Mecha's Noob guide to Brushing cool Backgrounds for Sigs/Avatars

[MechaTC]

MechaTC’s Basic Forum Signature BG Tutorial.

This tutorial is designed to help even the noobiest noob out there be able to make a signature background from start to finish in Adobe Photoshop CS.

What you need:
400x150 Document in Adobe Photoshop
Default colors (Black and White. Hit the D key)
Abstract brushes, grunge brushes, whatever kind of brushes you would like to use. You can download brushes at places such as Deviant Art (http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psbrushes/?view=1&order=5&limit=24)

Installing Brushes:
Once you download some brushes to your desktop, all you have to do is unzip any zip files you have and select all the brush files together and right click -> cut. (downloading brushes does not consist of saving the picture of them on deviantart. You actually have to click a download button). Now open windows explorer and follow the following path C:\program files\adobe\photoshop cs\presets\brushes and paste the files into this folder. Now your brushes are installed.

Loading Brushes in Photoshop:
To load a brush in photoshop once you have it installed, you must open up the program. Then click on the brush tool.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/Brush-Tool.gif
Now in the upper left hand corner please click the brush selection menu.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/Brush-Selection-Menu.gif
Now click on the little arrow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/little-arrow.gif
Now go to the “load brushes” option. Click this and select a set of brushes. They will be located in the brush selection menu.

Congratulations. You have loaded a set of brushes.

[MechaTC]

The Project:

Make sure you have a new 400 wide x 150 high pixel document ready for work (It should have a transparent background). Set your colors to black and white by hitting the D key on your keyboard.

To start, fill your current layer with black using the fill tool.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/fill-tool.gif
Next, create a new layer by clicking on the new layer button.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/new-layer-button.gif
Now select a brush (using the brush tool), any grunge or abstract brush will do for the purpose of this tutorial. Now click on the flow option. This adjusts the speed at which the color comes out of the brush. Set your flow to around 50% for the first part.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/flow-option.gif
Reverse the colors by hitting the X key now. Now you are using the color white, instead of black. Now take your brush and click on the sig background (make sure you are brushing on layer 2). Only make 2-3 clicks in different spots. Your sig should look something like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/first-brushed-layer.gif
Of course you are probably using a different brush than I am, so it will look different.

[MechaTC]

Now create a new layer by clicking the layer button again. Select a different brush the same way we did before. This time reduce the flow of the brush to around 30-45%. Now make sure you are drawing on layer three and click a few more times over this layer. Feel free to click on top of your previous brush strokes. Do whatever looks good to you (remember you can undo anything in photoshop by hitting the keys ctrl+alt+z).

Ok. Now that that is done, you should have something that looks like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/second-brushed-layer.gif
Now make another layer. Do the exact same brushing procedure as we have been using on the past layers. Select a new brush and reduce the flow by 5% this time however. Click a few more times here and there and you should have an interesting looking design something like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/third-brushed-layer.gif
Good, you are done with the brushing part!

Now what we have to do next is click on Layer 4. Now click on Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Brightness/Contrast.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/brightnesscontrast-adjustme.gif
Click ok, then adjust the levels so they read Brightness:20 Contrast: 40 (or whatever settings look the best and hit ok. Now your image will look something like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/brightness-contrast-layer.gif
In the next step, we click on layer 4 again. Now go back and click Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> this time click on Color Balance.

Click ok. Now mess around with the sliders until your sig bg becomes an interesting color that you would like.

[MechaTC]

Now that you have a nice colored sig BG it is done. It should look something like this now:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/final-colored.gif
(optional): You can add more colors to your BG by adding more of the Color Balance layers (One over each of your brushed layers. This will result in each of your brushed layers being a different color.) In order to do this, all you have to do is repeat the color balance layer step, but place one over each of your individual brushed layers. If you do it correctly, you could create something like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/colored-optional.gif
You will notice that there are three different colors on the signature. You can add more if you wish as well.

You can do what you would like with it now, add a picture, add some more effects or whatever you can think of.

[Blue]

Well that explains it...you have much cooler brushes then me. :amazed

[MechaTC]

Well that explains it...you have much cooler brushes then me. :amazed

The one used in this tutorial was among the ones I sent you :laugh

[Ichimaru Gin]

Very good tut for begginers i like you included pictures makes it very easy.

