Ever wanted to add your signature as an artist to the corner of a photograph? Well, it's easy to create a Brush Preset in Photoshop for your signature using whatever font you prefer. You can even embellish your signature with some line art, if you like.

(This same technique will work for adding a copyright, a watermark, etc.)

Step 1. Create a new image.

I suggest something like 3000 x 2000 pixels. The idea is to create a high resolution signature to use for a Photoshop Brush Preset.

Step 2. Create a text layer for your signature.

Choose a font and then set the Font Size to something 250 points. I chose a script style to simulate handwriting, but you can use your creative judgment to select an approrpriate font. You can also adjust Tracking and Kerning to give the signature more of a flowing, handwritten look, if you do choose a script-type font.

Step 3. Make a Rectangular Marquee Selection.

Use the Rectangular Marquee tool to make a selection around the signature. There iss a maximum size to a Photoshop Brush preset. Keep the width of the selection (and, therefore, the signature) to less than 2500 pixels. Otherwise the option to Define Brush Preset will gray.

Step 4. Define Brush Preset.

The menu item for this is Edit | Define Brush Preset. The preset will be added at the end of the current set of loaded brushes. If the option is grayed, make sure your selection is less than 2500 pixels wide.

Be warned! Brushes are stored in the Preferences file until they are saved as part of a Brush Preset Library. If the Preferences file becomes corrupt, you will lose any unsaved brushes. So it is a good idea to save your brushes from the flyout menu for the Brush Preset panel.

Step 5. Add Your Signature to a Photograph.

Add a new, empty layer. Select the Brush tool. Set the Brush size. Set the foreground to an appropriate color. In the example here, I used White. I simply pressed the "d" key to restore the defaults of White and Black and then the "x" key to switch them and make White the foreground color. To add your signature, just click. Don't drag.

Step 6. Add Artistic Flair.

A common embellishment is to rotate the signature so that it runs along a diagonal instead of a horizontal line. Go to Edit | Transform | Rotate. You can rotate the text and even move it. Just remember to click the checkmark to finish the transformation.

You also have all of the optioins of the Layer Style panel available to you. I decided to use the Bevel and Emboss and the Stroke options for my signature. I also lowered the layer's Opacity setting.

Here's the result . . .

A .PDF version of this "tip" is available from this URL:

http://www.thelightsright.com/files/tips/CreatingASignatureBrush/CreatingASignatureBrush.pdf

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