Tech Bordered Sig!

[Johnny 1]

Wow, I haven't done tech borders in a while, but you guys wanted tutorials, so here it comes. (BTW, this is my first graphics tutorial ever, so bear with me...)

 

To get a tech border, like this one:

Follow these steps.

 

STEP 1 -- Make your outline

Using the "Polygonal Lasso Tool" (you can find it by holding down the left click on the "Lasso Tool"), hold shift to make straight edges, and create a selection similar to this one:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Tip - You can also make it slightly more rounded by changing the feather level before you make your selection. 1-5 should be the limit though.

 

STEP 2 -- Select outside and fill

When you have your selection, inversely select by going to "Select" --> "Inverse". Then, use the "Paint Bucket Tool" to fill the selection with any color (doesn't matter, I usually use black.) You should end up with this:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

STEP 3 -- Add shadow

Now, enter the "Layer Style" menu by double clicking the border layer. Go to the "Drop Shadow" tab and use something similar to this:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Tip - You can play around with these settings to get different looks or even a different shadow color.

 

STEP 4 -- Add bevel

Then click on the "Bevel and Emboss" tab and use similar settings:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Tip - You can't see much now, but this is a highly variable option, and you'll probably want to go back and change it later.

 

STEP 5 -- Add contour

Then you can click on the "Contour" subtab and use something like this:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Tip - Like bevel, this is also a highly variable option. You can get entirely different looks by changing this a bit.

 

STEP 6 -- Add a pattern

Last step is to add a "Pattern Overlay". Click that tab, and use whatever pattern you like. I chose these settings:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Tip - You can create your own patterns from images by opening the image and going to "Edit" --> "Define Pattern" to use whatever pattern you like.

 

That's the end of the tutorial, but definitely not the end of possibilities. You can do tons more things to spice up whatever image you are adding this to (in this case, I'm using a sig size). After you make your border, you can add another sub-border underneath, an image, and maybe some text. After I did some simple stuff for about 5 minutes, I ended up with this, one of my new favorite sigs:

 

Remember, steps can be added, dropped or replaced to get different styles entirely. Try experimenting to get one you like. I even learned a new trick while making this. If you use a circular or rectangular selection on the border, then right click and choose "Layer via Copy" you can get something like the bubbles on the right or the square on the left

 

If you see any errors or have any suggestions to better the tutorial, I'll try and do so.

*BTW, this tutorial is done in Photoshop CS. Things may vary in different versions, but you should be able to get the same result.

 

Before anyone asks, for the final sig, the bottom border, I made that look by deleting selections of the border's outsides, to make it look "stringy" or whatever.

[l!nk 0]

thats really useful, ive been trying to find a tutorial for a while now that can teach me that, and this is the only one that has actually been of any use to me, thanks alot

[Johnny 1]

Thanks for reading, and no problem.

[X3r0X 0]

Well if it was a *real* tech border it would at least have to be darker than a highlighter pen lolNice work

[Johnny 1]

heh, yeah, well, you know...thx.

[Colamusic 0]

I like how it makes the white look good really nice effect.You can find similar tutorials at http://www.good-tutorials.com/ and brushes at http://www.deviantart.com/.

 

I rate it 7/10

[Johnny 1]

Thanks, and I already posted those links at the photoshop forum, and there should be some links in my other tuts as well.