Do not redistribute this tutorial on ANY website.

This is our final result:

Important in this signature is its flow and the lighting used to create depth. Shown in the image below is the lightsource (in the circle) and the direction of the signatures flow. Try creating an effect like this:

Start by creating a new file, our size was set to 380 pixels by 100 pixels.

Add in a cinema4d render effect. You can find these in our renders section. Optionally, you can use the topaz filter to give it some extra effect. This is not necessary though (you can find an article on Topaz in this post).

Paste your stock somewhere on your canvas:

Press CTRL + T to rotate this stock slightly, if you used an effect render like this you should try to have it follow its flow:

Paste another cinema4d effect render on top, and erase the section that covers your stock. Rotate this if needed to match the angle of your stock:

Set this effect renders blending mode to Lighten:

We’re going to paste 2 more cinema4d effect renders on top, and we’re going to set its blending mode to lighten. Make sure they have some detail. Our first render:

Our second render:

Our result after setting both of the cinema4d renders to lighten:

We’re going to make a Selective Color adjustment layer. To do this, select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Selective Color… You have to play around with the settings to get a result you like, however to show you the settings used in this signature I created this animation to illustrate all the settings:

The result of our Selective Color layer:

We’re going to use some splatter brushes create a clipping mask. First, create a new layer, and go to Image > Apply Image. On another new layer, start brushing with some splatter brushes. Smudge this slightly if you like.

Then while having the Applied Image selected, move it on top of the brushing layer. Now go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask, or press ALT + CTRL + G. Move the layer around slightly. Our result:

Because this step was a little hard, here’s an animation to illustrate exactly how it’s done.

Make a new layer, and fill this with a greyish color. We’re going to start blending the signature now.

Set this layer to Lighten, and reduce its Fill to 65%:

We’re going to create a gradient map. The colors we’ve used were: #FF2222 and #BAA61E. To create a gradient map, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map…

Set this gradient maps blending mode to Hue, and reduce the fill to 85%:

We’re only going to apply the gradient map to our stock and clipping mask, so click on the Gradient Map its Layer Mask like shown in the image below, and brush with a dark color around your render.

This is the section that we’ve left untouched:

We’re now going to invert the canvas, create a new Invert Adjustment layer (Press the black and white circle on your layer panel or go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Invert...)

We only want our stock to be inverted, not the entire canvas, so while you have your Invert layer selected, press CTRL + ALT + G or Layer > Create Clipping Mask. Your layer panel should look like this now:

Create a new Photo Filter adjustment layer, and pick settings that look good on your tag. We used these:

result of the tag at this point:

Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast) and change the settings to sort of blend your stock into the background a little more:

Our result:

We’re going to brush softly with a light grey brush, following our flow. This is the brushing shown on a black background, however just brush lightly with a light color. Afterwards, set the blending mode to Linear dodge and reduce the Fill to 50%:

Fill set to 50% and blending mod eon Linear Dodge:

To create extra depth we’re going to brush with a dark color around our focal, and exclude the lighting point.

Set this layer to Soft Light, and reduce the fill to 35 to 45%. Our result:

We’re going to add a few adjustment layers. First we’re starting with a Channel Mixer. Select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer, and play around with the settings. Here’s an animation to show you our settings used, however it’s best just to experiment.

Click on the layer mask, and brush with a black color over your lighting point. This should exclude the adjustment layer. In this image you can see the area that we’ve brushed selected, the section outside of the selection was brushed with black on the layer mask:

Apply a Selective Color layer, we’ve only changed the neutrals in this adjustment layer:

Result:

Another Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer (our settings shown in an animation):

We’re only trying to color the render with the last Channel Mixer layer, click on the layer mask, and brush with a black brush around our guitarist. Set this layers Fill to 30%:

Selected is the area that we’ve applied the adjustment layer to:

We’re adding a Photo Filter, and 3 Gradient Maps. This is the settings we’ve used:

Photo Filter with the Fill set to 30%:

Gradient Map, Fill on 10%. Colors used were: #0A00b2 , #FF0000, #FFFC00:

Gradient Map, Blending mode on Soft Light, Fill set to 45%

And a black to white gradient map, blending mode set to Multiply, and fill to about 50%:

This is the result of the adjustment layers we’ve just made:

We’re going to sharpen our tag. Apply the image on a new layer (New Layer, Image > Apply Image) , and go to Filter > Sharpen. Reduce the fill to about 75% if it comes on too strong.

Optionally, use the Topaz Filter. We’ve reduced the fill to about 35% to make the filter less visible.

