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General discussion

How to put a clear signature on a photo, what program to use

Jan 3, 2006 11:05AM PST

Hi, Anyone know how to put a clear color signature, such as my own name on a digital photo. I've seen sellers in auctions have their id's placed on their photos. Some has clear color signature, and I like to know if anyone knows what program does that and I need help. Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Clear Sig on a photo
Jan 3, 2006 3:33PM PST

1Bunny, what photo imaging software do you have or none at all?

It can be done in Adobe Photoshop using a new layer etc. and than flatten the image. Photoshop software is rather costly. Count that option out for now.

Will the PC program, Infranview work also to do this? Infranview is a free software program and may help you out.

Would a camera software program do this also? Titles and all?
How about WallMart photo department?
I am just guessing at the endless ways to go where 1Bunny wants to do with her photos.
Need some help here for 1Bunny.

-Kevin

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Still need help
Jan 3, 2006 11:28PM PST

Could someone give me step by step instructions on how to use the photoshop c2 ,and the infranview program to achieve a clear signature on the photo?

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Still need help
Jan 4, 2006 2:27PM PST

iBunny, I do not have Adobe Photoshop 7CS2 but this may still work for you with Photoshop V6.1 instructions. Kind of sameo-sameo here.
? Do not use your original photo.
You will need that to sell your originals.
? Use a copy and rename it.
? You may also want to make a back-up copy of all your originals before you try anything!
?In Adobe Photoshop:
? Open and save your original as a copy and what you want to call it as a CMYK file. You can change the final CMYK file to a JPEG RGB file later and the final size of the file.
? Just work with what you have from your camera right now.
? Scan your Signiture as a sharp line scan x200% or larger.
? Save it as bitmap to a file or desktop.
? Go to layers and add a new layer as transparent to your copy of your photo.
? Open your signiture file and copy it.
? Paste that image where you want to have the image placed on your photo by drawing a marquie on the 2nd layer.
? Choose file and choose paste into.
? Paste the image, control or command V. (Paste into this area.) Adjust the image size by scaleing the image larger or smaller. (Image/adjust/scale)
? Select that image that is still active and change the bitmap to gray-scale and change the gray-scale to cmyk.
? Deselect the sig. (Command or Control D)
? Choose a color from the picker or such and ok it as cmyk color. That color will now be on your forground pallet.
? Go to your magic wand tool and click on the sig while holding down the shift key until you have the full sig selected.
? Choose File/paste background white.
? Do the same thing and select forground color that you have selected and paste into the image the second time.
? If you want the sig to be combined with your image select screen multiply. Which will give you a transparent effect.
? If you want the sig lighter, go to curves and adjust the x-mark down as much as you want.
? Satisfied with the sig, go to layers and select flatten image. That will make your image as one. Not as a layer. That action is final to the final image.

Satisfied, choose Save as a jpeg for photos or leave as cmyk and as an EPS for your commercial printer and at 300 DPI, dots per inch.

I think that I would like to have a pure white, or a screen on white of my photos and rather small to let all view it without giving away your photo art. You could position it on the lower third of your photo to begin with. Experiment with it.
If you wanted to have a cast shadow to your sig, you could do that also.
That would be lesson #2. With an additional layer.

iBunny, these steps may seem long to you, yet they go quickly when you are used to them.
Don't worry at all. The original image has been saved as a copy. Not satisfied with the results or color or size, start over with another save as from the original file.
This similar tip will be on the tutorials from Adobe.com also. Just download the tutorial and try them out. Nice!

As far as Infranview goes, or for that matter, Photobucket Pro, you could ask Grim or Bob Proffitt for their input here. They or someone else that has experience on these other programs please jump in and give your suggestions.

All suggestions and help are welcome.

iBunny, have fun doing this.

-Kevin

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Edit
Jan 5, 2006 5:14AM PST

iBunny, Choose Edit/Fill in place of File/Fill.
Late at night when I did that for you.

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Edit
Jan 5, 2006 7:07AM PST

Thanks Kevin for the step by step, I will give that a try and tackle it. It does seem rather long. I don't have the program you specified, and will try to download it if possible.