How to create a Siggy using Photoshop 7

[3beautkids]

Hi everyone... after a few girls asking how to create a siggy I've decided to help and I've created a tutorial for you.

I'm not the best at this sorta thing but I hope that I help a few of you girls! :)

OK here goes.

I've used Mumbugs pic's for this tutorial. Thanks for your permission Mumbug!

Firstly create a new image: File>New or press Ctrl + N. Can be any size that you prefer. I use 450x140 as my standard size.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/newimage.jpg

Make sure you have RGB Color mode selected.

Now add in your pictures that you would like to use. This can done by either File>Open and browsing for your image or by copy and pasting. Once you have your picture open just click on the layer and drag and drop into your new image – like so.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/addimage.jpg

Now resize the image you just added to the size you would like it to be clicking on Edit > Free transform in the menu or by pressing Ctrl + T. You will notice a square will appear around the picture of your new layer. Click on one of the corners and holding down the shift key drag the corner in to the size you would like it to be.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/resize.jpg

Once you done that. Repeat the steps again if you want to add in more pictures, until you have this:

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/layers.jpg

I've added 3 images so I should have 3 layers and the background layer.

Now adjust your images to where you would like them to go. For this siggy Iam going to have two squares with borders around the two babies and I'm going to add a mask to the family pic and fade it out a little.

To create a square around the babies face select the 'Selection tool' from the side menu:

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/selectiontool.jpg

Then click and drag your mouse on your image so you have what looks like ants in a square shape. Like this:

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/square.jpg

(tip: if you click on the 'eye' in the layer palette for the other layers they will hide the layer so you can work on the bottom layer and see it more clearly)

Once you have your square outline click Ctrl + Shift + I or Select>Inverse, now you should have your square outline and an outline around your whole image. Now click the delete key and the rest of the image will be deleted thats on the outside of your square but only on this layer. Your pic should look something like this:

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/deleted.jpg

Now I'm going to repeat that step with the other baby.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/bothdeleted.jpg

Now this is what I have. (the family photo is still there just hidden)

Ok now I'm going to add a border to the baby girl. Firstly I'm going to click on that layer so its selected then and a new layer above it. To add a new layer click Ctrl+ Shift +N or Layer>New>Layer.

Now selecting the 'Line tool' I will add my border 3 pixels wide.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/linetool.jpg

When the border has been created merge down layer 4 to layer 1 so it becomes the one layer, to do this click Ctrl + E or Layer>Merge down.

Now I will do the same with the baby boy, add a layer, draw a border then merge so I'll end up with this:

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/3layers.jpg

I will be back to 3 layers and the background.

Now to work on the family layer. I'm going to add a layer mask to this so I can get rid of the background around the family. To do this make sure you have the layer that you want the mask to be added to selected which is layer 2 then click the 'add layer mask' on the layer palette as shown here:

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/addlayermask.jpg

When you add the layer mask you will notice a chain symbol will appear on the layer palette and a new square will appear beside it. Your colours will also change to black and white.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/layermask.jpg

When the layer mask is selected the colours will change to black and white. The black will erase so to speak and if you click the little arrow to swap the colours from black to white the white will un-erase what you have erased.

Ok now click on the brush tool then change your brush so its something like mine to size and effect and set opacity to around 80% more or less.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/brush.jpg

Now, making sure the layer mask is selected on your layer palette and the colour black is the foreground colour start working on your background and just play until you get the desired result.

Now this is what I have after editing with the layer mask (note: you can see where I coloured with the layer mask on the layer palette)

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/aftermasking.jpg

Well it looks still quite plain so now I'm going to add a new layer and decorate it with polka dots! As mumbug requested.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/opacity.jpg


I changed the opacity of the polka dot layer to 65% as they didn't look quite right solid. I also changed the opacity on the family layer to 75% as well. Now I'm going to add a new layer and a border to the whole image to finish it off.

And here is the finished product!

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd177/3beautkids/mumbug.jpg

So this is the basics really. Just have a play around. There is so much you can do!

Enjoy! Hope this helps!

[~*Krissi*~]

Awwww Hun you are so clever but I am SO CRAP at understanding this stuff

[mummymer]

thats so nice of you to do that

Thanks :)

[Matilda]

I'm using photoshop 10, and i've using the tutorial. I'm learning so much.

