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Welcome to this Full Metal Alchemist signature tutorial. We will be using some cool effect by brushing combined with the displace and sharpen filter to create texture, as well as clipping masks combined with photoshop adjustment layers. You can download the signature PSD in the premium section. We will be using the stock of the Full Metal Alchemist character as well as some fire stock photo. The signature was created by Roroni. Let’s get started:

Create a new file (File > New), our size was set to 420 pixels by 130 pixels.

We’re going to use a stock photo of what seems to be a building on fire. Place a stock photo somewhere on your canvas, and resize it if needed.

Paste your render somewhere on the canvas. We’re using this Full Metal Alchemist character.

We will be creating a sort of flame effect by brushing, which we will edit on to achieve a good looking result. First, you have to set your Brush opacity a little lower and turn on Airbrushing at the toolbar.

Select a light color (yellow in our case), and brush a little over your signature.

Now select Filter > Distort > Displace…:

This screen will come up. Experiment with the settings to create different outcomes. When you press OK, it will ask you for a file to displace with. Select any image you like:

If it still looks too much like the brushing, repeat it again. When you’re done displacing, Sharpen it by selecting Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen…

Outcome:

We’re going to apply an outer glow to add a flame effect to it. Select Layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow, and pick these settings:

This brings us to our outcome:

Repeat this again, add brushing:

Set the same outer glow effect:

We’re going to add some blue flames to it now. Select a light blue color, and brush softly on the signature:

Apply the same effects, Filter > Distort > Displace… (once or twice), then Filter > Sharpen > Sharpen…

Now apply this outer glow settings to it (Layer > Layer Styles > Outer Glow):

The outcome:

Now change the blending mode of the blue flames to Screen to blend it in a little:

We’re going to add a Color Balance adjustment layer. To do this, select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance. Obviously, use your own settings, ours probably won’t work on your signature. Here’s an example animation of the adjustment layer settings:

Outcome of the Color Balance layer:

We’re going to add a Black and White adjustment layer. To do so, select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black and White (or select the ying/yang ish icon on your layer panel):

Our settings:

We’ve set the blending mode to Lighter Color:

We’re going to use the Reduce Noise function. You can also use Topaz for this. First, select Image > Apply Image:

Now select Noise > Reduce Noise, and play around until you’re satisfied:

The Reduce Noise function:

To create the good looking blue effect, select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation, and move the Hue a lot (experiment with the colors):

With the Hue changed:

We’re going to remove some of the blue effect. To do this, select the Layer Mask in the adjustment layer like shown below:

Select areas on the signature with the Elliptical marquee tool, and press delete. Optionally, you can use a splatter brush to do this:

Outcome:

Add a Gradient Map (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map). The settings are set Black to White:

Change the blending mode to Darker Color:

Another Color Balance layer with these settings (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance):

And an exposure adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Exposure…). Set the opacity to 50%:

Outcome after the adjustment layers:

Now add some dots with a soft brush on your canvas to create some extra lighting effect.

Change the blending mode to Screen afterwards:

We’re going to sharpen the image. First we have to Create a new layer, then select Image > Apply Image.

Optionally you can use the Topaz filter if you have it.

We’re going to blur some sections we don’t like with a lens blur. Apply the image on a new layer:

Then select Filter > Blur > Lens Blur:

Outcome (experiment with the settings):

Erase most of it except for the parts that you want to blur (in our case, the cape and the corners):

To finish up the final coloring, add another Color Balance layer:

We’re nearly done, finish up the coloring with some more adjustment layers, experiment.

We finished with a Curves adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves):

This brings us to our final result:

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial. You can download the PSD file in the premium member section. Good Luck!