Agent Carter "I Know My Value" Signature Tutorial
Here is the tutorial that Josi @Gateworld Forum requested.
Here is how I made this in PS CS5 (does contain a Selective Color Adjustment and Topaz Clean):
NOTE: I do jump around on this so apologies if there is any confusion. Please let me know if you need help with anything
1) Open a document with your prefered signature size, mine is 500x180. Doesn't matter what color the background is, it's going to be covered up completely.
2) Create a Black and White Adjustment Layer. Everything for the next several steps will be under this layer.
3) Open this texture and paste it onto your signature. Make sure the line is off center and to the right.
4) Find a picture of your character, resize if need be and cut him/her out. Place off center and to the left.
5) Find another picture of your character, preferably one that shows your character leaning against something. Cut your character out and make it look as convincing as possible to lean them up against the line in the texture from step 3.
6) Take this thorn-like texture and place it in between the two pictures of your character.
7) Add this texture with the VI on it and resize and fit it closer to the main picture of your character but do not show to box, just everything else. Erase whatever you don't like.
8) Add this grunge texture by So-Ghislaine underneath both pictures of your character. Set to Soft Light, 40%. Duplicate the layer, change mode to Multiply, 100%.
9) Add this texture from KrypteriaHG and place this underneath both pictures. Move around until you are satisfied. Set to Screen, 100%.
10) Add this other texture from KrypteriaHG, also making sure your still working underneath your pictures. Move around until you are satisfied. Set this to Soft Light, 100%.
11) Add this last texture from KrypteriaHG and place it underneath your main picture and your leaning picture. Move around until you are satisfied. Set to Overlay, 100%
12) Create a Brightness/Contrast Adjustment layer underneath the Black and White Adjustment Layer. Brightness: -15 Contrast: 100.
13) Create a Selective Color Adjustment Layer, still working underneath the B&W Layer. I only adjusted the "Black" dial in the Whites, Neutrals, and Blacks parts. Whites: +100, Neutrals: -14, Blacks: -15. This will give you a washed out appearance that I hope is similar to the old black and white films of Agent Carter's era. Gimp users: Please let me know if this can be replicated in your program.
14) Now for a splash of color. There is a picture of Agent Carter where there is very minimal light. I found it on Section of Randomness. It holds a lot of HQ promotional images for various TV Shows and movies. I set this picture of Agent Carter to Screen, 100%. Resized and placed where I liked the splash of color. If you can find a pic of your character similar to that, go right on ahead. If not, be creative about the splash of color: Another picture, a texture that fits your character, etc.
15) I thought the B&W film-like appearance was missing something, so I dug into an old folder for textures and found Estrela's scratch texture. Place it on top of all layers and set to Screen, 100%. Move around until you are satisfied.
16) Now add this lights texture. If your width is 500, you will not have to resize but if it's not, then you will have to. Set to Soft Light, 100%.
17) Now add your text. Take a quote that you like from your character and place it on the right side of your main pic and underneath all the Adjustment layers. Freestyle Script, 18 pt, #OOOOOO.
The last two text layers will be, for my character: A and C, LePointe's Road, 125 pt, #OOOOOO, Set to Soft Light, 100%.
18) Create a Stamp. Use Topaz Clean: Crispstyle. Set this layer to Normal, 49%. Create a layer mask and erase the words and face of your leaning character. If you do not have Topaz Clean, then use your own finishing filters.
19) Create anothe stamp. Use Sharpen. Set to Normal, 52%.
20) Watermark your work, if you do, and you are finished.