Apply the image on a new layer, and select Filter > Blur, and repeat this once more.

Set this layer to Soft Light, and reduce the fill to 55%:

It’s a little too blurred, so apply the image and use the Sharpen Tool to sharpen our stock (not the sections around him) and set the fill to 85%:

Create a new layer, and use the eyedropper tool to grab a color from your canvas. We used color #310B0D, fill the canvas with this color:

Set this layers blending mode to Lighten, and this gives us our final result:

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial. Premium members will be able to download the PSD and extra instructions in our Premium Section. Good Luck!

1. Start by creating a new file. Our size was set to 368 by 98 pixels. Fill this with a random colored gradient:

2. We’re going to create a background with the use of the smudge and brush tool. To illustrate how our background was designed, here are the layers shown in one large image. Try using a soft brush for the smudging and brushing. Sorry for the watermark!

our result at this point:

Here’s an animation to illustrate how the brushing and smudging was done:

3. Grab a good looking render, one that fits your canvas. Place it on your canvas. In the following steps we will blend this in, so don’t erase and smudge this render yet.

4. Create a new layer, and start brushing lightly on top. Smudge this a bit:

5. Repeat this step, softly brush over your render and smudge:

6. Repeat, smudge and lighten areas around your focal and fix bad looking areas:

7. Zoom in, and with your Pencil Tool tap randomly around your focal with a light color picked using the eyedropper tool. If you decide to change color later, you can use the Color Overlay layer style to easily change it.

Keep doing this, our result:

8. We’re going to work on the right section of the tag now. Brush softly to the right of our render, and smudge this a bit:

9. Repeat the previous step, and add some more pixels to the right of your render:

10. Add some lighter dots as well, our result:

11. We’re going to change the colors around a bit. Make a new layer, and apply the image (Image > Apply Image). Click on the adjustments window, and select Curves. Now you can either change the curves yourself, or click on the Auto button, Photoshop will choose the settings itself.

Our result:

12. Apply the image on a new layer, and use the Curves tool again. Just change it slightly to get some good looking colors.

13. Add a Color Balance adjustment layer, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Balance, and play around with the settings. These are the settings we’ve picked:

The result after adding the adjustment layer:

14. This step is optional, create a new layer, and apply the image (Image > Apply Image), and select Image > Transform > Flip Horizontally. Our result:

15. Go to adjustments again, curves, and select the auto settings. In the layer mask settings, brush a section of the image black to hide its effect:

The layer mask:

16. The result we have at this point:

17. Make a new layer, and apply the image. We’re going to blur this layer, and set it to Pin Light. Select Filter > Blur > Blur More, and blur until most of the details are gone:

Set this layer to Pin light:

18. Make a new layer, and add a white dot with a soft brush near your focal. This is our lighting shown on a black background.

The result shown on our tag:

19. We’re going to use a nice technique to create a rainbow that will colourize our tag. Make sure you set it to Angle Gradient:

The gradient colors, just use random bright colors:

This is the gradient shown with blending mode set to normal:

20. Set this layers blending mode to Screen, and keep the opacity on 100%:

21. We’re going to strengthen the color effect, duplicate the rainbow layer, but reduce the fill to about 30%:

22. Make another gradient at the sides to color that part a bit, set its blending mode to screen afterwards.

Its blending mode set to screen:

23. Create another tiny gradient close to your render, and set it to screen once again:

24. Apply the image on a new layer, and set its layer style to Pin light.

25. add a border if you like, some text, this is our final result!

Thank you for viewing this tutorial. We would really appreciate any comments and suggestions!

optional result with selective color layer:

1. First, create a new file.Our size was 360 by 110 pixels. Fill this with a dark greyish color:

2. Grab your text tool, and write your text. We’re going to remove parts of the text to give it a broken structure. To do this, we have to rasterize the layer, then grab our eraser tool to remove some of it. Right click on your text layer, and select Rasterize Layer.