[PATMAN]

Hey mecha, are the ones i sent you in there? O_O good tutorial btw ^_^

[MechaTC]

Hey mecha, are the ones i sent you in there? O_O good tutorial btw ^_^

I used some from the link to deviantart that you gave me. Downloading your brushes now. Thanks :laugh

[Utz]

Nice tut man, good way to help people.

[Rurouni]

Nice tutorial. But I have a question. I'm trying to make the background have multi-colors, but everytime I change the Color Balance thing, the whole bg becomes that color so I can't get it to have more than one color...

[MechaTC]

http://img224.exs.cx/img224/6094/optionalendinglayers4cy.gif

That is how my layers were set up for the multicolored sig. Make sure you have one of the color layers over each of the brushed layers. Just play around with the sliders till you get the colors you want (colors are going to be somewhat similar since they are on top of each other).

[kyubinaruto75]

how'd u get certain parts of hte backgorund to glow like that?

[MechaTC]

how'd u get certain parts of hte backgorund to glow like that?

When you add the brightness/contrast adjustment layer, you adjust for better and brighter brightness/contrast so it appears lighter.

[Empress]

Thanks for the tutorial MechTC
I't's really helpful!!!

[Mithrandil]

Nice tutorial... well done...

[Lo Gah Lok]

Great tutorial, but sadly i have the older version 6 of photoshop...i can't upload any brushes with it...:crying

[Experiment_Jon]

nice...this was infinatly helpful for a n00b like myself. Eh, its too bad I have Photoshop Elements 2, and cant seem to find that color balance layer thing...oh well...filling it with a solid color will have to do for now...

[MechaTC]

nice...this was infinatly helpful for a n00b like myself. Eh, its too bad I have Photoshop Elements 2, and cant seem to find that color balance layer thing...oh well...filling it with a solid color will have to do for now...

I don't think elements has that. I used to have elements 1.0

[Steve L.]

Great tutorial, but sadly i have the older version 6 of photoshop...i can't upload any brushes with it...:crying

Buy the upgrade version of Photoshop CS. Check it out here. (http://store.adobe.com/store/products/master.jhtml;storesessionid=R5YMB4QEJ3M3HQFI0IKBCY 4AVDJBKIV2?id=catPhotoshopUpgrade) It's only $169.00...

[Lo Gah Lok]

ok, well i have one that my friend let me borrow. ok now. how do you change to the brushes you uploaded? i know this seems n00bish..but please...help.

[MechaTC]

ok, well i have one that my friend let me borrow. ok now. how do you change to the brushes you uploaded? i know this seems n00bish..but please...help.

There is a part of the tutorial on how to dl, install and load brushes.

[Lo Gah Lok]

well, it didn't say in the tutorial what i need to know. but i found it anyway, so ok. i made 2 sigs so far, thanks for the tutorial, mecha!

[krescentwolf]

Wow, thanks for the tutorial, it helped tons!
*oogles his new sig* ^_^;;

[tehdemonic]

does ne one know a good website for hosting pics?

[MechaTC]

does ne one know a good website for hosting pics?
http://www.imageshack.us

[Experiment_Jon]

Buy the upgrade version of Photoshop CS. Check it out here. (http://store.adobe.com/store/products/master.jhtml;storesessionid=R5YMB4QEJ3M3HQFI0IKBCY 4AVDJBKIV2?id=catPhotoshopUpgrade) It's only $169.00...

Eh, too bad I cant upgrade to CS, since I have silly Elements. I'd have to pay like 600+ to get it. But what do you mean only $169 You make that sound like so little! I do have that much money on me, but heck, there's no way I would spend it on an upgrade even if I could. Well, that's what China and the Philippines are for right?

[Hazanko Zero]

Wow. Thanks alot Mecha! I've just been given access to PS in the past few days and I've always been interested in makin' sigs and such. Lots of pertinent info here, thanks! :D

[lost_wan]

and how do you insert the picture properly? or 'stock' they called it..

[Rurouni]

You open the original file, copy and paste. I usually use the Marquee tool (or whatever it's called, the rectangle with the dotted lines ^_^)

[Shadus]

If you're a student you can get the full version of photoshop for < 100$ it's how I got mine ages ago... well worth the cost.

[Leto]

how do you tell which brush is the brush that you loaded on the selection screen. they only have numbers

[lost_wan]

thx rurouni. yours a nice sig, btw.

