Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

Okay, I brought this idea to Lil, and she thought it was a good idea, so here goes!

This thread is for anyone who needs help in making a signature or avatar. Just post your questions in here Any sort of questions are okay, from Photoshop tutorials to how to make animations to how to make transparent images...etc.

However, this thread isn't for requesting sigs or avatars, just requesting help on them.

If you also know a cool tutorial for how to do a special effect, post it in here, too

Edit: Please do NOT PM me directly for help. I get enough PMs a day as it is.

Since this is asked nearly on a daily basis, here is how to get your sig under 50kb and retain the quality!

In Photoshop: Go to File > Save For Web. Make sure it is showing Optimized View. Select JPG and lower the quality until the size it says in the corner is below 50kb. If you want to save as a GIF, then lower the number of colors until the size reads below 50kb.

In Paint Shop Pro: Go to File > Save As, and chose JPG. Underneath Save and Cancel is a button that says Options. Click this, and adjust the quality slider. This you'll have to guess-and-check on. If you're saving as a GIF, then go to Color > Decrease Color Depth and set it to 256 colors.

Current Signature Limits

540 pixels wide by 150 pixels tall; maximum 50kb file size.

I'll start out by posting a quick tutorial I wrote on how to make a signature image transparent

To do it in Paint Shop Pro, make your sig image as you want it. With the paint bucket tool, color everything you want to be transparent a color that doesn't show up anywhere in the image (neon green is a safe bet most of the time). Then go to the colors menu, and all the way the bottom is "Decrease Color Depth". Decrease it to 256 colors. Then again under the colors menu is "Set Palette Transparency". Select this, and when the first box pops up hit okay. When the second one comes up, click "Set the transparency value to pallete entry", and then (BEFORE hitting okay), click on an area in the image that has the color you want to be transparent. Then click okay, and save your signature as a GIF file.

How to do it in Photoshop will be posted once I remember how to do it...

i have a good site that has awsome tutorials can i post it

I'm pretty sure you can.

Ummm...I don't know if you can post the link itself (check with Lil on that one), but you can feel free to post some of the tutorials from that site.

i think u can ive sean it bunches of times hear it is its the best siite i found it has anamation and just plane averything
www.good-tutorials.com

yes..not everything is considered spamming you know

I've just downloaded paint shop pro 8
I know how to use paint shop pro 6
there is not much diference but i can't find out how to soften the edges with a brush like psp 6
can anyone tell me???

oh ok i found it

How to make really cool water in Photoshop (courtesy n-sane.net ):

1. Create a new image at 500x500 pixels with a transparent background.

2. Go Filter > Render > Clouds (make sure your foreground color is black and your background color is white before you do this)

3. Go Filter > Render > Difference Clouds. Press Ctrl-F 5 times. (Ctrl-F repeats the last action)

4. Go Filter > Blur > Motion Blur at 0 degrees and 80 strength. Press Ctrl-F.

5. Go Filter > Sketch > Chrome with a detail of 4 and smoothness of 7.

6. Duplicate the layer.

7. Press Ctrl-L to bring up the lighting menu. Use around the following settings:

Input levels: 118, 1.00, 126
Output levels: 0, 255

8. Go Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur with a strength of 4. Press Ctrl-F.

9. Change the layer's blending mode to screen.

10. Select the original layer. Go Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation and use the following settings:

Hue: 185
Saturation: 41
Lightness: 0
Colorize: checked

(that's the color the site says to use... Personally I think it's a little too artificial looking, but you can mess with that however you want.)

11. Duplicate the original layer and set the new layer's blending mode to overlay.

Oooh...I'll have to try that...

I tried it, hitting "Ctrl - F5" a few times does nothing, and I am unable to select "Hue and Saturation".

This is why I don't use Paintshop. Too technical.

This is in Photoshop...

and also... It's actually command-F on my computer, so that might be it. I thought it was just because I have a Mac but I could be wrong.

There you have it, and I was using Photoshop, on my PC, that was a typo on my part.

hers a little advisee just a suggestion u might wunu post a preview of wut it would look like so u dont go and waste ur time working on it and then you hate just a suggestion

I use photodraw for my sigs, so if anyone needs tips with that I can help

I have Paint Shop Pro 8, and I'd like to know how to increase resolution on a picture after enlarging it significantly.

how do i show a sig i made

forget what i said above this post i know how to know

I want to make an animated sig in animation shop but it always ends up 95kb can anyone tell me what program to use or what to do to make it smaller?

how do you show an animation sig and what to save it as?

AND I HAVE JASC ANIMATION SHOP HOW DO MAKE A ANIMATION?????????