You should now be able to remove parts of the text. Don’t overdo it if you still want it to be partially readable:

3. We’re going to add a pattern to our text (you can do this on a new layer if you like). CTRL + Right Click on our text layer to select our text. Then select Edit > Fill, choose your pattern and press ok:

This should select the outlines of your text:

Fill this with a pattern, this one has a white striped pattern (Edit > Fill > Pattern):

4. This step could be a bit harder. We’re going to add our stock, and remove most of it. Smudge the edges with a hard brush, and sharpen certain areas. Experiment with this, try using the burn and dodge tool, or the clone stamp tool for example. Set this layers blending mode to Lighten, and place it nicely in your tag:

5. Duplicate this layer, and start burning certain areas. Set this layer to Lighten as well.

6. We’re going to create some more textures in our tag. Use either the pen tool or brush tool to create some hard lines with a few different colors. Smudge this area a bit with a hard brush. It’s best to use a splatter brush in this step:

8. Set this layer to screen to blend it a bit:

9. Duplicate the layer, and move it down a little. Remove, smudge, burn, and so forth:

10. Add in a cinema4d render (you can find plenty in our resources section) and erase most of it. Try creating some sort of flow in your colors, as shown in our image:

11. Set this layers blending mode to lighten:

This image is made to illustrate the flow in our signature. Try to create a similar effect where everything moves into the same direction.

12. Find another good cinema4d render, and place it onto your canvas. Rotate the render in a way that it will continue to follow the flow of your signature. Remove parts that are disturbing. Set this layer to Lighten, keep its opacity at 100%:

Blending mode changed to screen:

13. We’re going to add another pattern, and we’re going to set this to Lighte on 30% opacity. You can find this pattern in our resources section, or save the image below:

Copy this image, and paste it in a new file in Photoshop. Go to Edit > Define Pattern, enter a name and press ok.

Press CTRL-A to select all, then go to Edit > Fill, select your pattern and press ok.

Set the blending mode to lighten on 30% opacity:

14. Add in another Cinema4d render if your tag needs more texture, and set this layer to lighten. Rotate it so it follows the flow of your signature.

Set the blending mode to Lighten. The opacity was kept at 100%:

15. Add in a good looking stock, and remove parts of it. We’re going to rotate this to match the flow in our signature.

Our stock rotated (You can see the parts we erased to blend into the background):

16. To blend the stock into the background, set its blending mode to Lighten:

17. We’re going to add in some more text and once again apply the pattern onto it:

Like shown in step 3, CTRL + Click on your text layer to select your text. Make a new layer, and fill the selection with a pattern. You can change this patterns blending mode to soft light, overlay or lighten to create a good looking effect. Our result:

18. The color of the text looks slightly odd, so you can either change the text color or add an adjustment layer on top of it. We’ve blended our text with a pink to black gradient map, and erasing all the parts outside of the text. We set this gradient map to lighten on 60% opacity:

19. We’re going to sharpen our tag. Make a new layer, and go to Image > Apply Image. You can now either manually sharpen the layer with the sharpen tool, or go to Filter > Sharpen, and remove parts that come on too strong. We’re nearly done now! Our result:

Our tag in high quality:

20. The following step is optional, we’re going to add in a selective color layer. It’s not very useful to show you which settings exactly we’ve picked, because every image will have a different outcome. However, you can download the selective color layer here. Click on the adjustment layer panel to view the settings, and scroll between the colors to view it.

Our result:

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial. Please show us your outcome in the comments!

1. Create a new file, our signature is sized 360 by 140 pixels. Size is not really important when you create signatures, just use whatever you like:

2. Apply your wallpaper, photo or render on your canvas. This photo has its focal point in the middle of the canvas:

3. We’re going to apply a black to white gradient map to darken the signature a bit. Set this gradient map to Soft light on 28% opacity:

4. Make a new layer, go to Image > Apply Image, and smudge the background a bit. Remove the parts near the focal point. To illustrate what this layer looks like I’ll show it to you on a white backgound:

shown on our render:

5. Add a large textured render on top of the signature. remove parts over your focal point or important detail in the background.

6. We’re going to desaturate the canvas. Make a new layer, and go to Image > Apply Image. Then go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate:

7. Smudge, erase and move around some of the textures around the focal:

8. Apply the image on a new layer (New Layer, Image > Apply Image) and select Filter > Sharpen. Erase parts that come off too strong, and smudge some more parts of the background:

9. More smudging, and use the sharpen tool to sharpen some of the sections:

10. Apply the image, smudge, erase and sharpen parts. We’re going to repeat these steps a bit until it looks good. This is one of the layers shown on a white background to show you what it looks like:

11. After doing this step a few times and desaturating the result:

12. Time for some colouring. Go to Layer > New adjustment layer > Gradient Map… and select settings something similar to this:

This Gradient Map is set to Soft Light on 59% opacity. The result:

13. Using the pen tool, we’re going to create some lines around our render. Use your eyedropper tool to select 2 contrasting colors, and stroke these lines (right click > Stroke, set it to 1 and select the color you like):