[MechaTC]

how do you tell which brush is the brush that you loaded on the selection screen. they only have numbers
there should be a thumbnail pic of the brush. the number indicates the size of the brush.

[the7th]

wow thanks for the tutorial! =) nakaka2wa siya!! nyahahaa

[the7th]

btw...ummm...how do you put your sigs here when you post your messages? the one like your "chaos" @MechaTC

[Rurouni]

[img*]SIG URL[/img*]

Do it without the *. You have to upload the sig to an image hoster first too.

[the7th]

hehehe... sorry but whats an image hoster? :(

[MechaTC]

http://www.imageshack.us is a site to host your images

[the7th]

oh and what file type should i save my sigs?:)

[MechaTC]

.gif file is the smalles and most internet friendly. but .jpg works well too.

[the7th]

yahoo!!! tnx for the tutorial! very greatful

[the7th]

if you save the sigs it takes sometime eh? narutoforum says there's no subscribed threads in the folder for the time being....

[the7th]

oh there it is!! wahahahah!! cool tutoral

[aslan]

ok I'm trying this out but I don't have the flow option showing is there any way to get it to show

[MechaTC]

bump

fjdlfasjafs

[kage no bunshin]

hey mecha nice tutorial helped me alot :)

[Ah B]

What sort of brushes are best for sigs?

[MechaTC]

grunge, abstract, misty, celestial. almost any brush can be used

[Experiment_Jon]

I don't think elements has that. I used to have elements 1.0

Buahahahaha! Yatta! I finally got Photoshop CS! Color Balance is such an unbelievely smexy feature. Now I can finally do that flow stuff too! I love this...great tut!

[EenXsooN]

ey whut program u guys use for ur sigs?

[Silent Reality]

Photoshop CS but their are alternatives

[EenXsooN]

is there a place to dl that? a site or something?
if there is post it here plz

[PsiOptiCz]

juss google photoshop or whatever and then.. if you do get photoshop.. get trial version.. then find a crack so you can use it for as long as you want ^_^

thankz a LOT mecha! =] really really helpful. helped me make my very first sig! :D
do you think you can give me some pointers or anything to help me with my sig making?

*added* um.. do you think you can send me some good brushes for backgrounds? when i look through deviant i lag or sumtin.. and it takes me forever to look through.. (ie took me about 2 1/2 hours to find 4 nice ones that i liked) =[ and if itz not too much trouble.. do you think you can send me sum nice fonts too?

[lost withing my soul]

this is a very good tut i understood how to do everything ... and I'm a sped when it comes to computers ^^

[GMR1337]

I cant change the color of the brush that I used it just stays white.

[Konata Izumi]

Nice tutorial,it helped me make my ino sigg. :D

[shaaniqbal]

Wicked tutorial, I've finally managed to use a custom brush! Well I'm new to Photoshop and everything and I've just joined this forum, I have no idea what so ever what this 'Naruto' thing is. Can someone tell me? lol
Ok I still have a few questions:
1: What does 'abstract' or 'grunge' or whatever mean, and how can you tell whether a brush is 'abstract' or 'grunge'.
2: My sig is looking pretty boring I want to put a charcter in it but I have no idea how, can someone explain to me an easy way of getting a character? And I don't mean just get the whole image I want just the chracter on it's own, if you know what I'm saying.
EDIT: Don't worry WOOOOT I've got it now I used the rectangular lasso whateverthingymagig.
Help would be very greatly appreciated.

[Konata Izumi]

Wicked tutorial, I've finally managed to use a custom brush! Well I'm new to Photoshop and everything and I've just joined this forum, I have no idea what so ever what this 'Naruto' thing is. Can someone tell me? lol
Ok I still have a few questions:
1: What does 'abstract' or 'grunge' or whatever mean, and how can you tell whether a brush is 'abstract' or 'grunge'.
2: My sig is looking pretty boring I want to put a charcter in it but I have no idea how, can someone explain to me an easy way of getting a character? And I don't mean just get the whole image I want just the chracter on it's own, if you know what I'm saying.
EDIT: Don't worry WOOOOT I've got it now I used the rectangular lasso whateverthingymagig.
Help would be very greatly appreciated.

