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In this tutorial we will be making a Code Geass anime signature. I couldn’t find the original render, this Code Geass wallpaper came close though. We will be using some cinema4d renders and a space stock as well to create some detail and the explosion blast near his arm. This signature was created by Neuron, the talented designer that created several more signatures that we’ve written about. Check out his DeviantArt if you like.

The outcome of the tutorial:

Create a new file, sized 400 pixels by 150 pixels. Fill this with a dark color:

Add a space stock somewhere on your canvas. Erase the sides, try creating a focal point:

Add a cinema4d render effect on the space stock that we’ve placed. You can’t see the render properly , however it is rotated upwards to create some flow.

Change the renders blending mode to Linear Dodge:

Repeat this a few times, add a render, rotate it, then change the blending mode to either Linear Dodge or Screen.

Repeated one more time, with the cinema4d render set to screen.

Find a render with a light “exploding” feel to it. Rotate it sidewards, make it follow the flow. This will compliment the render we’re adding later.

Change the blending mode to Linear Dodge:

Place your render in the middle of the canvas. There’s a tiny section of light coming from the left of his head. We will use this later as a lighting point:

We’re going to blend the render a little by brushing on the sides of the render. You can do this easily by using a clipping mask. Create a new layer over your render, and select Layer > Create Clipping Mask (CTRL + ALT +G). This is what your layer panel should look like:

Here’s an animation to illustrate the brushing that was done:

Using the original render, we’ve cut out a piece of chain.

Paste this on the canvas. It’s rotated to match the flow of the exploding render on the background.

Duplicate the layer, and resize it. Place it upwards:

Adding another cinema4d render on the signature on top of his right arm, and change the blending mode to either Screen or Linear dodge:

Repeat this on the left side of his arm:

The outcome after setting the render to screen:

We’re going to start blending the render by using a Photo Filter. We’ve set it to Cooling Filter (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Photo Filter…):

This is what it should look like now, it looks a bit too colored:

Change the blending mode to Soft Light with the opacity reduced to about 40%:

Duplicate the PhotoFilter, and change the blending mode to Saturation while reducing the opacity. Experiment to blend your character.

We want to enhance the explosion effect a little more, it’s blended in with the rest of the background by the Photo Filters.

To bring the explosion back up, select the layer mask, and brush with a black color over the explosion.

This will bring the explosion back up:

We’re going to add an explosion on the foreground:

Add the render on the foreground, and make sure you rotate it to match the flow of the signature.

Set the renders blending mode to Linear Dodge:

We’re going to add some detail on the character. Using a detailed render:

Change the blending mode to Lighten:

We’re going to use a lens flare to enhance the lighting. Create a new layer, and fill this with Black. Then, select Filter > Render > Lens Flare:

Erase most of it where the lighting is not needed. We will be changing the blending mode in the next step, so don’t worry about the black colors still covering the canvas.

Now set this layers blending mode to Color Dodge:

We’re going to fix the lighting a little more. On a new layer, brush with a white brush softly. This is the brushing shown on a black background:

The outcome after fixing the lighting:

We’ve added a render on his left arm for some more detail:

Change the blending mode to Lighten, Screen, or Linear Dodge:

To add some more blending, we’re going to add a Gradient Map. There’s several ways to do this, you can achieve the same effect with a curves Adjustment Layer.

Change the blending mode to Luminosity, and reduce the opacity to about 50%:

We’ve added the logo on top of the canvas. Don’t worry about cutting it out, we’re changing the blending mode afterwards to blend the black background:

After setting the blending mode to Screen:

Create a new layer, and apply the image. Using the marquee tool, select a section of the signature and paste it over the text. We will be converting it to a clipping mask in the next step:

Convert it to a clipping mask by pressing CTRL + ALT + G or selecting Layer > Convert to Clipping Mask.

Finish up your text using clipping masks or other techniques. Our outcome:

Using the Burn and Dodge Tool as seen here:

We will be adding shades and extra lighting. This could take a few tries.

Apply the image on a new layer, (Image > Apply Image) and either use the sharpen tool, or select Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen…

To enhance the lighting, we will use the eyedropper tool to pick a color from the canvas. With this, we will make a dot with a soft brush, covering any lighted area (check the blue near his shoulders):

Set the blending mode of this dot to Linear Dodge:

Repeat this step at the main lighting point to color the lighting, tap with a soft brush and a light color:

Change the blending mode to either Color or Linear Dodge. Reduce the opacity of felt necessary:

This brings us to our Final result, give it some finnishing touches like the burn and dodge tool, sharpen or blur tool, and so forth:

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorials. Premium Members will be able to download the signature in the Premium Section.