14. Apply an outer glow to this layer (Layer > Layer Style > Outer Glow):

Result of our lines:

15. Make a new Gradient Map, select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map… and select some good looking gradient. If you use my adjustment layer, make sure you set it to reverse:

This layer is set to Soft Light on 21% Opacity:

16. We’re going to add some renders on our canvas, smudge and erase some of these parts. I’ll show you what my layer looks like on a white background:

Set this layer to soft light:

17. Make a new layer, and apply the image. Hide this layer for now, we’re going to need it in step 20.

18. Apply this layer on a new layer, and add a new photo filter. Image > New Adjustment Layer > Photofilter:

Leave this layer on normal and full opacity (remember to set the density to 25%):

19. Add another cinema4d layer, and smudge this a bit. This is what the layer looks like on a white background. Set this layer to Color Dodge:

Remember to set it to color dodge:

20. Grab the layer we applied in step 17, and move it on top. Reduce its opacity to 50%, this is the layer shown on a white background:

21. Apply the image on a new layer and sharpen parts of it. Erase pieces that you don’t need. This is the layer set to a white background:

The result:

22. We’re going to create another gradient map, Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map:

Set this layer to soft light, and reduce its opacity to 30%:

23. We’re going to apply the topaz vivacity filter (You can view a tutorial on the Topaz filter in this article, select Filter > Topaz Vivacity > Topaz Sharpen, and use the standard settings. After that, select Filter > Topaz Vivacity > Topaz DeJPG. Our result:

24. Add another photofilter, and select a nice looking color. my settings were:

This finnishes our tutorial, the result after applying the photo filter:

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial. Feel free to comment, suggest or ask any questions in the comments below.

In this tutorial we will be creating this Aquanox wallpaper manipulation with the use of several filter effects and cinema4d renders:

1. Start with your wallpaper, and resize this to fit your signature. We used a 390 by 130 pixels file. Place it nicely into your canvas.

2. We can use the blur tool to create depth into our signature. On our render, we’re going to blur the left side of the image. Grab the blur tool, and start brushing:

3. We’re going to use the displace filter. This can be a bit tricky and really changes your outcome depending on what setting you use. You can find a tutorial about displacing in our Filter Effects section. Displace the image, and remove pieces that are on top of your render.

4. We’re going to add in an abstract Cinema4D render. Resize this layer if you need to. We use a tentacle render, and will place it in such a way that it won’t look weird in our final result. Try not to just slap it in there, but think about its position.

our cinema4d render:

our canvas:

5. Fill a new layer with black, and use a soft white brush to add some lighting to our layer. Set this layers blending mode to ColorDodge on 100% opacity.

our soft brushing layer:

our canvas after applying color dodge:

6. We’re going to add a wind effect to our image. Because the wind effect only works horizontally, we’re going to rotate our signature first. Apply your image onto a new layer ( Image > Apply Image…) and go to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90 degrees CW.

Now go to Filter > Stylize > Wind (use the default settings or toy around with them) and rotate your image back to where it was (Edit > Transform, Rotate 90 degrees CCW)

Remove some of the parts that look bad or that cover the render, this is our layer after applying the effect:

our canvas afterwards:

7. Since our signature still looks somewhat boring, we’re going to add some more renders into our signature in the following steps. Try having it following flow or lighting of your signature. First we picked an abstract cinema4d file:

our canvas after applying:

8. We’re adding in an effect Cinema4d render, and erased parts that we don’t need. We’ve set this layer to lighten on 100%:

our result:

9. For the next step, we’re going to use our Burn, Dodge and Sharpening tool, and we’re going to liquify our background. Go to filter > Liquify, and play aroudn with the background until you’re satisfied:

Last but not least, apply a Topaz filter:

10. Add a boder, finnishing touches, and you’re done!

result in high quality:

remember to experiment with the steps and techniques. Thanks a lot to Dragon for writing this tutorial!

This tutorial can be a bit advanced, we will not be teaching you how to make adjustment layers and what settings to use, it’s best to experiment with these settings yourself since no stock gives the same outcome as the other. We will show you each layer made and the technique used to make the layer, however you should be aware of what tools you have and be able to apply them yourself. Let’s get going

1. Grab your stock or render, and paste them on your canvas.

2. Add an adjustment layer. Make a Curves layer to make the colors a bit more interesting:

3. Get your smudge tool, and smudge with your prefered settings. Give it a bit of flow:

4. Displace it with a good PSD (Filter > Distort > Displace) , erase whatever looks bad, and smudge some more.

5. We’re going to flip it horizontally. Make a new layer, apply the image (Image > Apply Image…) and Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Erase parts of it to make the stock a bit more interested and smudge some more.

