Brushes Part 1

[Litespeed]

I wanted to create my signature as a brush. I looked at the video of Brushes Part 1 but still can't do it. First what I did was create a New Blank File (white as my background), then did a Text with my name and saved it as a JPG. I opened it back up, Select All but then where he says to go to Edit Define Brush from selection, it won't let me, it's grayed out so I can't select it. What am I doing wrong? :confused:

[karen donnybrook]

Litespeed,

I have made a signature brush in the past but not sure I can explain it properly, so I will leave it some one more knowledgable :D It was quite easy to do, if I remember correctly. Not much help am I :o

Karen

[kimi_boo]

I have made a few lately.
New document 800 x 800. (white background)
Add text and date in black
Control A
Edit define brush

Just remember to save it. :)

[ktnoon60]

Litespeed, your text must be one a seperate layer, when you save as a jpg it flattens it into one. Before you save, still with the text layer active, control click on the layer until you have the marching ants around the the text, Then you will be able to define your brush.

Terry

[AngelicKim]

Litespeed, I think I got this from one of Wendy's Mini Tuts but not sure. I usually put the name of who did it in my notes but forgot to this time.

Make a Simple Signature Brush:

Create a new Document File>New ... lets make it 5cm X 5cm, 300 pixels per Inch and background transparent

Select the text tool and choose any font you want
Set the foreground colour to black and type your name
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 ....

One note of warning if you do want to keep your brush then I suggest that you use the Preset Manager and save it to a new brush set.

[Litespeed]

Thanks everyone -- I did it the way Kimi_boo said and it worked. The only thing I can think of is that I originally made the signature in blue, not black, and a larger size 3000 x 3000 px. Would all that have made that much of a difference??? :confused:

[seebee]

My first guess was that the signature was too large. I can't remember the size, but there's a maximum amount it'll allow you to use as "define brush". I don't think the blue or the flattened jpg would have made a difference.

[kimi_boo]

Thanks everyone -- I did it the way Kimi_boo said and it worked. The only thing I can think of is that I originally made the signature in blue, not black, and a larger size 3000 x 3000 px. Would all that have made that much of a difference??? :confused:

So glad you got it all worked out!! :D :D
What I have been doing is using the shape tool and turning some of those into brushes.

[Wendy]

Hi Litespeed :)

You can't define a brush so big ... :eek: it has to be below 2500 pixels.

I have done a couple of tuts on making copyright.signature brushes (but the same thing applies with other sorts too) and one on saving your brush. Don't forget to do that or you will lose them all :(. The mini tuts are all on the forum and here are the links:

Complex Copyright Brush ... (Message No 14) (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427)
Simple Signature Brush (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427)
Using Preset Manager to save brushes ... (Message No 19) (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3077)

Anytime you need to find one of my tuts the links are all in here:

Wendy's Mini Tutorials (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3641)
Wendy's Scrapbooking Mini Tutorials (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?p=88048)

Hope this helps :)

Wendy