Check this out for more brushes. (http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psbrushes/?type=browse&amp;offset=48)

As for creating the stock (to copy the character into your sigg whitout the background) what i usually do is that i use the ereaser tool around the character and on everything i dont want included in the stock.
But it takes some practice at first, its important not to erease to much or the stock will look unatural and/or weird.
Thats the way i do it atleast, you could always trie it out.

But im sure mecha or some other gfxer har a much better method, so you probly will get better advice than this.

:D

[shaaniqbal]

Ok thank you I will try and use the eraser tool. Is there any way I can make the eraser circle thing a bit smaller so that I can rub out smaller bits at a time?

[L3g4t0 Blu3summ3r]

If you are using photoshop CS, you can just right-click on the picture itself, and you will be brought up a menu showing how many pixels you want your brush/eraser to be. Very helpful...

[MechaTC]

If you are using photoshop CS, you can just right-click on the picture itself, and you will be brought up a menu showing how many pixels you want your brush/eraser to be. Very helpful...
O_O

I didn't know that. Rep for you

[Shinobistarr]

Great tut heh professional type of tutorial, pictures, and detailed info, great job heh u must have a ton of patience

[MechaTC]

bump

[TheAnti]

Cool, used it on my sig. XD

With a touch of my own style tho

[spinstate]

Nice tutorial

Here's an very good tutorial I found for making nice abstract sigs, very easy and looks great too!

http://g2-graphics.com/forums//view.php?pg=killspan_abstract

Made there two sigs after looking up that tutorial. :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y61/eglacirion/sigs/nightsky2.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y61/eglacirion/sigs/testsig3.jpg

[rangeofhakke]

Mecha how do you get the image you want to extend out of the sig box, like your neji sig.

[MechaTC]

Mecha how do you get the image you want to extend out of the sig box, like your neji sig.
you create the background, then after you're done with it, you go to image -> canvas size and change the vertical dimension so now there is some more canvas to work with on top. Now you bring in your picture and have it stick out over the top of the background. Very simple

[Lee-Xai]

W00T !
Man you are the best, you helped me A LOT! THX
rep to you, if i could^^'

[spinstate]

hey mc, do you have tips/techniques for blending a stock into a background?^^

[MechaTC]

stock blending...hmmm. The methods I follow are:
1. I desaturate the stock image and then colorize it (matching the color to the BG)

or

2. I simply try and match the bg colors to the colors used in the stock (see current kaoru sig as well as blueshift's aoi sig and occasionalutopia's chika sig)

or

3. Last thing I try is to match the colors of the stock to the bg as best I can (by color manipulation) then I duplicate the BG layer after it is flattened and place the stock in between the both of them. I then use the eraser tool set on a very low pressure (like 2%) and erase the top bg layer over the spot the stock is. I usually leave bits and pieces of the bg on the edges of the stock. An example of this method would be my current neji sig.

I hope this helps you a little more.

[spinstate]

Thanks man, nice tips :)

[Procyon]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/GiroMech/Blank_1copy.jpg

My results. First graphic I've ever made. Thanks!! Make moere tutorials.

[hackerman98]

Nice tutorial,i think i'm gonna make a new sig.........
Rep,rep........>.<..............

note:my sig is completely made using photo studio 5,there's juz too little things to use.......sigh... :P

[tootaa18]

great tut

rep for you ^^

i made my sig following your tut....
what do you think??? :amuse

BTW
i want to know how you can paste the pic you want in the sig "i used copy and paste but the pic got pasted in the middle and didn`t move"

so i used another programme to do that :P

[spinstate]

i want to know how you can paste the pic you want in the sig "i used copy and paste but the pic got pasted in the middle and didn`t move"

just open the pic in Photoshop and using the Move Tool drag it over to your sig.

[MechaTC]

great tut

rep for you ^^

i made my sig following your tut....
what do you think??? :amuse

BTW
i want to know how you can paste the pic you want in the sig "i used copy and paste but the pic got pasted in the middle and didn`t move"

so i used another programme to do that :P
both of your signatures look really good (not sure which one you made using my tutorial :laugh)

Just do what eglacirion said for the picture.

[kurisawa]

good thread! damn, i've been wondering how they make those backgrounds

[tootaa18]

thanks for the tip eglacirion

and i was talking about the orange sig ^^
i thought it was so obvious that`s why i didn`t say which is it.....
appearantly it wasn`t ^^;

[Procyon]

Okay, I know how to get the pictures in the sig now...But how do you get the back-ground of a picture go away?

