and paint.net.
Render: A render is a cut picture with no background so you can put it into a layer w/o the white all over it. Renders are almost a must have when you are making a sig. If you need a site for renders, contact me on Xfire (B/c Ijji will count it as advertising.)
Pattern: A pattern is a reacurring texture that goes on over and over again.
Gradient: A gradient is basically a color that gradually changes.
Lighting: This is kind of self-explanatory
Stroke: Outlines something
Glow: Self-explanatory
When you first start making sigs, you want to keep them clean and simple until you're more experienced. First, work on your concept. Find out what kind of theme you want your sig to have. Think of the colors you should put on them. Try to choose colors that work well with each other. You also need a nice font to go along w/ your sig and a nice centerpiece for your sig.
Centerpiece
For a centerpiece, try using a character, vehicle, or place. Use a render or make your own render if you're planning on making your own background. Be sure to get a quality render b/c you don't want your picture looking choppy. If you find any areas, use the blur tool on your tool list to blur them out.
Now you need to decide where your centerpiece should go. The left, the right, or the middle. Choose an area that won't block your text and won't block the part of the background you want to show.
Background
For a background, I'd reccommend beginners use a fractal render or a abstract render. Those can look really nice on your sig if you use them correctly. Do NOT put TOO much in your sig, otherwise it will look horrible. You can also use paint swabs to bring out the colors in your abstract/fractal render. Be sure to always put the abstract/fractal BEHIND the centerpiece (sort of common sense). Try to get colors that match/complement your centerpiece, and match your theme. Ex. If you have a space theme, try getting metal spikes or a smooth abstract render. If you have sort of a demonic theme, you should try going with red abstracts/fractals that have many twists and turns to them.
Text
Get a text that goes along with the theme of your sig, such as Captain Podd for a space theme or Epoxy for a Urban warfare theme. If you want to twist or bend your text, right click on the text layer and press warp text, then mess around until you find what you like.
Adding Nice Effects
Do not add an effect just for the sake of doing it. Think clearly and choose what will look nice. Do not put a lens flare on your sig just for the sake of doing it b/c that can totally mess up your sig. To put gradient overlays, glows, etc. on your sig, right click on your layer and press blending options. From there, just mess around and experiment and choose what's best for you.
Filters
Be very, very, very careful with filters. Adding too much of them will destroy your sig. Use them with care. If you put on a lens flare try only putting on ONE and use the lighting to direct attention TO your centerpiece, not away (Unless you're going for a hiding-in-the-shadows kind of theme) Also be careful with the blurs, yes I know it's tempting to get your paws on the motion blur, but only use it if you HAVE to.
Saving your sig
Always save your sig as a png for best quality, or if you have an empty area, I'd use jpg at full quality b/c blue parts sometimes show up on pngs at empty areas. If you are using a sig with animation (which I did not explain how to do in this guide,) save it in a gif.
Borders
For beginners, borders should always always always always be used. To make a border, create a new layer, put it at the top, select the whole area of the layer, right click, press stroke, choose a px, choose a color, press ok.
The Do's and Don't of sig making
Do's__
-Use colors that complement each other
-Always stay with the themes
-If it looks better w/ simplicity, keep it simple.
Don'ts__
-Do something for the sake of doing it.
-Use clashing colors
-Cut off the text in your sig
-Distract too much attention away from the centerpiece with the background
Creds go to: Carbon* (aka Shotgunsticky)
My Xfire is: shynobiiz, contact me if you need help, I'm online often.
Distribute this guide as much as you want, just try not to pass it off as if it was your own.
Hope this guide helps, have fun making yourself a quality sig. Don't take criticism as if it's bad, just use what they criticized to make a better sig.
Here in this guide I will explain the basics of Signature making.
First, you need to know what a Signature is.
A signature is basically a picture that can used to express yourself, show your likes and dislikes, show your wants, and many other things.
To make a sig, you first need a good program to make one with.
Some examples are Paint.net, photoshop, or gimp.
I'd recommend using Paint.net for beginners and if you need it, just Xfire me and I'll give you the link, b/c I think posting the link on Ijji is counted as advertising and I don't need any more warnings.