I just downloaded the Paint Shop Pro 8.0 but i have no idea how to make sigs. Can someone help me?

ohh..ok i know how to make animations now

Animations the size of a signature are hard to make and keep a decent file size. I'd suggest using images that have a low color depth (like 256 colors), because this will help with the file size. Also, the more frames you have, the bigger it'll be. Use as few frames as possible to make the animation.

I try with 2 frames and 63 colours and the size is 50kb...

When you save, there's the option box that says "animation quality vs. output size". Try choosing a lower quality on the slider bar, which should give you a smaller file size.

this is what I do...
I lowered it at 63 colours...
but...

Hmmm....

Well, sometimes there's just no way to get an animation down to the right size so that it's usable. I've run into that problem myself, where the image size was huge even though I did all I could to shrink it. Sorry I couldn't help you any more than that.

that's ok!
I will find out someday!!

thanx!

I am trying to make a sig in photodraw for the first time...
I always work in paint shop pro...
can anyone tell me how to cut the image arround to get a transparent background?

how do make font look fade out?

how do you make font that already came wit the pic look faded?

and i use jasc paint shop pro 8.10

i think i no...... first u have to make sure that the font is a seperate layer on the pic so if u right clicked on the font and pressed cut then the font would be the only thing to go away, then u go to the top and click on layers and go down to properties, then go to opacity and put it to about fifty or wutever u think is good..... and i have no idea how to make the font thats came with the pic into layers cause i always paste stuff on the pic so its alredy a new layer.

erm... could you say it in a different way, I'm not quite sure what you mean...

Transparency can be in either Transparency or Soft Edges, Cut is just Cut

oh I mean how can I cut around like the laso tool in paint shop pro and paint...

Hey...can someone please tell me how to create a sig????

Well, what program do you have? Paint, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, Photodraw, etc?

You could also ask one of the sig makers in the Official Signature Request Thread to make you one.

how do you put a link to your sig gallery from under your sig?

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/misc.php?s=&action=bbcode

wow!....thanks

Does anyone know of a good signature maker BESIDES Paint Shop Pro? My computer is too crappy to hold that type of program, it was boddling my computer down and screwing it up really bad. All i need is a program that makes sigs, it doesnt have to be as "high tech" or wonderful as PSP

try jasc paint shop pro 8.10

edit

nono

??

when ever i make my sig..its always PSD how do i get it to jpg or wutever kmc takes??

Saving the file as jpg....?

I guess there's a list of types below the filename textbox in the save as dialog box. And look for JPEG or JPG file extention when you save your image work.

ill try that

I'm new at making these things, I don't know where to start. I have paintshop pro 8.0 trial version whether that makes a difference but I don't have a clue as to where to start. Any help would be appreciated.

How do u get pic 2 kinda like fade in2 other pics....I just got Paint shop pro 8.....

You have to have the two images you want to fade together as seperate layers...then, go to Layers > Properties and fiddle with the opacity and blend modes until you get something you like

Cool....I worked out another way 2 dat that but I think that way is easier

I was wondering if one of you could make me a cool cowboy bebop sig with my name in it?

request that in the official sig request thread

anyone need help?with anything?

have anyone an idea what to do to get my sig looks better?
coz when it looks good the size of the file is to big, and when i make it less than 30 kb it looks pathetic

Yeah same Thats happenin 2 me 2

uh... same problem here...

oh wait, i dunno how to make sigs

i have been waitin a week 4 this 2 b answered

I got Photoshop CS last week, the problem is that I'm a total dumbo - Could anyone tell me in the very simplest of terms how to make a sig?

*looks around blankly*

U would have better luck askin in a galery....this thread neva gets answered

I don't know what program you're using so I can't really help too much...in Photoshop when you're saving as a JPG it asks you how high you want the quality to be. Usually somewhere between 6 and 8 is best.

Don't ask for help in signature gallery threads, please. I've been busy lately and can't always reply to this thread.

I can't really tell you how to make a sig because 1) I don't know how you want it to look and 2) everyone does it differently. Your best bet is to play around with PS until you come up with some techniques you like. If there's a question about a specific filter or making a certain effect, then I can help you, though.

i know this is a stupid question but how do you lower down the pixels on a pic???

I assume you mean pixel size, right? In most programs there's an option called "image size" or "image resize" or something similar where you can change the size.

oh ok thank you.

thanks.
i'm using photoshop.
and i know that quality option, but my problem was that it turned out too big, so i had to make the quality worse to fit in this 30 kb limit

Where can I download Paintshop for free?

can someone go into my sn and put my thread link under my sig i fso just pm me

if you go on jasc.com you can download a 60 day trial

Haw do u make them

How do you make sigs? By playing around with images in an image editing program...

I really need help making sigs! I have paint shop 3 and don't know the first thing!

all you have to do is get an image you want for w/e ur making, then click on effect at the top and just try out the diff effects...that doesnt make sence but hope that helped..

