Practising Paintshop/GIMP...

[Marcel]

I don't need a new siggy right now, but I'm just practising with my program to learn how to use it and I want to see what it looks like on the web.(Les' thread came in useful ). When I make one, I'll post it here, directions are welcome. Maybe I'll use one of these as a siggy in future

 

[Wurger]

Very nice idea Marcel.I like it.

 

[Marcel]

You have this nice way of using fonts, Wurger, is that a Photoshop thingy?

 

[Wurger]

Yep it is, but the way of its using is my idea mostly.

 

[Marcel]

New techniques, but not satisfied with the hard edges of the Vimy

 

[Gnomey]

Looking good though Marcel despite the roughness of it - will disappear with enough practice. Both sigs are a bit big though (although I'm assuming here you would downsize them before using them).

 

[Wurger]

I agree with Gnomey.But Marcel, as you use fonts for a signature it is better to make them much more contrast to the background ( especially when these are made of the background pic like there in your pic) becaus when a pic is downsized these become less vissible.The best solution is to cut them off the background and put separately to the one.What is more you can use outline and shadow to make them contrasted.

 

[trackend]

Only just brought PShop CS3 marcel and I have a headache already bloody hell its complicated

 

[Marcel]

Gnomey: Thanks, I would indeed make them smaller if they were real siggies, but I thought on this scale, it would be easier then fiddling with lowres. And I'll keep on trying

Wurger: I agree, I wanted to see how they turned out. These kind of fonts probably work better on a less crowded background, I think.
I didn't quite understand what you mean with: "The best solution is to cut them off the background and put separately to the one."

Only just brought PShop CS3 marcel and I have a headache already bloody hell its complicated

That's why I have Paintshop Pro. I saw Photoshop with a friend, but I too thought it was too complicated. PPro is also complicated, but has a very good user interface.

 

[Wurger]

I didn't quite understand what you mean with: "The best solution is to cut them off the background and put separately to the one."

Oh...sorry.I meant that it is better to add to the font a texture made of the background and a shadow.If the font layer is above the background one the effect is clearly visible.

 

[Wurger]

And here is an example of it.

 

[Marcel]

Thanks, Wurger, I'll have a try at that, first I have to figure out how to do that in Paintshop

 

[Wurger]

Ah ...I was sure you know.

So OK. Here you are the "recipe".

1. open the new project - pic1
2. click text menu and input a text - pic2
3. hit the Ctrl key together with click left mouse button on the name of text layer name in the window with all layers.The text should be marked.Go to the background layer - pic3
4. then Ctrl+C keys nad then Ctrl+V. - pic4
5. go to the window with layer effects to add a shape and a relief for instance. - pic5
6.The effect should be like this one. - pic6
7 and 8. Some different settings in a shape menu and outer light added to the layer. - pics 7and 8

Clear now?

 

[Marcel]

I was actually referring to the effects and how they work in Paint shop pro, as compared to photoshop, but thanks anyway.

 

[Marcel]

Okay, practised a little with the text. I think the 3d effects in Paintshop are a little too subtile (or I have to play with it a little more). The effect "Chisel" seems quite useful to let text stand out from the background. The "Button" effect doesn't seen to help, the "outerbevel" alone doesn't work alone (as you could see above), but used together with "Chisel", the effect is a little better(see first pic). "Innerbevel" works quit nicely, but I think it's ugly this way, have to ajust the settings for that (pic 2). Chinsel with a little brighter text selection seems to enhance visibillity as well (pic 3).

Later: Played with the "Inner Bevel", pic 4
Pic 5: 4 with Drop shadow

 

[Wurger]

Now understand.

But back to your practice with the text.It looks good in all pics.My suggestion is to use as the shadow colour both inner or outer effects one of the lighter colour from the background.The black is not always a good one like these light grey or even white.Besides try to use different settings for the effects.

 

[Marcel]

Little different shadow, less blurr and dark blue. The less blurr takes away it's goal, that of highlighting the text, I think, with the plane, I think it works rather well.

 

[Wurger]

A little bit too light but now the text looks 3D.

 

[Marcel]

A little bit too light but now the text looks 3D.

Yep, I took the darkest blue color of the ocean, but it wasn't dark enough. I guess I'll have to adjust the opacy to a little darker.

 

[Wurger]

Great. But can you adjust the relief effect? I mean it is too big.