6. Continue flipping it horizontally, smudging and erasing for a few layers until you get what you like:

7. Add in a gradient map to make the colors look good (Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map…)

8. Flip it again (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontally…)

9. Displace the image with another PSD and smudge it some more (Filter > Distort > Displace…).

10. Apply the iamge, Add in a clipping mask (Layer > Add Clipping Mask, or ALT + CTRL + G), and move the layer around.

11. Displace the image again, and smudge it (Filter > Distort > Displace…)

12. Copy the original stock back in, and erase/smudge the background until it blends in and looks good:

13. Add a few adjustment layers. Layer > New Adjustment Layer, and pick some curves and gradient maps:

14. Make some more clipping masks (Layer > Add Clipping Mask, or ALT + CTRL + G), and move the layers around:

15. Apply the image again, flip it horizontally (Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontally…), erase some parts, and smudge some more.

16. Sharpen your focal either with the sharpening tool, or go to Filter > Sharpen

17. Add another clipping mask (Layer > Add Clipping Mask, or ALT + CTRL + G).

18. Make a new layer, set the blending mode to screen, and brush with a bright color near your focal. Reduce the opacity if its too bright, or pick a brighter color if it’s too dull.

19. Apply the image on a new layer (Image > Apply Image), move it around, erase some of it and smudge some more until you see what you like.

20. Darken your signature a bit by either brushing with a dark color and reducing the opacity, or use your burn tool.

21. Smudge the signature some more.

22. Flip the signature horizontally after applying the image on a new layer.

23. Smudge some parts that still don’t look good some more (we smudged the left side):

24. Make a new layer, set it to screen, and add some soft brushing over your focal point:

25. Apply the image, move it around, erase and smudge to decorate the background some more.

26. Aaaand some more smudging:

27. Flip the signature one more time depending on where your focal is. In this case, the flow looked better when it went somewhat to the right. Our result:

and you’re done! This tutorial was used to show you the layers made and changed, however this will not teach you to do the same thing. Please experiment with these techniques and try creating your own style. Thanks again to CaptainNapkins!

Please note that the colors in some images may look poor, this is because the images are saved in GIF files to reduce file size. The results at the end and up here are saved in full quality.

1. open up a new file with any size you like, I picked 350 by 120. Find a good looking render. If you like you can download one from our resources page, we have plenty of great looking c4d renders available gathered from around the web. Place your render in your file and decrease/increase its size until you’re satisfied with the way it looks.

2. Make a new layer. Pick your brush, use your eyedropper tool to pick a blue color from anywhere at your render. I picked a blue color. Tap once or twice where you want the focal point of your signature to be with a large size. My brush size was 65 pixels.

3. Repeat this step with a white brush, however decrease the brush size to about 35 pixels.

4. Now make a new layer, and go to Image > Apply image. Hide the layer for a second, and with a splatter brush, make some splatters in the middle of your file.

5. Select your applied image layer, and hit CTRL + ALT + G (Or go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask…). Move the layer around a bit, and you’ll see your applied image underneath.

6. Apply image, and go to Filter > Brush Strokes > Crosshatch.. and select the settings shown in the picture. pick larger splatter brushes, and create a clipping mask. Move the layer undearneath around till you like what you see. You can find plenty of free brushes at our resources section.

7. Make a new layer, and pick a black brush. We’re going to darken the corners and give the signature a bit of flow. Brush around the corners of your signature. Don’t worry yet if you’ve made it too dark, we will light it up a bit in the next step.

8. Make a new layer, set it to Soft Light, and with a white brush this time, tap around the darkened edges to smooth it out a bit.

9. We’re going to add a channel mix. Go to Layer > New Adjustement Layer > Channel Mixer… Basicly at this point you have to toy around with the settings to get the color you like. If you want to highlight the red tones a bit, select Red from the dropdown menu. If you want to compliment the blue colors, select blue from the dropdown menu and toy around with its settings. It all depends on the render you picked and the color you want it to be.

10. Make a new layer, and go to image > apply image. Move it around to the left or right direction, depending on where you have your lighting. I moved it to the right because I thought it looked best.

11. Add your text and perhaps an outer strike to outline your signature. My text was fairly simple, I picked Georgia in a light blue color and decreased the opacity to about 80%. Changed its angle a bit to make it match the side of the applied layer, and there you have it.

Feel free to post suggestions, questions or results in the comments!