No, not really. Sorry

lol, dunno im crap at explaining stuff

Adobe Sig tutorial (No pictures, so ask if you dont follow)

1)Create a new image of 355 by 115 Pixels with a white background

2)filter > render > clouds

3)Get out your grunge/abstract brushes and brush around a bit. Make new layers ( ctrl + shift + n ) too bursh in, make around 4 until it looks decent. If you dont have any brushes yet, get them at..

http://brushes.deviantart.com/

To install (ZIP file) click download and select save. When the d/l is finished click open. You have to have winzip. Extract the files to ' C drive > Prog files > Adobe > Adobe (what ever version your using, EG 7.0) > Presets > Brushes.

The open up adobe,select the brush tool and bring down the option on the left,see the little arrow? click that, go to load brushes and load the ones you d/l

If its an ABR file, skip straight to loading them up.

4) Once you have a decent background, open up the picture you want.

5) change its size till it fits .

6) Grab the Lasso tool with a 10px feather (at the top) and go round the image quickly. edit > cut.

7) click on your background and edit > paste. Move it around to where you want.

8) In your layers settings, set the render layer (the picture you just pasted) to 30%. Duplicate it (right click > duplicate layer) On that layer set the blending mode to soft light. Select the original layer to luminosity.

9) Merge layers, click on your BG layer and press ' ctrl + shift + E '

10) Now your pictures blended nicely. Press Ctrl + B to bring up the colour balance option. Player about with it until you get what you want. Dont make the Shadows and Highlights too hight though.

11) Now for your border. Take your rectangle marquee tool and make a new layer (ctrl + shift + n) right click (with the marquee tool) and select ' select all' Now, right click again and select stroke. And option will come up. Select 1 px colour black and 'inside'. Click Ok

12) merge layers (ctrl + e)

13) Add what ever txt you want (Use same colour as background, then go to layer> layer style > stroke and select 1 px, and colour Black.


There, your done. You should now have a nice simple sig in adobe

http://img67.exs.cx/img67/2526/cyberbitch.jpg

http://img10.exs.cx/img10/6530/Necroticism.jpg

http://img62.exs.cx/img62/3342/2Wolverine.jpg

Here are just three i made with the technique above (i did alot more though)

Progs I use are..

Adobe PS 7.0
Cinema 4d
Bryce 5.

ur sigs r really good krexo!

Thanks =) Soon to be Graphic designer,haha. Well, after I take the course next year in collage (taking a year out)

If anyone needs help with Adobe just PM me or post it here

i use paint shop pro butn im not very good..

hey,

im really struggling here!

i just got psp 9 and wanna make ma own sinatures with a few different images blended together end to end but haven't got the first idea where to start!

any 1 who knows can either pm me or email me @ [email protected]. but i really do kneed a step by step tutorial as in which files to open changing sizes ect ect.

please help me xxxxxxxxxx

Where can I get good swatches to download for PSP 8?

Kazza

hey i just downloades PSP8 and i must ask, how do i like cut a part of a picture and paste it in another picture?

Use the free selection tool (the one that looks like a lasso) and trace around the area you want to cut out, then just paste it into the other image.

wuts a lasso???

Here, I screencapped the screen so you can see what I'm talking about...the screencap is from PSP7 (which is what I have) but essentially should be the same.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v434/nekoshoujo/freeselect.jpg

oh k

I'll try it

I have a problem with my image signature---it is a plain pic with Prince of Persia, scaled down to fit---no Photoshop enhancement, just a pic I uploaded as signature and they confirm the size is OK, they say it is my signature, but it doesn`t work--it never follows my signature text as it should....Why?

Did you take the img code that you're given when you upload the image and put that into your signature?

Okay, this is the problem, for sure...errr what does this code look like and where might I find it? (I feel so stupid asking this!)

Go to Edit Profile > Upload custom signature image, and upload the image you want. It'll then give you a code that looks like this:

http://images.killermovies.com/forums/user_sigs/customsig_16957_GV.gif

Except there won't be spaces. You then copy this code and enter it in the signature field on the edit profile page.

Thank you so very much! Pic looks nice, eh?

You're welcome!!!

Brightest blessings,

Do you think you could make me a cool siggy? All I'd really want on it is my name! Let me know!

Thanks!

Ask in the Sig Request thread. And at the moment, I'm not doing any requests.

Well I gots a question for photoshop... When you use the line tool, how do you get a rounded tip at the end? Coz I want to do a lightsaber...

I can't put a sig up, what could be the problem?

Testing

testing

I don't know, actually...you don't need the line to have a rounded tip at the end, though, because when you use the gaussian blur effect on it, it gets rounded itself.

I can write up a short lightsaber tutorial if you'd like.