[MechaTC]

3. Last thing I try is to match the colors of the stock to the bg as best I can (by color manipulation) then I duplicate the BG layer after it is flattened and place the stock in between the both of them. I then use the eraser tool set on a very low pressure (like 2%) and erase the top bg layer over the spot the stock is. I usually leave bits and pieces of the bg on the edges of the stock. An example of this method would be my current neji sig.

that's pretty much how I delete the background that is overtop the stock image

[Procyon]

Thanks Mecha. I appreciate it. I'll try, then ask you if I get into a rut.

[tootaa18]

well,

i repaint the pic with black or white :)

[MechaTC]

well,

i repaint the pic with black or white :)
that works also, except if you are using color and brightness/contrast adjustment layers, they will also affect the image if it happens to be below them. maybe you're doing it a different way than the one I'm thinking of though :blink

[Procyon]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/GiroMech/Blank4copy.png

Like that?

[MechaTC]

not bad for your first one. just keep practicing and you'll be awesome before you know it. it took me months of tinkering before I reached my somewhat "intermediate" level that I'm at now.

[Procyon]

Thanks so much Mecha! :glomp

[[I am teh Haruka]]

Yay! I made my first... uh... graphic thing. Which I'm gonna use for a website layout!

Thanks so much! The pictures help a lot. I need a visual so I can learn better, and those really helped me. ^_^

EDIT:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/Loner_Haruka/test.gif

I think it's OKAY for my first try.

[MechaTC]

']Yay! I made my first... uh... graphic thing. Which I'm gonna use for a website layout!

Thanks so much! The pictures help a lot. I need a visual so I can learn better, and those really helped me. ^_^

EDIT:

I think it's OKAY for my first try.
Yeah, that looks REALLY good for your first try

[[I am teh Haruka]]

Yeah, that looks REALLY good for your first try

Oh my god, really? o_o...

Cause I got the picture from a site... uh, it's saved on my bookmarks somewhere...

=__=...

[Zedaine]

have a question..how come in my tools it doesnt show the paintbucket and that eyedrop thing??

[Sharingan_Chan]

Here's how mine turned out:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/kellykat07/siggy.jpg

Great tutorial, I really like this method for making backgrounds.

[MechaTC]

Here's how mine turned out:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/kellykat07/siggy.jpg

Great tutorial, I really like this method for making backgrounds.
Wow. It certainly came out well. :amazed

Good job :jir_thumb

[Sharingan_Chan]

Wow. It certainly came out well. :amazed

Good job :jir_thumb

Hehe thanks for the compliment. I added a pic to it:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y129/kellykat07/Sig_SasuSaku.jpg

[ShinobiX3]

1. where can i get the patterns for backgrounds, like Scanlines and stuff?

2. how do i get rid of the background of an image?

3.and how do u make certain parts of ur pics glow?

lol im so noob...

[MechaTC]

1. you have to make them.
2. in photoshop, delete the background layer (it's usually white)
3. right click on the layer you want to glow. select blending options. then apply an outer glow as well as a white color overlay. that yields the best results for glowing usually.

[~YJ~]

thanks for the nice tutorial that you made :smile-big . I was able to make the sig below after only having photoshop for 3 days. Just have to get a stock for the one below one.

[spinstate]

Looks good ,a bit dark, add a border and increase brightness/contrast and your done! :amuse

[~YJ~]

Thanks eglacirion for the advice i brightened my sig and also added a border and it dose look alot better :smile-big + i added a stock

[Dtothe3]

http://img293.echo.cx/img293/640/1stone7zv.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Here's my first go, i ended up scrapping this in favour of trying again.

Second Attempt (http://img293.echo.cx/img293/2307/2ndone7kg.jpg)

I was actually trying to make a friend a signature at this point, but it doesn't llok anywhere near as good as other peoples.

Complete (http://img293.echo.cx/img293/2984/2complete6ds.jpg)

I don't like it unfortunately, 3 people on it is too much, and it's as far as i got, I wasn't sure how to make them look less imposed on the image, not sure where to go with it really :huh

(Ignore that one, i've re-done it, much better but im too lazy to upload)

[ShinobiX3]

i still dont know how to cut out/ remove the background of a pic. cuz i wanna use a pic to paste on my banner but i dont no how to get rid of the background. Do i erase it or wut?