[3beautkids]

I'm glad that its helped, its good that its helpful in CS3 too. If I get time I'll do one in PSP7 as well.

[emily_callie]

gezzz that looks easier then the way i do it :( ill have to check what i downloaded

[Leanne]

gezzz that looks easier then the way i do it :( ill have to check what i downloaded

It looks harder then how I do it.

[Newt]

You remind me way too much of someone I know who also lives in Adelaide, has 3 kids of the same sex and age and the same photoshop talents and styles...with a particular love of bloodred_roses.

[Leanne]

oh wow I wonder if its the same person?

[3beautkids]

You remind me way too much of someone I know who also lives in Adelaide, has 3 kids of the same sex and age and the same photoshop talents and styles...with a particular love of bloodred_roses.

Oh thats nice. I think? Has she always lived here in Adelaide? I'm assuming not since your in Sydney?. Well she has good taste in flowers at least hehe I love my roses but all colours not just red.

[3beautkids]

oh wow I wonder if its the same person?

lol nope its not but its a small world

[emily_callie]

shit ive got paint shop pro 7... can u download photoshop 7 ?

[Newt]

I hope not. She's an enemy and that would mean she's lying about who she is and her kids' names. She does google and stalk me though.

So many similarities though, right down to the same common spelling mistakes.

Mind you, there are some differences. My ex friend's 3 kids are all to different fathers and her first was born when she was 15. The girl in the photo looks exactly like her daughter though and the little boy could also be her youngest son.

As I said, I hope not cos this girl (Tanya is her name) can't be trusted.

[3beautkids]

I did - try limewire

[emily_callie]

yeah im looking at it now... which one do u choose tho lol

[3beautkids]

I hope not. She's an enemy and that would mean she's lying about who she is and her kids' names. She does google and stalk me though.

So many similarities though, right down to the same common spelling mistakes.

Mind you, there are some differences. My ex friend's 3 kids are all to different fathers and her first was born when she was 15. The girl in the photo looks exactly like her daughter though and the little boy could also be her youngest son.

As I said, I hope not cos this girl (Tanya is her name) can't be trusted.

Oooh okay.. Well those kids in my photo are mine! lol if her little girl looks exactly like my beth she is very cute.

Am sorry to hear that she is no longer your friend. But I guess these things happen.

[3beautkids]

Limewire Version 4 i think - Photoshop version 7

[emily_callie]

adobe photoshop 7 ???

[3beautkids]

Yep thats the one

[Newt]

Oooh okay.. Well those kids in my photo are mine! lol if her little girl looks exactly like my beth she is very cute.

Am sorry to hear that she is no longer your friend. But I guess these things happen.

Well, she's as thin as you but she doesn't look exactly like you. She only moved to Adelaide a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately this girl stops me posting a lot of personal information. I know she watches and I would rather she knows nothing more about me. I canceled my journals too. She's such a troublemaker and my one and only enemy.

[3beautkids]

Thats so sad. :( some people huh. Just realised if she watches here she will see this hehehe Stuff her

[mumof5]

tracey you made that look easy,im not sure which photo shop i have,


simone gee it dont sound like you had a nice friend,i thought those were mumbugs kids in the photos in the demo,or am i missing something

[3beautkids]

Corina, it is easy :)

She was referring to my kids in my siggy. My little Beth looks like her ex's friends little girl.

[Newt]

I wish I had the photo. She used to have it on her website but she appears to have pulled it down but there's this one photo where her daughter (Bella) is in the exact same pose as Beth and looks 100% the same.

[coral]

That looks hard to me, i'm a bit of a dummie..lol.

Simone you sound a bit freaked out by this person..:(

[Leanne]

wow that is freaky.

[Newt]

That looks hard to me, i'm a bit of a dummie..lol.

Simone you sound a bit freaked out by this person..:(


Not exactly freaked out. I could tell you the whole story but this probably isn't the place.

[3beautkids]

It is pretty freaky.

Just wondering, has anyone tried this tutorial? How'd you go? I'm getting the impression that its not really beginner friendly...

[~JulyGirlz~]

Wow Simone your enemy sounds like one freaky bitch!!
Pity some ppl can't get their own life and have to get their jolly's by stalking and being a plain nuisance :(

[Kay]

aww u refreshed my memory haha

this was the first program I used ever.. and then never used it for like 5 years and forgot haha