OK.
Oh, you want an answer? 😉 This is how I do it in PSE 3; it might be slightly different in earlier versions.
1. Create a text layer with white text (click the "T" tool icon then enter a really big text size like 72 point with a simple font like Arial. If 72 is too small, you can type in a larger number like 172 or 272).
2. Open the Styles & Effects Palette (Window > Styles & Effects).
3. Select Layer Styles from the top left popup menu in the Styles & Effects palette. Select Bevels from the popup menu to its right.
4. While the text layer is selected, click the "Simple Sharp Pillow Emboss" layer style (or any other one that suits your fancy).
5. Open the Layers palette (Window > Layers).
6. In the Layers palette, select Darken from the top-left popup menu. To the right, select an opacity of around 50% or so.
That’s it. There’s a billion different ways of doing this, with different colors, opacities, bevels, and layer blending modes. Have fun!
You might want to make it a brush so you can just whip it out at a moment’s notice and slam it down on whatever image you’re working. You can even resize it (as a brush) using the bracket keys so it’s the right size for any image.
Mark and Lou…thanks! I got it to work! Very cool…
Mark, I love the idea of making it a brush, how do I do that? I can’t see any way to save as brush…Thanks! Shane
Shane,
Select the text tool and choose any font you want
Set the foreground colour to black and type your name (add a copyright sybol too … if you wish) Now do Edit>Define brush … give it a name and click OK. Go to your brushes palette and last one on the list will now be your new signature brush.
To use it simply create a new layer above your image, select your brush (resize if need be), choose your colour and stamp with the brush … don’t forget that you can always apply a layer style to it. Experiment a little … add a bevel, a drop shadow ….
To save the brush go to the Preset Manager Edit>Preset Manager>Brushes … click on your brush and save it to a new brush set.
Hope this helps
Wendy
Wendy,
I made a brush a few days ago, but it ended up as the last brush in the default library. I still have not figured out how to make a new library category , such as "signature brushes", and insert the new brush there. Would appreciate any guidance that you can offer. I use PE3.
Ken
Hi Ken,
Go to the presets manager (brushes) all you need to do is click on your brush and a thin black box will appear round it. Shift click to select others if you have made more than one brush.
Then do save set and name it Signature brushes … make sure that it is saved in the brushes section of Elements (I think it will default there anyway).
To load it again you need to close down Elements and then reopen it .. and you will be able to load the brush in the normal way.
Hope this helps 🙂
Wendy
Wendy, Mark, Lou…thanks!!! I’ll be trying it today, and learning, thanks again, best, Shane
Hi Guys, I must have taken an extra stupid pill today! I have saved it and it works, very cool! But for some reason, when I stamp it on, it stamps it in a 1492 point size!!!!!! HUGE! I did the text in something 32 point, but it did not save that way. Also, I don’t see any way to resize it, it does not allow me to select the text.
I don’t know, obviously I need a class, but hopefully can get through this one thing. Thanks for any help and sorry to be so dense. Best, Shane
Shane …
Thats no problem … all you need to do is use the [ and ] keys to resize your brush before you start stamping.
Anothe tip is always create a new layer above your image and stamp your signature brush on that … you will then be able to use the move tool to change its size and position.
Wendy
Shane,
I have yet to master the complexity of brushes. So I create my text layer once, then drag & drop it to other images to copy it.
Lou,
For complex ones …bevels, drop shadows, reduced fills etc. I created a new image and I have several different ones on a transparent background .. when I want to use one I just use the rectangular marquee to make a selection and do Edit>Copy then Paste into my image. It saves quite a lot of time 🙂
Wendy