[MechaTC]

i still dont know how to cut out/ remove the background of a pic. cuz i wanna use a pic to paste on my banner but i dont no how to get rid of the background. Do i erase it or wut?
You can erase it if you want.

[ShinobiX3]

You can erase it if you want.
so how would u usually do it?

[MechaTC]

so how would u usually do it?
a combo of the eraser and the polygonal lasso

[TheMexicanKingVII]

If your erasing I find using a drop shadow round brush really works.

You could use the extract filter as well.

[ShinobiX3]

whats an extract filter? (im really noob)

do u know any sites that have tuts for removing bg?

[tHe_SwItChEr]

where can i get the brushes you used in this particular tut?

[Nty-kun]

amazing man ! thanks a lot really cool :D

[Darkwun]

This tutorial was great and the pictures were a great addition

[MechaTC]

where can i get the brushes you used in this particular tut?
I think I know which brushes I used. If you PM me your email address, I'll send you the brush file.

[Nty-kun]

can u give us the name of it plz ?

[Nty-kun]

MechtaTC 1 question. The character in ur first sig, did u do anything special with it? I mean like blending options etc. And which one would u suggest to use for those things like shadows etc.

[MechaTC]

MechtaTC 1 question. The character in ur first sig, did u do anything special with it? I mean like blending options etc. And which one would u suggest to use for those things like shadows etc.
I believe the character in my first signature, I increased the brightness and contrast a little as well as the saturation.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this "And which one would u suggest to use for those things like shadows etc."

[Temari103]

The pictures makes it more easy to learn... >.> nice tut!

[InEviTabLe.SiN]

Thanks sooooo much! Rep!

[Vivatar]

Wow, this tutorial cool, has helped a lot. But im finding it hard to blend the stock with the background. Ill eventually post my finished sig

['RoP']

really good tutorial , reps for you ;)

[InEviTabLe.SiN]

Thank you so much!!! I only started using Adobe Photoshop CS yesterday and I had no idea what to do! So thanks! I know how to make a background now!...now I just need to learn how to put an image onto it..:huh

[x_Zen_x]

OMG MECHA I LOVE YOU THANKS SO MUCH :amuse
i also just started today i didn't understand anything i was gettin so frustrated because i was an uber noob but this helped me a lot thanks!

[Lingz]

Thanks for the tutorial!

I got a question to ask though, I believe someone asked it before on the first page aswel. Whenever I try to change the colour balance for another layer, it just changes all of the colour balance altogether, I can't seem to just change a single layer of colour and leave another colour layer to it's original colour?

[genjo sanzo]

hmm great tut everything looks badass, but i'm having trouble adding stock to them. Basically i dont really have any renders tho :P

[MechaTC]

Wow...I can't believe I found this thread >> I thought it was deleted for good.

[Peak]

MechaTC’s Basic Forum Signature BG Tutorial.

This tutorial is designed to help even the noobiest noob out there be able to make a signature background from start to finish in Adobe Photoshop CS.

What you need:
400x150 Document in Adobe Photoshop
Default colors (Black and White. Hit the D key)
Abstract brushes, grunge brushes, whatever kind of brushes you would like to use. You can download brushes at places such as Deviant Art (http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/applications/psbrushes/?view=1&order=5&limit=24)

Installing Brushes:
Once you download some brushes to your desktop, all you have to do is unzip any zip files you have and select all the brush files together and right click -> cut. (downloading brushes does not consist of saving the picture of them on deviantart. You actually have to click a download button). Now open windows explorer and follow the following path C:\program files\adobe\photoshop cs\presets\brushes and paste the files into this folder. Now your brushes are installed (note: you cannot install brushes while photoshop is opened. They will not show up if you try to load them).

Loading Brushes in Photoshop:
To load a brush in photoshop once you have it installed, you must open up the program. Then click on the brush tool.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/Brush-Tool.gif
Now in the upper left hand corner please click the brush selection menu.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/Brush-Selection-Menu.gif
Now click on the little arrow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v603/ADsubs/little-arrow.gif
Now go to the “load brushes” option. Click this and select a set of brushes. They will be located in the brush selection menu.

Congratulations. You have loaded a set of brushes. can you make go frame by frame?