It's probably too big...make sure that it's under 500x200 pixels and less than 30 KB.

Ah, but wait... I know it's small, it's tiny because anything bigger won't go (but I've seen big signitures on here), it was around 60 pixels... I don't know but what's that KB, where do I you know, I'm stuck

What does it say when you try and upload it?

It says 'Currently Host Signature Image:' then it shows my Matrix sig but it doesn't show when I post or on previous posts, I've never seen it as my sig

This is the code that comes up:

http://images.killermovies.com/forums/user_sigs/customsig_48917_oB.gif <----------- (or will this show as the picture)Originally posted by Silver Stardust

You have to take the code the uploader gives you and put in in the signature box in "edit profile".

you don't

you make a line, and then you make a small circle that fits at it's end...you merge the two layers and there you have it.

it works if you don't just want to make a line....but a twisted shape, that doesn't look like the blade is paralel to the screen. it's a nice 3D touch

Look at my sig, it's tiny but anything bigger won't go! All this 30KB it's confusing but not all pictures less that 500 x 200 still won't fit!

Okay, it's changed now but still... look at it, why can I only have teeny sigs when other people have really big sigs, look at yours and Dexx's

Sigs can also only be so many lines high, including text; now that the text isn't in your signature anymore you should be able to fit a larger image.

I tried that already! Obviously I don't want that text there as well, I just want a picture and that's what I can have!

hey, I'm still havin problems with my paintshop, so I go and make an image and it's 500 by 200, but it always goes up to about 240 or 300 KB, and then I can't load it. I've tried to decrease the color count but that doesn't work, I've also tried to save it under different things, gif, jpeg, etc, but it just reduces the KB by a little bit. What is this maddness? I used to be able to make sigs just fine, but for some reason, this keeps happnin! a little help, please! lol

When you save, go to "Save As". Underneath the "Save" and "Cancel" buttons, there's one called "Options." Click that and play with the compression settings.

thanks a bunch!

You're welcome, I'm happy to help!

does anyone have a link to download and or install adobe photoshop cs?

Anyone know how to make moving sigs with Adobe Photoshop v.7?

For animations with Photoshop you use ImageReady, but I don't know how to use it...I use Animation Shop 3 which comes with PSP7.

so does anyone have a link to download and or install adobe photoshop cs or Animation Shop 3 with PSP7.?

You can download trial versions off their websites (www.jasc.com and www.adobe.com)

ok thanxs

is there any way to reduce the size of a sig?

I just got Jasc Photo Shop Pro 8, Can someone tell me how to make sigs with it?

Resizing images -- go to Image > Image Size (or something similar).

There's no one way to make sigs in PSP8, I'd suggest just playing around with the program, learn how the effects and layers work, and see what you can do.

Em how do u put a avatar up ?

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f13/t6546.html

Instructions on what to do.

when i try to upload a sig it goes to that This Page Cannot Be Displayes thing...the sig is jpeg and the right size and everything...i dunno what to do?!?

If it goes to "Page cannot be displayed" then it's not something to do with the sig, but the server itself. Ask about this in the News and Questions forum.

how do ya make the file size smaller

It depends on what program you're using. In PSP, as you save as a JPEG, click "Options" on the Save dialog box and make the compression higher (I find that 15 is usually plenty). With PS, after you save it a box will pop up asking how high you want the quality to be; usually 8 is okay.

I..for some reason..can't get my sig to work I put it in the thingy but it still didn't work then I took it out of it and it still doesn't work...can some one help

You have to upload it to KMC. Go to User CP/Profile > Edit Profile, and then right under the sig field there's a link that says "upload custom user sig".

every time i try 2 upload a sig, the page goes to instafinder. why?

umm...this ones for TWelling4Ever, since I had nowhere else to put it...

for TWelling again...but resized

twelling..sorry guys havin some probs

Originally posted by .::Levi@than::.
Well I gots a question for photoshop... When you use the line tool, how do you get a rounded tip at the end? Coz I want to do a lightsaber...

Here's a great tutorial for you...I used it myself just today.

http://home.hetnet.nl/~whiteeagleonline/Tutorials/eng_lightsaber.htm

what happened to your sig lance?

When it was all funky like that?

I tried to make it look blown up, but I lost all the motion blur when saving it...so it didn't look right.

how long does it take to upload a sig? i know its a daft question but...

SOMEBODY TELL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

depends on your connection, but not more than a couple minutes if you have 56k, Faster if you have DSL or Cable

Ok..I'm going to sound so dumb asking this but I made a sig, and I need to resize it. but after I resize it, I'm told that the picture is still too big. so someone please help here...the link to the pic is http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/Chelsea23/johnholz69.jpg thanks

Can someone help with that, or does the file not work?