Gimp and photoshop should be used by people that are more experienced.
Here are some definitions you should know when you start to create sigs.
Layer: Kind of hard to explain, think about a layer as a layer in a cake. What you put on a layer can either be dragged onto the top or bottom of other layers w/o getting them all jumbled up. Layers are included in many gfx programs including photoshop, gimp, and paint.net.
Render: A render is a cut picture with no background so you can put it into a layer w/o the white all over it. Renders are almost a must have when you are making a sig. If you need a site for renders, contact me on Xfire (B/c Ijji will count it as advertising.)
Pattern: A pattern is a reacurring texture that goes on over and over again.
Gradient: A gradient is basically a color that gradually changes.
Lighting: This is kind of self-explanatory
Stroke: Outlines something
Glow: Self-explanatory
When you first start making sigs, you want to keep them clean and simple until you're more experienced. First, work on your concept. Find out what kind of theme you want your sig to have. Think of the colors you should put on them. Try to choose colors that work well with each other. You also need a nice font to go along w/ your sig and a nice centerpiece for your sig.
Centerpiece
For a centerpiece, try using a character, vehicle, or place. Use a render or make your own render if you're planning on making your own background. Be sure to get a quality render b/c you don't want your picture looking choppy. If you find any areas, use the blur tool on your tool list to blur them out.
Now you need to decide where your centerpiece should go. The left, the right, or the middle. Choose an area that won't block your text and won't block the part of the background you want to show.
Background
For a background, I'd reccommend beginners use a fractal render or a abstract render. Those can look really nice on your sig if you use them correctly. Do NOT put TOO much in your sig, otherwise it will look horrible. You can also use paint swabs to bring out the colors in your abstract/fractal render. Be sure to always put the abstract/fractal BEHIND the centerpiece (sort of common sense). Try to get colors that match/complement your centerpiece, and match your theme. Ex. If you have a space theme, try getting metal spikes or a smooth abstract render. If you have sort of a demonic theme, you should try going with red abstracts/fractals that have many twists and turns to them.
Text
Get a text that goes along with the theme of your sig, such as Captain Podd for a space theme or Epoxy for a Urban warfare theme. If you want to twist or bend your text, right click on the text layer and press warp text, then mess around until you find what you like.
Adding Nice Effects
Do not add an effect just for the sake of doing it. Think clearly and choose what will look nice. Do not put a lens flare on your sig just for the sake of doing it b/c that can totally mess up your sig. To put gradient overlays, glows, etc. on your sig, right click on your layer and press blending options. From there, just mess around and experiment and choose what's best for you.
Filters
Be very, very, very careful with filters. Adding too much of them will destroy your sig. Use them with care. If you put on a lens flare try only putting on ONE and use the lighting to direct attention TO your centerpiece, not away (Unless you're going for a hiding-in-the-shadows kind of theme) Also be careful with the blurs, yes I know it's tempting to get your paws on the motion blur, but only use it if you HAVE to.
Saving your sig
Always save your sig as a png for best quality, or if you have an empty area, I'd use jpg at full quality b/c blue parts sometimes show up on pngs at empty areas. If you are using a sig with animation (which I did not explain how to do in this guide,) save it in a gif.
Borders
For beginners, borders should always always always always be used. To make a border, create a new layer, put it at the top, select the whole area of the layer, right click, press stroke, choose a px, choose a color, press ok.
The Do's and Don't of sig making
Do's__
-Use colors that complement each other
-Always stay with the themes
-If it looks better w/ simplicity, keep it simple.
Don'ts__
-Do something for the sake of doing it.
-Use clashing colors
-Cut off the text in your sig
-Distract too much attention away from the centerpiece with the background
Creds go to: Carbon* (aka Shotgunsticky)
My Xfire is: shynobiiz, contact me if you need help, I'm online often.
Distribute this guide as much as you want, just try not to pass it off as if it was your own.
Hope this guide helps, have fun making yourself a quality sig. Don't take criticism as if it's bad, just use what they criticized to make a better sig.