[Tsuuga]

Wow, thanks, MechaTC. I didn't even have an interest in brushing these backgrounds but it's really simple and even addicting!

[Freakness]

Awesome stuff Mecha, helped me alot . I managed to do anything you said in the tutorial .. Thx bro .

[Hagane Kotetsu]

really great tut

[NBT x 20]

Nice tut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ThatOneGuyFromBefore]

Is there an easy way to find the brush you want? I can't even find the brushes I just loaded, amoung the 50 thousand million other brushes in there. @_@

[guyver4z]

All the fun toys are expensive

[Yondy]

Awesome, thanks. I'm done.. but damn my brushes suck.

I have a question, do you just download them at DA? Do they cost money or something?

[omni1337]

What do you do if you have Photoshop 7.0?

[danielyang027]

thnks for the tut

[Chiyo-chan]

i´ve got Photoshop 7.0 too and it´s not easy to find some good Brush-Sets
for 7.0:cry Btw: Good tutorial:thumbs

[XGaaraX]

Thx for the guide. But i'm confused on how to get the stock onto my sig.. I don't see the copy or paste options.

[Sakura6123]

thats a good one, it really helped.

[kyubisharingan]

AWSOME, but i have a question, how do i insert a pic into the BG?

[Shadowkan]

Mecha nice tutorial...where do u get ur brushes cuz mine suck so much

[Cava]

nice tutorial smile-big tried some they turned out pretty well :nod

[Roy]

how do you unzip a file? :sweatdrop

[Iruke]

great tutorial ^_^ but how do you get adobe photoshop nvm uh can you just give me you photoshop plz

[XSAMEN]

testing to see if i got my avatar set up

[Vae]

I Phail at this .. i couldnt see all brushes together <.< i must have done something wrong .. but i did as the tutorial said <.<

EDIT:ok so its a succsess now but how to put the layerr (stock) ovber the brush and make it look nice ? here is the succses brushed sig http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5694/firesig2xy2.png

[AshCrestedHeart]

you, are a God on earth.
I'd been struggling for a day and a half trying to get Photoshop to do something...looked at about five tutorials..and finally..yours came along.
It's not perfect, but I made a Gaara sig tahnks to you..

I need better text but other than that I think it's pretty good.

[Fox Mccloud]

I don't no what to click on to find photobucket it could you plz tell me.:P

[yaychan]

dude thx for the tuts i was confused 'bout the whole photo shop think :D

[Blood_Senbon]

awesome tut Mecha Tc GW!!!

i want to write words on my banner/sig i donwload them from here:http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=601 and then where do i install then because when i install brushes it goes in presets > brushes where do the fonts go?

[Lazybook]

Nice tut. I recently installed cs2 and this really helped.

[Alumet]

Is it possible to do this in a lower version of photoshop?

[Heero]

Is it possible to do this in a lower version of photoshop?
PS7 should probably work with this tut

[Alumet]

PS7 should probably work with this tut
Ok, that's what I have! :)

[Xyfer]

Nice tutorial. =)

[Sky]

:laugh great tut :kthumb

i been waiting for this for 3 yrs... although i been reading these forums for 2 yrs... :nuts.... just didn't noticed it... hehehe :laugh

thx alot...

[Octo-pie]

i cant get the brushes =( i copy pasted the link into windows explorer, i have photosop CS3, any help?

[Bleach]

WoooWeee this really helped me alot =D. Thanks ^_^. I have CS3 though lol but thankfully its not that different sorta lol :sweatdrop

And Mangekyo, what I did was just go to deviantart or any other brush site and download them into a folder called brushes and then just load them O_o.

[~M~]

Excelent tut. I used it to make my avy. :3

[abcdefghijkLOL]

Erm...could you send me some brushes please..? I only have the basics D:

[abcdefghijkLOL]

Nevermind :D I got them maself ^_^

[~L~]

Thank you for this guide. I just got my photoshop and i know absolutely nothing about it. :lmao Here's my first try. Don't laugh at it. :yell :rofl

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x87/L_forums/Photoshop/lol.jpg

[Byakuya]

Thank you for this guide. I just got my photoshop and i know absolutely nothing about it. :lmao Here's my first try. Don't laugh at it. :yell :rofl

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x87/L_forums/Photoshop/lol.jpg

You are a Goddess among brats.

[Gary]

Great tut it helped me